According to the latest edition of Car magazine, the 2016 981.2 range will comprise:
[ul][*]Boxster/Cayman 240bhp 2.0-litre flat four turbo [*]Boxster S/Cayman S 300bhp 2.5-litre flat four turbo[*]Boxster GTS/Cayman GTS 370bhp 2.5-litre flat four turbo[/ul]The power figures for the lesser models sound a bit disappointing, being significantly less than those for the existing cars, but I'm guessing that the 2.0-litre and the 370hp 2.5-litre will have around 300lbf-ft and 350lbf-ft of torque respectively. These values are a significant hike on the equivalent values of 214lbf-ft and 280lbf-ft for the current Cayman and Cayman GTS. The extra grunt will give the cars a very different feel for those of us used to the flat-6 characteristics but, as MrD has said, it'll complement the long gearing and also perhaps make the cars more attractive to daily drivers who use them in heavy traffic.
Swings and roundabouts really and pricing the base Cayman below its Boxster equivalent could make it more attractive for entry-level purchasers, although I think it would be better to keep the power distinction in the S and GTS Boxster and Cayman variants.
Looking on the bright side, judging by the stellar power nad torque outputs available from VAG's 2.0-litre I-4 turbo engine, Porsche's flat-4 turbo engines should be capable of significantly higher outputs with a bit of in-house or after-market tuning. Assuming there's one fitted, I'm interested to see how Porsche has packaged the intercooler for this engine.
Jeff