Porsche is attempting to win over China's lucrative market by introducing cheaper and less powerful versions of its top-flight sports cars Boxster and Cayman.

Porsche is planning to cut down its powers and introduce a 250-hp version of the 718 Boxster and Cayman exclusively for the Chinese market. The move comes as Porsche is experiencing low sales in China.

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The less powerful 718 Boxster and Cayman models are aimed at boosting sales. They are priced at less than 600,000 yuan (about $90,280), which Jan Roth, Chinese Porsche product manager, described as "a magic threshold for customers."

"A lot of the TTs that Audi sells in China, the smaller displacement 1.8-liter versions with a rear wheel instead of all-wheel-drive, are priced below that, Mercedes too," he said.

Automotive News reported that the entry-level Cayman and Boxster would feature an 180kW version of the new turbocharged 2.0-litre flat-four cylinder and 229 pound-feet of torque. The downgrade will also cut the top speed of the car from 170 mph to 162 mph. The 0 to 62 mph run for coupe or convertible will also increase from 4.9 seconds to 5.6 seconds when equipped with the regular PDK, according to the Car and Driver Blog. Other performance figures for the China-spec models are yet to be released.

With the replacement of the original six-cylinder 275-hp Cayman and Boxster, which are worth more than 700,000 yuan ($105,325), Roth is positive that the combined sales of both models will soar to around 4,500 next year compared with 2015's 2,500 units, Auto Week reported. The new 718 Cayman will join Boxster in Chinese dealerships in early December.

TagsPorsche, 718 Cayman, Boxster, sports car, automobile industry, china, 718 Boxster