Success Story: 15 Years Of The Boxster Model Line

Stuttgart. A nice round number to celebrate the birthday: Almost exactly 15 years to the month after production began, the Porsche Boxster together with its sister model, the Cayman, exceeded the 300,000 mark for the number of vehicles built. Together with its timeless attractiveness, this two-seater, mid-engine car from the Dr. Ing. h.c.H. Porsche AG, Stuttgart has what it takes to make yet another sports car icon. As an anniversary model, a Boxster Spyder with Platinum Silver metallic finish and Carrera red natural leather interior trim rolled off the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen production line in June, destined for a German customer.

There are solid reasons for this long-standing success: The Boxster and Cayman are continuously developed based on a rigorous mid-engine concept and are therefore deemed to this day to set the standard for sports cars of their class. In the important export market that is the United States, this is the tenth year already that they have been ranked among the “10 Best” vehicles and occupy second and third places in Germany as the vehicles that hold their value the best, hot on the heels of the 911.

The Boxster’s origins testify to the typical Porsche blend of capability, courage and farsightedness. In economically straitened times the company decided to go onto the offensive and unveiled a concept car for a classic mid-engine roadster at the 1993 Detroit Motor Show. In its design language, the show car was reminiscent of the 356 »No. 1« and the 550 Spyder. The overwhelming public response clinched the decision to proceed to series production of the Boxster, which began in the summer of 1996.

Dynamic lines, outstanding performance and an attractive price quickly catapulted the mid-engine sports car into the bestseller list while attracting new customer circles to Porsche. To put the successful concept on a broader basis, Porsche also developed a Coupé based on the open-topped, two-seater platform, that made its world debut at the 2005 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show as the Cayman. The enormous demand resulted in the Boxster and Cayman being built at Valmet Automotive in Finland in addition to Zuffenhausen.

The model range currently comprises the four open-topped variants, the Boxster, Boxster S, Boxster S Black Edition and Boxster Spyder. These are complemented by the Cayman, Cayman S, Cayman S Black Edition and Cayman R Coupés. The engine variants for the two model lines range between 255 hp (~ 188 kW) and 330 hp (~ 243 kW); thanks to Porsche Intelligent Performance fuel consumption is between 9.4 l/100 km (~ 30 mpg imp.) and 9.8 l/100 km (~ 29 mpg imp.).

Significantly reduced fuel consumption with each model change.

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, continues to consistently target fuel economy with each model change. Depending on the model, the savings achieved by all currently available model series in comparison with the corresponding predecessors lie in the double-digit percentage range whilst simultaneously offering significantly increased performance. With consumption reductions of 20 to 23 percent in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the savings achieved by the new generation of Cayenne models are the highest. However, the new generations of the 911 and Boxster/Cayman sports car model series launched in 2008 also revealed savings of up to 16 and 15 percent respectively.

In the sports cars with naturally aspirated engines, the vast majority of these reductions, 0.5 and 0.6 l/100 km respectively, is attributable to the switch to direct fuel injection and the introduction of the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) instead of the five-speed automatic torque converter transmission Tiptronic S. These measures also enabled a 911 vehicle to dip beneath the mark of ten litres of fuel per 100 kilometres for the first time: the 345 hp 911 Carrera with PDK consumes just 9.8 l/100 km. In comparison with the predecessor model, this equates to 13 percent less fuel consumption and 15 percent lower CO2 emissions. The Boxster and Cayman models are also benefiting from the new drivetrain technology. Direct fuel injection and PDK allow fuel consumption in both the 310 hp Boxster S and the 320 hp Cayman S to be reduced by 15 percent to 9.4 l/100 km.

More power with lower consumption, increased efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions – this basic principle of the “Porsche Intelligent Performance” programme also particularly applies to the new Cayenne model series. The two six-cylinder Cayenne and Cayenne Diesel models therefore consume 20 percent less fuel than their predecessors, whilst fuel consumption in the two V8 Cayenne Turbo and Cayenne S models has actually been reduced by 23 percent. The new highlight within the model series – the Cayenne S Hybrid – offers the greatest fuel economy: it consumes just 8.2 l/100 km. If the Cayenne S Hybrid, with its total power output of 380 hp, is compared against the 385 hp Cayenne S from the previous generation, the reduction is actually 40 percent with better performance in certain disciplines. Three out of five Cayenne models remain beneath the mark of ten litres of fuel per 100 kilometres in the NEDC, with two offering CO2 emissions of less than 200 g/km.

Amongst other measures, this significant reduction in consumption across the entire Cayenne range has been attained via the introduction of the new eight-speed automatic transmission Tiptronic S with automatic stop/start function and a wide gear ratio range, due to thermal management for the engine and transmission cooling circuit, by vehicle electrical system recuperation and variable deceleration fuel cutoff and, by no means least, due to weight reduction and intelligent lightweight construction. A weight-optimised material mix and modifications to the overall vehicle concept such as the new active and light four-wheel drive system have enabled the weight of the Cayenne Turbo, for instance, to be reduced by 185 kilograms despite improved product substance and increased safety. This not only impacts extremely positively on consumption and CO2 emissions but also on performance, agility and handling.

Total sales in over the financial year increase by 17 percent in the USA

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, continued its upward trend in the US market in July. The manufacturer of premium sports cars delivered 2,703 units to customers, which corresponds to an increase of around 75 percent compared to the same month last year. All in all, Porsche sold 22,180 vehicles in the USA in the last financial year, which ended on July 31, 2010; around 17 percent more than the previous financial year.

The increase indicates that Porsche is also back on the path to success in its largest sales market following the global financial and economic crisis.

Sales of the Panamera continue to develop excellently. 807 units of the four-door Gran Turismo were delivered in July. This is the highest number since the series was introduced on the US market on October 17, 2009.

Selling even better is the new generation of the Cayenne SUV, which has been available in the USA since June 2010. 910 units of this series were delivered in July, an increase of around 68 percent compared to the same month last year.

Sales of the 911 series decreased by about nine percent to 594 vehicles, while those of the mid-engine Boxster and Cayman sports cars increased by more than eleven percent to a total of 392 units.

…WHAT Recession?

987
The second generation of the Boxster (internally known as the 987) made its debut at the 2004 Paris Motor Show alongside the new 911 (997). The car became available for model year 2005.

In appearance the car remains very similar to the previous generation. The most obvious styling change is to the headlights, which now have a profile similar to those of the Carrera GT, Porsche’s mid-engined supercar. The intake vents on the sides of the Boxster are now larger, with more pronounced horizontal slats and are coloured metallic silver, irrespective of the paint colour on the rest of the car. The wheel arches have been enlarged to allow wheels up to 19 inches in diameter, a first for the Boxster series. The most significant updates from the 986 series are in the interior, with a more prominent circular theme evident in the instrument cluster and cooling vents. Porsche claims that the 987 Boxster shares only 20% of its components with its predecessor, despite their being almost identical from the outside. The base engine is a 2.7 L 176 kW (240 hp) flat-6, with the Boxster S getting a 3.2 L 206 kW (280 hp) engine. The Cayman series is derived from the 987.

For the 2007 model year the base Boxster received a revised engine featuring VarioCam Plus to provide a 5 hp (3.7 kW) boost (245 hp; the same as the Cayman). The Boxster S engine was upgraded from 3.2L to 3.4L, resulting in the production of 15 more hp (295 hp; the same as the Cayman S). These upgrades made the Boxster series and the Cayman series equivalent in terms of horsepower.

987 Generation II
Porsche first revealed the face-lifted 2009 Boxster and Boxster S models at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in November 2008. Both models feature greater horsepower due to an increase in engine displacement for the Boxster and the incorporation of Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) for the Boxster S. Both models are now available with Porsche’s new 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual clutch gearbox but come standard with a new 6-speed manual gearbox. Displacement in the standard Boxster’s flat-six engine increased from 2.7 to 2.9 liters, increasing horsepower from 245 to 255. Use of DFI in the Boxster S raised the output of the 3.4 liter engine from 295 to 310 horsepower. Cosmetic changes to the 2009 Boxster and Boxster S include new head and tail lights, larger front air intakes with incorporated day time running lights, and an altered lower rear end flanked by twin diffusers. The interior includes the redesigned Porsche Communication Management System as an option with a touchscreen interface to reduce button clutter.

Limited Editions
RS60 Spyder
In November 2007, Porsche announced a commemorative RS60 Spyder edition of the Boxster to celebrate Porsche’s 1960 win in the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida. Only 1960 units in this series are to be produced worldwide, with approximately 800 slated for the U.S. with each model bearing a numbered production badge on the dash. The RS60 Spyder comes in only GT Silver Metallic while the standard interior is Carrera Red leather, with dark gray leather as an option. The RS60 comes standard with 19″ SportDesign alloy wheels, Porsche’s Active Suspension Management System, and a sports exhaust that boosts the engine output to 303 PS (223 kW; 299 hp) . The base price for the RS60 Spyder is $64,900 USD.

Porsche Design Edition 2
Porsche also announced the production of limited Boxster S Porsche Design Edition 2, to be available on October 2008 as 2009 model. It features freer-flowing exhaust, which raises power from 295 PS (217 kW; 291 hp) at 6250 rpm to 303 PS (223 kW; 299 hp) at an identical 6250 rpm. It came in a unified Carrara White paint scheme with matching white 19-inch wheels, a black and gray interior with white gauges, red taillights and light gray stripes along the entire body. 500 are to be made for worldwide market, with 100 for the U.S. and Canada. The base price for the PDE2 Boxster is $66,900 USD.

986
Harm Lagaay’s Boxster design study stimulated a commercial turnaround for Porsche after several difficult years of falling sales.

The visual appearance of the first generation of the Boxster was heavily inspired by the Porsche Spyder and Speedster as well as the Porsche 550 Spyder. The Boxster was released ahead of its big brother, the 996. Through consultation with Toyota, Porsche greatly decreased the cost of manufacture, and introduced large-scale sharing of components between its models. The 986 Boxster had the same bonnet, front wings, and distinctive ‘fried-egg’ headlight units as the 996. Its original 2.5L M96 engine shared the same architecture with the 3.4L engine used in the 996. Many believe the combination of the new Boxster / 911 styling and the reduced build costs through component sharing saved Porsche from being acquired by another car company.

All 986/987 Boxsters use the M96 water cooled, horizontally opposed (”flat”), six-cylinder engine. The M96 is the first completely water-cooled engine used in a production non-front-engined Porsche. In the Boxster the M96 is placed in a mid-engine configuration as opposed to the rear-engine placement in all 911s. The combination of the M96 and a mid-engine layout provide a low center of gravity, smoothness throughout the rev range, near perfect weight distribution, and neutral handling characteristics. Early production M96 engines had a small but significant number of engine failures due to cracked or slipped cylinder liners, but since a minor redesign in 2000 these problems have been resolved.

The model received a minor facelift in 2003. The plastic rear window was replaced by glass. Porsche installed a different exhaust pipe and modified air intake. In addition, the often disliked orange “fried egg” front indicators were replaced with clear glass indicators, and the rear light cluster was changed, with orange turn signals replaced with clear grey. The side marker lights on the front wings were changed from orange to clear, except on American market cars, where they remained orange. The bumpers were also changed slightly for a more defined, chiselled appearance, and new wheel designs were made available.

550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition
In 2004 the 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition was released, with a production run of just 1953 cars. These were all painted GT Silver Metallic, the same color as the car-show version of the Carrera GT supercar, and had unique, cocoa-brown, full-leather interior as standard, with grey natural leather as a no-cost option. Each car also had special interior paintwork, a high-end BOSE sound system, two-tone grey and silver 18″ Carrera wheels (unpainted as another zero-cost option), 5 mm (0.2 in) wheel spacers, the Boxster S sport exhaust, the 030 option lower sports suspension, and a plate on the center console piece commonly known as the “batwing” showing the production number. On American market cars only, the rear turn signals were red rather than clear.

In Brief
The Porsche Boxster is a mid-engined roadster built by Porsche. The Boxster is Porsche’s first vehicle designed by Harm Lagaay from the beginning as a roadster; all previous Porsche convertibles were based on hardtop coupes.

The first-generation Boxster (the 986) was introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model; it was powered by a 2.5 litre flat six-cylinder engine. In 2000, the new Boxster S variant was introduced with a larger 3.2 litre motor, and the base model received a more powerful 2.7 litre engine. In 2003, styling and engine output was upgraded on both variants.

In 2005, Porsche unveiled the new generation of Boxsters: the type 987. The 987 is more powerful than its predecessor and featured styling inspired by the Carrera GT. Engine output increased in 2007, when both Boxster models received the engines from their corresponding Porsche Cayman variants. In 2009, the Boxster models received several new cosmetic and mechanical upgrades, further increasing engine output and performance.

Production of the 986 began at the former Porsche 928 facility in Stuttgart, Germany in 1996. Valmet Automotive also manufactures Boxsters under contract to Porsche at a facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland. The Boxster was Porsche’s biggest volume seller from its introduction in model year 1997 until the company introduced the Cayenne sport utility vehicle in model year 2003.

The Boxster’s name is a portmanteau of the word “boxer”, referring to the vehicle’s horizontally-opposed or “boxer” engine, and the word “roadster”, referring to the vehicle’s two seat capacity and convertible top.