The Porsche Boxster is considered by many to be one of Porsche’s best cars. First introduced at the 1993 Detroit Auto Show, the Porsche Boxster entered the market just in time to help Porsche out of a financial bind. When Wendelin Wiedeking took over as Porsche CEO in 1992, he developed the idea for the Boxster. Since 1996 Porsche has sold these two-seater sports cars. The name “Boxster” is a conjunction of boxer, which is the engine configuration, and roadster, as it is a two-seat convertible. To date there have been four generations of this car. Here’s more information:

Generations 1-3

Grant Larson designed the first generation of the Porsche Boxster. The design was inspired by 356 Cabriolet, the Speedster, and the 550 Spyder. Released in 1996, the Porsche Boxster 986 stimulated a commercial turnaround for Porsche. From the beginning Porsche Boxsters came with a water-cooled engine. It was also Porsche’s first water-cooled non-front engine as in the Boxster was mid-engine. In the Porsche 911 it would be placed rear-engine.

In 2000, the first upgrades responded to a need for more power. Engine displacement was increased to 2.7 liters, delivering 217 horses and the torque output was increased to 192-pounds-ft. In 2002 a facelift included an added glove compartment, plastic rear windows were replaced with smaller glass windows, and reworked exhaust pipe and air intake.

The second generation (987) was released in 2005 after its 2004 début at the Paris Auto Show along with the new 911 (997). The style remained mostly the same except for a change in the appearance of the headlights (they would now resemble the Carrera GT), enlarged wheels (19 inches in diameter), and a more prominent circular design on the interior.

In 2006 the Cayman S (Boxster Coupe) was introduced. The Porsche Cayman was developed alongside the Boxster 987 and shared approximately 40% of its components. The Porsche Cayman was designed with rear fascia and an exclusive two-piece rear spoiler. It also featured 3.4-liter boxster six engine, 295 horsepower, and 250 ft-lbs of torque. Going from 0 – 60 in 5 seconds, the Cayman reached a top speed of 171 mph. A face-lifted version was released in early 2009. The new engines would no longer have an intermediate shaft.

The third generation (Boxster/Cayman 981) improvements included less weight, better fuel economy, and revised suspension systems. There was also updated styling for both the inside and outside. And for the first time it had a six-speed manual transmission.

Fourth/Current Generation

The 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster puts out 300 horsepower and 280-lb-ft of torque from 2.0 litres. The 718 Boxster goes from 0 – 60 in 4.9 seconds. The 718 Boxster S puts out 350 horsepower and 309-lb-ft of torque from 2.5 litres. The flat-sixes were replaced with horizontally opposed fours. Convertible top disappears and reappears in ten seconds. Porsche Boxsters are available in a variety of colors for the body as well as the convertible top and interior. The wheel rims also have a number of styles to choose from. Innovative infotainment includes: a smartphone tray, Porsche Connect apps, wireless Internet access, and online navigation. Since 2016 the Porsche 718 Boxster and the Porsche 718 Cayman have been marketed jointly.

Awards

In 2006 the Porsche Boxster won an award for best car exterior given by Wheels Automotive Design Awards. In 2006, 2013, and 2017 World Car of the Year awarded the Porsche Boxster with World Performance Car. And in 2005 and 2016 Top Gear named it Sports Car of the Year.

It’s easy to see why the Boxster is one of Porsche’s most popular cars!. It’s got style, it handles well, and is up-to-date with the latest technology.