Porsche Line-Up To Be Refreshed By 2014

A look at Porsche's upcoming product schedule reveals a host of new models and updates planned right through to 2014. Included among them are next year's hybrid and diesel Panamera variants and a Clubsport version of the Cayman.

Confirmed earlier this month, the Panamera S Hybrid will likely utilise the same Audi-sourced 3.0 litre V6 engine that features in the new Cayenne Hybrid, alongside an electric motor fitted between the engine and transmission.

While performance figures are not available for the Panamera S Hybrid, the hybrid powertrain should produce between 260 and 280kW. Porsche claims fuel usage will drop by around 30 percent compared to the equivalent petrol-only Panamera.

A new lightweight Cayman Clubsport is expected to debut next year. No significant engine upgrades are expected, however as with most clubsport variants, a strict diet is expected to give the Clubman version an on-track advantage over its regular Cayman sibling.

Set to launch late next year as a 2012 model, a new 911 - dubbed 991 - is expected to move further upmarket, making room for a sub-Boxster entry-level model reportedly being developed jointly by Volkswagen and Audi.

Of all upcoming Porsche models however, this new entry model has yet to gain any public support from Porsche. If it happens, a 2013 launch is the popularly-speculated time frame. 

Little is known about the new 911, although Porsche R&D boss Wolfgang Durheimer has confirmed in recent months that the new model will continue the company's philosophy of evolution over revolution in its styling.

The 2012 Porsche Boxster has been spied lapping the Nurburgring this year, sporting a wider track that hints at more power and improved performance.

Reports out of Europe have suggested that Porsche is considering a turbo-charged four-cylinder, which would help the car achieve the strict new emissions laws slated to come into effect in 2015. A launch date has yet to be confirmed, although a late 2011 unveiling is expected.

An updated Panamera, sporting a new face and powertrain upgrades, is expected to arrive in 2013, while a facelifted Cayenne, only recently launched in its current form, is expected to arrive in the following year. Details on both models, however, remain thin on the ground at this (very) early stage.

Lastly, Porsche's most recent revelation, the 918 Spyder hybrid, is expected to go into limited production in 2014, priced at around 500,000 euros - topping the 453,000 euro price tag of the Carrera GT.