What it is: A two-seat mid-engine Porsche that’s smaller and more affordable than the $48,550 Boxster.

Why it matters: A mid-engine Porsche at a more affordable price matters a great deal to us.

Platform: It will use Porsche’s adaptation of  VW’s mid-engine architecture that was previewed by the BlueSport concept at the 2009 Detroit auto show. It will measure 157.5 inches in length and ride on a 95.7-inch wheelbase. Aluminum hood and door panels should help the little roadster weigh less than 2700 pounds. The chassis has struts at every corner.

Powertrain: A new turbocharged, 2.0-liter flat-four with about 300 horsepower is a possibility, but Porsche may use a turbocharged, 2.0-liter inline-four to cut costs. Purists get a six-speed manual; a dual-clutch seven-speed is optional.

What might go wrong: Porsche might cheapen its new roadster with a cut-rate interior, and it may share too much with VW, SEAT, and Škoda versions of the platform to be considered a “real” Porsche.

Estimated arrival and price: We expect it to launch in the spring of 2013 with a base price below $40,000

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