See what turned out to be Porsche's “ugly duckling” in the 90s!
When Porsche launched the first generation Porsche Boxster in 1996, the Stuttgart brand's most ardent fans raged against the model. They considered it a heresy and a betrayal of the brand's most basic values. They complained about everything. From the central position of the engine, to the lack of power the car had, and of course, the collage that the “bastard” made to the design of the iconic Porsche 911. Almost everything was said at the time about the Boxster… that it was a model that he lived in the shadow of his laurels won by his older brother, the 911. Which was the Porsche of those who didn't have the money to buy a 911, etc. Poor things, they still couldn't dream of what the 21st century had in store for them… SUV's and sedans equipped with a Volkswagen engine!
But time passed, and those who once criticized Porsche for launching such heresy, today surrender to the charms of the "little" roadster. The Boxter's behavior and performance have improved so much or so little in the second and current generation (987) that in some versions the smallest member of the family can even make life difficult for his older brother on mountain roads. Not bad huh? And if the second and current generation Boxter (987) was marked by the consensus meeting it achieved, the third generation Boxster (981) will certainly be marked by the confirmation of the Boxster as a fully-fledged element of Porsche's sports car lineage.
Leaving the historical facts for another time, what does the new Boxster have in store for us? Firstly, Porsche announces that thanks to the introduction of new environmentally-friendly technologies, the new generation Boxster features energy efficiency improvements in the order of 15%. Gains achieved by reducing the chassis weight, installing an energy regeneration system during braking, an almost “mandatory” start-stop system, and finally, a system responsible for controlling the ideal operating temperature of the unit driving.
But truth be told, anyone who wants to save buys a boring and “green” Toyota Prius. So let's talk about what really matters: benefits. Let's start with the chassis!
The new Boxster, in addition to announcing a slimming down of the set compared to the generation that is now ceasing to function – gains in terms of structural rigidity cannot be ruled out – it also announces a growth in the chassis in almost all directions.
The new Boxster has grown in wheelbase and also in wheelbase, meaning it is longer and wider. At the same time Porsche also announces that the new Porsche will be significantly lower than the current model. All these factors together suggest huge gains in terms of stability and handling of the set, when compared to the 897 generation, which now ceases to function. So what was already good, got even better…
In terms of the engine, there are no big news, at least in this launch phase. The base version, which has a 6-cylinder and 2,700cc Boxer engine, registers a gain of 10hp compared to its predecessor, going from the previous 255hp to a more friendly 265hp. The more powerful version, which will be called the Boxster S, will have an engine a little more “spicier” and that also carries over from the previous generation. It will be our well-known 6-cylinder boxer with 3,400cc, now debiting the nice figure of 315hp. Could Porsche have gone further in the evolution of engines? It could, but then it started to enter 911 territory. And to compete for sales, outside competition is enough, let alone having an opponent indoors, right?
All these numbers translated into benefits result in accelerations from 0-100km/h in 5.7sec. and 5.0sec, depending on engine. And announced consumption of around 7.7l/100km for the smallest engine, and 8.0l/100km for the most powerful engine of the Boxster S.
As for equipment, it contains the best Porsche has to offer. The well-known and fantastic PDK double-clutch gearbox, as well as all the other known systems of the current generation such as the PASM suspension, or the Chrono-Plus pack. We highlight an option that is an “oblige” for lovers of “hurried” driving. We are talking about the Porsche Torque Vectorial (PTV) which is nothing more than a mechanical locking differential that promises to further elevate the motors of this model.
The prices defined for Portugal are 64 800 euros for the 2.7 and 82 700 euros for the S version, this without any option, of course. The start of its marketing is scheduled for April.
Text: Guilherme Ferreira da Costa