Porsche's New Boxster-Based Coupe Could Be More Driver-Focused than 911

Zuffenhausen Surprises with a Powerhouse Coupe

Porsche is set to produce a hybrid vehicle for 2006. No, it's not the sort of hybrid that fuses an anemic lawnmower sized

The car, codenamed 'C7S', is a hybrid of the Boxster and the 911.

gasoline engine to a set of electric motors via a CVT gearbox, but rather it's a strategic blend of the firm's two mass-produced sports cars, the Boxster and the 911, in an attempt to build its most driver focused vehicle to date.

The car, codenamed 'C7S', is known to those with their ears to the asphalt as the upcoming Boxster Coupe, or by it's probable production name of Cayman, named after a fierce, albeit small breed of alligator.

While the newly freshened Boxster and 911 are both top-notch performance vehicles, both are becoming so refined they're leaning towards grand tourer status. More emphasis has been placed on comfort than ever before, with luxuries and high-tech equipment now available that would normally be reserved only for uber-sedans like the BMW 7-Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

This new model, according to insider sources, will be pitched to the purist, designed to accelerate quicker, turn sharper, and lap tracks faster than the current crop of Porsches. From what is known, the C7S is designed to deliver the best of the 911 and Boxster, from a driving dynamics standpoint, in one efficient little package.

The new car will be based off the recently revised 2005 Boxster, and will feature the model's mid-engined, rear wheel drive

The new car will be based off the recently revised 2005 Boxster. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

layout for optimal weight distribution, but rather than the Boxster's softtop it will receive a fixed metal roof to increase its structural rigidity to 911-like body strength. Like the Boxster, the C7S will be a two-seater, complete with a forward and aft trunk.

To distinguish the C7S from the Boxster, and bridge the gap to the 911, Porsche stylists have made significant changes to the body structure to include a coupe-like fastback, complete with a liftback rear window similar to that used in the previous 996-generation 911 Targa. The addition of this sweeping roof also includes a pair of smaller rear windows, as well as a parcel shelf for additional cargo storage.