Boxster Rebellion 1996-2009
From a pop culture point of view, it was entirely appropriate that the first-generation Boxster was featured in David Lynch's film, Mulholland Drive. The roadster was driven by a Generation X director who clearly thought he had arrived, thus a new Porsche. Visually this cat wouldn't have looked right in a 911 Turbo; he hadn't paid his dues. The same could have been said of the Boxster. Now some lucky 13 years later, not only has the potato-shaped roadster survived and evolved, it has turned into one of the great rides from the House of Porsche, even eclipsing the ruler of the roost, the venerable 911, in many ways.
Weissach designer Grant Larson's original concept Boxster that stunned the crowd at the Detroit Auto Show in 1993 was a brave move. As with many concept cars, what makes it to production is usually a distance away from the initial impression. The concept car is now on display at the new Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen (pg. 34) and it is remarkable how individualistic it looks today, even better as time has progressed. Many wish that this were what the final product would have been. One Boxster oddity was the constant references to the 550 Spyder and James Dean. The cult of Dean and Porsche has always been popular in Germany, with marketing intentionally overlooking the fact that Larson's design was visually the RS 60 and not the 550.
One of the negatives of the Boxster through early production is that dimensionally it is a larger car than the last of the air-cooled 911s. Unacceptable for a two seater, however once parked next to a 996 or 997, the shape comes into reason and it is much more than a shared concept of sheet metal.
The original type 986 Boxster hit these shores in 1996 and was met with immediate approval. Considering the last introduction of a truly new Porsche was in late 1977 with the 928, this should come as no surprise. The base car was powered by the new generation 2.5-liter water cooled flat six that was also used as the basis for the new 996 (911). Management was careful to make the displacements between the two different to keep the 911 in its rightful place. The newcomer would have to earn those cubic inches. By 2000 that displacement had made the jump to 2.7 liters and a new "S" variant had a 3.2 stuffed in the bay. Subtle improvements throughout the car especially in the areas of quality control were essential for the Boxster to remain a viable option in the market. A great deal of effort was made in hyping the Tiptronic gearbox and while it was acceptable for cruising around town, it left a lot on the table as a performing gearbox, and the manual six speed was a far better option. Minor changes in 2003 were basically cosmetic coupled with a slight power increase in the base and S powerplants. A 50th anniversary model celebrating the 550 was as relevant as the Martini edition of the 924--for collectors only.
The next generation Boxster, internally Type 987, strutted its stuff before the Paris Auto Show in 2004 and took to the streets in 2005. The newbie was taking many of its cues from the Carrera GT, which was inspired considering the price and exclusivity gap between the two rides. Power slowly crept up, as did the option list. The S moved from a 3.2 to a 3.4 displacement in 2007 while the base made do with the 2.7. The aftermarket had shown just how good a performer the Boxster could be, however, management had no intention of ever turning the 986/987 into a legitimate racer. The territory belonged exclusively to the 911. Marketing did find a way to honor the RS 60 in 2007 by producing 1,960 special models. How many more times can this be repeated?
Now comes the gen two 987 Boxster with its direct injection, seven-speed PDK, trick headlights. The base gets a 2.9 and the S just keeps getting better. The suspension upgrades have transformed the Boxster in to a driver's car and all the electronic gimmickry are for once, safe at home.