Why you’d want a Porsche Boxster 986
The car that saved Porsche from takeover in the late 1990s, the Boxster shared its headlights, front wings, bonnet, interior and engine with the first water-cooled 911, and used a 2.5-litre engine. Production started in Stuttgart, supplemented from ’97 in Finland (the VIN has ‘U’ instead of ‘S’ as the 11th character).
The engine grew to 2.7 litres, with a 3.2 ‘S’ alternative, in ’99. While the 2.5 is currently the bargain basement, the 2.7 is seen as the ultimate everyday Porsche, easy to drive, with lively throttle response and great road manners. The 3.2 S is a more focused package, with a firmer ride and enough power to get into trouble.
When new, it was easy to add more than £10k to the £33,950 price. Standard 2.5s were bland inside: a good spec as on the car photographed makes a much nicer environment. Extras ranged from small to large trim upgrades (centre console and full leather being among the more desirable) plus air-conditioning, traction control and sport pack suspension. The optional hardtop is nice but hardly necessary with the rapid, well-engineered and effective soft-top.
With currently a small differential between the models, it makes sense to buy the latest, best-spec 3.2 that you can find. Long term, a loaded early 2.5 with low mileage will appreciate on rarity value; for the moment, prices have levelled but are not yet rising. Final-year 3.2s are often sold as the ‘Anniversary Edition’: don’t confuse those with the 1953 silver Spyder commemoratives, which have a numbered plaque on the centre console as well as a unique spec.
