Porsche Will Stop Selling Boxster, Cayman in Europe Due to Anti-Hacking Law

Several months after Porsche announced that its Macan compact SUV would be discontinued in Europe due to cybersecurity laws there, the German automaker has confirmed that the very same regulation will essentially kill the existing 718 pair—Boxster and Cayman. That's right: Porsche's most accessible gas-powered sports cars are bidding farewell two years before their electric replacements debut.

Porsche's spokesperson for the 718 line, Oliver Hilger, recently relayed the news to Motor1 after the German press first reported it last week. Notably, this decision won't entirely spell the end for the mid-engined sports cars, as the Cayman GT4 RS and Boxster Spyder RS will be able to skirt the rule given their limited production volume. Still, the very fact these icons of Porsche's modern era will largely be unavailable for sale in the manufacturer's home market is as hard to believe as it is depressing.

Like the situation that faced the Macan, the 718's cancellation is directly attributable to UN Regulation No. 155 (UN R155), which will take effect on July 1. UN R155 doesn't merely require automakers to embed certain cybersecurity protections inside the car; it requires them to completely change the way they develop vehicles—as they can't seek type approval without mitigating cybersecurity risks at multiple points along the development process—and show their work if faced with an audit.