In 1948, the 356 was the first sportscar to bear the Porsche name, and in July that year the mid-engined roadster achieved its first motorsport victory. In 1953, the Porsche 550 Spyder was launched. This agile, lightweight racecar was powered by a high performance 'boxer' engine and took countless international victories.
Through 60 years of automotive evolution, much has changed. Yet every Porsche Boxster is built on these first principles. Sports performance, lightweight construction, agility and driving pleasure. The technology Porsche uses may have developed, but the company's ability to produce a two-seat, mid-engined sports car remains.
This week, Porsche presented the second generation mid-engined Boxster at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The highlight is the new flat-six 'boxer' engines, developed with new technical features from the ground up, providing not only more power, but also significantly greater efficiency.
Further improvement comes from the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), the new double-clutch transmission now available as an option on both the Boxster and Boxster S.
Displacing 2.9 liters, the engine of the Boxster develops 255hp in the Boxster, an increase of 10hp over the prior 2.7 liter model.
The 3.4-litre power unit in the Boxster S now features Direct Fuel Injection, and delivers 310 bhp (228 kW), up by 15 bhp.
An impressive power-to-weight ratio imbues the two Boxster models with optimum driving dynamics. For example, with the new six-speed manual transmission fitted as standard, the Boxster accelerates from 0-62mph in 5.9sec. And the Boxster S, when fitted with PDK transmission and Launch Control, accelerates from 0-62mph in 5.0sec.
When combined with PDK, the new 2.9-litre engine fitted to the Boxster achieves 31.0mpg and is approximately 10% better than the previous model with the Tiptronic S automatic transmission.
Increasing fuel economy by an even more significant 15% to 30.1mpg, the 3.4 liter Boxster S with PDK offers an even greater saving over its predecessor with Tiptronic S.
The driver benefits from a further advantage of direct injection every time they touch the throttle pedal: with fuel being injected fractions of a second prior to combustion, the engines respond more directly and spontaneously to even the slightest movement of the driver's foot. This is not only the case when accelerating, but also when lifting off the throttle, for engine speed drops more quickly and smoothly since there is no residual fuel left in the intake manifold, which might otherwise prolong the combustion process.
The evolutionary styling of the next generation Boxster means the latest models are clearly distinguishable from outside through the new nose and tail. The new halogen headlights with their integrated direction indicators are reminiscent of the lights on the Carrera GT, while at the rear, new LED lights taper to the outside and are integrated elegantly in to the restyled bodywork.
The rod-shaped side lights in LED light conductor technology add distinction to the car's looks, which are further enhanced through their horizontal arrangement in the outer air intakes. Yet a further highlight is provided by the rectangular fog lamps featured as standard.
For the first time, the Boxster is available with a Lights Package featuring bi-xenon headlights, dynamic cornering lights and LED day-time driving lights. Replacing the fog lamps, these light units are made up of four LEDs positioned next to one another.