Versions

Porsche Boxster 986 (1996 - 2004)

The 986 version of the Porsche Boxster marked the beginning of a change of fortunes for the company after they had reported poor sales in the previous years. In designing the Boxster the company looked to the Spyder and Speedster for inspiration and produced a more affordable, bespoke roadster companion to their forthcoming 996. Together the 996 version of the 911 and the 986 version of the Boxster went on to shift the fortunes of Porsche and introduce the company to a whole new generation of motorists.

After some consultation the company were able to reduce manufacturing costs by a large amount and they decided to introduce a degree of commonality amongst all of their vehicles in order to keep costs down and to help create a true brand identity. This is why the Boxster 986 shares many similarities with the 911 996; even the original 2.5 litre engined shared many components with the 911's 3.4 litre unit. The M96 horizontally opposed six cylinder engine proved sturdy and reliable when mated with the Boxster, and it represented the first water cooled engine that Porsche had utilised in a non front engined vehicle.

In order to keep the centre of gravity low and improve handling the engine was mounted in the middle of the vehicle almost precisely at the centre of gravity resulting in excellent weight distribution, and whilst the engine did see a number of small teething problems these were quickly resolved. In 2003 Porsche elected to revise the Boxster slightly; this saw a number of subtle changes to the outward appearance of the car along with a new intake and exhaust system.

The light clusters were also modified and the bumpers re-styled in order to present a more aggressive and angular look. There was a special edition of the Boxster 986 produced in 2004, this "Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition" was finished in a stunning silver finish and featured a full leather interior and many luxurious fixtures and fittings.

Porsche Boxster 987 (2005 - Present)

The public was first treated to a glimpse of the new updated second revision of the Porsche Boxster in 2004 at the Paris Motor Show. It was unveiled alongside its sibling, the 997 version of the 911. Whilst the vehicle maintains the design that was first seen on the 986 Boxster there are a number of subtle changes that bring the new vehicle more in line with the new 911 such as larger intake vents, more pronounced fixtures and fittings, larger wheel arches, new instrument panel and more aggressive style.

Even though the 986 and 987 versions of the Porsche Boxster look similar they do in fact only share 20% of their components. In standard form the 987 Porsche Boxster is powered by a 2.7 litre flat 6 engine whilst the more powerful S model utilises a 3.2 litre engine. A number of small changes resulted in more horsepower being squeezed from the engine in 2007, this brought the Boxster in line with the Porsche Cayman with regards to power. In 2009 the 987 Porsche Boxster was given an overhaul; a larger engine capacity resulted in an increase in horsepower and a new 7 speed gearbox was offered on both the standard and S models.

The light clusters were also updated and once again the intakes were enlarged. Day time running lights were a new addition and a touchscreen system was integrated into the dashboard to cut down on the amount of buttons utilised in the design. Porsche developed a number of special editions of the 987 Boxster over the years, from the commemorative RS60 Spyder version to the Design Edition 2.