Porsche’s next 718 Boxster electric prototype has been caught on track at the Nürburgring wearing almost no camouflage, the clearest public pictures yet that the convertible is nearing production. The images — published by Car and Driver on 11 September 2026 — show the drop‑top testing with only small covers around the headlights and painted-on faux taillights, a sign manufacturers reserve for late validation runs.

What the photos show

The pictures, taken at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, reveal bodywork very close to a finished car: production‑style front and rear lighting shapes, more sculpted side skirts and no visible exhausts or engine cooling intakes at the rear. Car and Driver’s gallery credits KGP Photography for the images and dates its report 11 September 2026.

Electrek’s coverage the same day highlights a concrete confirmation from Porsche CEO Michael Leiters — quoted in an August interview as saying “we will build the model – because it is the best solution economically and will be a fantastic car” — and frames the uncamoed prototype as evidence the project is back on track. Electrek notes this appearance follows months of speculation that Porsche might not proceed with an electric 718.

How close to production?

Observers note the prototype’s minimal disguise usually indicates late‑stage testing; Car and Driver also reported expectations that the 718 EV will use an 800‑volt electrical architecture and offer single‑ and all‑wheel‑drive variants, technical choices consistent with Porsche’s recent EV strategy. The outlet suggested the production car could arrive “as early as next year,” phrasing this as an editorial assessment of timing.

What this means for the market

For buyers and dealers in Germany and Austria, a production‑ready Boxster EV would deepen Porsche’s all‑electric lineup and offer a native‑brand sports convertible to replace the outgoing combustion 718 — a meaningful product for enthusiasts and used‑market dynamics in DE and AT. The prototype’s late‑stage testing at the Nürburgring, Germany’s best known development circuit, underlines Porsche’s intention to preserve driving dynamics even as it shifts to battery propulsion.

For Porsche’s dealer networks in both countries the move would keep a halo sports product in showrooms at a time when the brand is expanding EV options such as the Taycan and Macan EV; it also affects service planning, training needs and high‑voltage parts logistics for workshops across Germany and Austria.

While Porsche has not released official technical specifications or a firm launch date, the combination of a CEO statement in August and the Sep 11, 2026 spy photos makes the 718 Boxster EV one of the most closely watched upcoming German‑built sports cars for 2027.

Porsche electric models on WorldTrader24 →

Sources: Car and Driver, Electrek, Motor1, AutoExpress, Hagerty