Stuttgart has not only slotted three new numbers in the middle of the Porsche Boxster’s name, it’s also added two new four-cylinder engines. This is big news. A 911-derived flat-six has powered Porsche’s midengined roadster for two decades. Its disappearance worries enthusiasts, so Porsche has dusted off its 718 badging in an attempt to legitimize the switch. It references the midengined four-cylinder 718 that raced with success in the 1950s and ’60s; 914 -- the last Porsche to use a mid-mounted flat-four -- didn’t make the cut.

The entry-level 718 Boxster uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four, the 718 Boxster S a 2.5-liter version of the same. With 295 hp/280 lb-ft, the 718 Boxster gains 35 hp and 74 lb-ft over its predecessor’s 2.7-liter flat-six; the S (345 hp/310 lb-ft) gains 35 hp and 44 lb-ft over the old 3.4-liter. Mpg is TBD, but Porsche claims up to a 14 percent improvement on the European test cycle.

ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $68,400
DRIVETRAIN: 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four
OUTPUT: 350 hp @ 6500 rpm, 309 lb-ft of torque
CURB WEIGHT: 2,988 lb
0-60 MPH: 4.4 sec
PROS: Brilliant steering and handling gets even better
CONS: Something's lost in translation with the new turbo four


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