The Porsche Boxster at 25

Porsche’s saviour celebrates its 25th anniversary

The Boxster was Porsche’s first all-new model in almost 20 years and it didn’t arrive a moment too soon.

It rapidly found a whole new audience for the sports car firm and now, 25 years on from its launch, is an established fixture in the range and among classic car owners.

Let’s look back at the Porsche Boxster’s first quarter-century, via 20 memorable models.

1. Boxster Concept (1993)

Incredible as it seems now, Porsche was in financial trouble in the early 1990s as the 911 range’s sales dwindled.

Several options were on the table, but it was a more affordable roadster inspired by the 550 Spyder that got the nod for development and resulted in the concept car by Pinky Lai and Grant Larson for the 1993 Detroit Motor Show.

Called the Boxster, the concept received such a delighted reaction that Porsche’s management gave it the green light for production within weeks of the show, and prototypes were up and running by the end of the year.

2. 2.5 (1996)

A huge amount of the original Boxster concept made it to the production model launched in 1996, including the name.

There were notable changes, such as the repositioned side air intakes and less pronounced front grille, as well as longer front and rear overhangs.

Crucially, the Boxster came with a flat-six 2.5-litre engine, identifying it as a Porsche, while the whole front end was shared with the new 996 generation of 911 to cut costs and secure Porsche’s finances.

3. S (1999)

If there was one persistent criticism of the Boxster, it was that the 204bhp 2.5-litre engine didn’t have quite enough clout to make the most of the superb chassis.

Porsche answered this with the S, which had a 3.2-litre flat-six and 250bhp to give 0-60mph in 5.9 secs and a top speed of 162mph.

Costing £8000 more than the recently new 2.7-litre base model, the S justified this with lower, firmer suspension and bigger, even better brakes, and it further broadened the Boxster’s appeal.

4. 2.7 (1999)

For many then and now, the first-generation Boxster 2.7 is the sweetest of sweet spots. With 220bhp, it has more power than the 2.5-litre model it replaced, yet it was more comfortable and easier to live with than an S.

A measure of its popularity could be gauged by the 10-month waiting list for a 2.7 when the car arrived.

It remains, arguably, the one to have and the pre-facelift ‘fried egg’ headlights are now regarded as a design talking point instead of a style oddity.

5. S Exclusive (2001)

Ahead of a minor facelift in 2002, Porsche launched its Exclusive program to offer Boxster buyers a chance to further personalise their cars.

Among the options were an aero bodykit inspired by the 911 GT3, colour-coded wheels and colour-matched interior trim.

The only downside is one owner’s idea of individual style is now likely to have dated and leaves the car worth less than a standard version.

6. 9ff GTB (2003)

Recognised as a manufacturer in its own right, 9ff created its take on the Boxster with the GTB.

Much of 9ff’s work centred around replacing the 3.2-litre engine from the S with a 911-derived 3.9-litre unit that increased power to 380bhp. A brace of turbochargers helped with the hike in power.

It was sufficient to lift the top speed to 187mph and lower the 0-60mph time to 4.5 secs.

7. 550 Spyder (2004)

Porsche waited until mid-November 2003 to announce this limited-edition Boxster to mark the 50th anniversary of its 550 Spyder, so most of the 1953 Boxsters were delivered in 2004.

It was no mere equipment upgrade as the 550 Spyder model came with a 266bhp version of the Boxster S’s 3.2-litre engine, making it the most powerful Boxster up to that point.

Now one of the most desirable first-gen Boxsters, the 550 Spyder is also great to drive thanks to its 10mm lowered suspension. It’s also distinctive thanks to the silver paint previously only used on the Carrera GT, plus it has a Cocoa brown hood.

8. 987 2.7 (2005)

The wraps came off the new Boxster, numbered 987 in Porsche lingo, at the 2004 Paris Motor Show.

It was a gentle update on the theme as far as the looks went, but Porsche had been busy under the skin, so when the new Boxster went on sale in 2005 it was lauded as big step on in performance, handling and quality.

Only 20% of the 986 was carried forward into the 987, the most notable piece being the engines. The 240bhp 2.7-litre model could now cover 0-60mph in 6.2 secs.

Porsche didn’t delay launching the S version, which arrived at the same time with a 280bhp 3.2-litre flat-six motor.

9. Ruf RK Spyder (2005)

Famous for its 991-based CTR Yellowbird model, Ruf was not slow to spot the potential of the Boxster as a car with broader customer appeal for this low-volume German maker.

Its RK Spyder gained some styling tweaks, most notably its cut-down side windows, but the heart of this conversion was a 420bhp 3.8-litre motor lifted from a 911. The ‘K’ in the name stood for kompressor, which told buyers this engine had a supercharger bolted to it.

The Spyder delivered 0-60mph in 4.5 secs and a 177mph top speed. Only 49 were built, with an identical number of coupé versions that were even faster, giving 0-60mph in 4.1 secs and 190mph.

10. 987 S 3.4 (2007)

Porsche introduced the second-generation Boxster S at the same as it launched the standard model in 2005. However, the updated 2007 car gained a larger 3.4-litre engine that made it the best S so far.

Often referred to as the 987.2 in Porsche circles, this S had a 911-worrying 295bhp to cover off 0-60mph in 5.4 secs and a 169mph top end, if you chose the six-speed manual version.

As with all Boxsters, a Tiptronic automatic gearbox was an option, though it blunted acceleration and top speed.

11. S Limited Edition (2007)

Strictly for the US market, Porsche came up with the S Limited Edition alongside a standard 2.7-litre version. Only 250 of each engine variant were made.

Despite the sportier looks thanks to the Sport Design bodykit, the Limited Edition was no quicker than the standard S.

However, eager buyers snapped up the cars finished in GT3 RS Orange. They also came with 19-inch Carrera S wheels, a sports exhaust, and GT3-style Alcantara for the steering wheel, handbrake and gearlever.

12. RS60 (2008)

Here’s another special edition from Porsche based on the Boxster S, this time flying the flag for the 718 RS60 Spyder from 1960.

A limited run of 1960 cars was sold worldwide and all were finished to the same specification, with silver paint, and an all-red leather interior with silver seatbelts and trim.

A sports exhaust worked with a button on the dash to free up another 8bhp from the 3.4-litre flat-six engine, but you’d struggle to notice this on the road other than the deeper growl at low revs.

13. S Design Edition 2 (2008)

Using the same exhaust as the RS60, the S Design Edition 2 had an extra 8bhp over a standard S, raising power to 303bhp.

This limited edition was not offered with right-hand drive or in the UK, and all were finished in Carrera White with grey racing stripes running the length of the car.

As well as the white interior trim inserts, this Boxster came with a Porsche Design Edition 2 wristwatch with a unique white face matched to the car’s paint.

14. Spyder (2010)

Less weight, more power was the mantra for the £44,643 Boxster Spyder when details were first announced late in 2009, with deliveries in 2010.

Much of the 80kg weight saving, which dropped the Spyder to 1275kg, came from ditching the electric folding roof and replacing it with a simple hook-on ‘cap’. With this fitted, Porsche said top speed should be limited to 124mph rather than the 166mph the Spyder was capable of.

Aluminium doors, lighter wheels, door straps in place of handles, and no air conditioning, stereo or cupholders all culled weight.

With 320bhp, which is 10bhp up on the contemporary S, the Spyder took care of 0-60mph in 5.1 secs, or 4.8 secs with the PDK automatic gearbox and launch control.

15. 981 (2012)

Styled by Brit Tony Hatter, the third generation Porsche Boxster pitched up in 2012 with a 40% torsionally stiffer body, and wider front and rear tracks for improved handling. It also had a longer wheelbase to improve cabin space.

The S retained the same engine as its predecessor, but the 2.7 had a new 265bhp flat-six motor, while both used electrically assisted power steering in place of the previous hydraulic set-up.

Just about the only criticism road testers could fling at the new Boxster was Porsche’s ongoing miserliness with standard equipment levels, though this did not deter a long line of buyers.

16. GTS (2014)

There was a lot to distinguish the GTS from the lesser S model, but what mattered most is that the GTS was noticeably better to drive.

Porsche achieved this with electronically adjustable damping and throttle responses, as well as Dynamic engine mounts that firm up under hard acceleration to make sure every drop of power is used.

However, the no-cost sports suspension option was of dubious use as its 20mm lower ride height and lack of adjustability made it too firm other than on a race track.

The 3.4-litre engine turned out 325bhp, giving 0-60mph in 5.0 secs – and the GTS only ran out of steam when it reached 174mph.

17. Spyder (2015)

Porsche used the Spyder name again for the third-generation 981 Boxster. However, weight saving was less extreme and the Spyder tipped the scales at only 30kg less than a standard Boxster S.

Some of this was down to the part-electric hood operation, but any notions the Spyder was a half-hearted effort were dispelled the moment you drove it.

It uses a 3.8-litre flat-six shared with the Cayman GTS, but with 10bhp less at 370bhp. Still, its top speed is 180mph and, with the new hood arrangement, you could drive roof up all the way to that limit.

18. 982 (2016)

The fourth-generation Porsche Boxster heralded the most significant change in the model’s two decades to this point, with the switch to turbocharged flat-four engines.

Also, the only bits carried over from the last model were the windscreen, hood and rear bootlid.

The objective reasons made sense, but enthusiasts still mourned the loss of the six-cylinder noise even if performance and handling were better than ever. However, with 295bhp for the 718 and 345bhp for the S model, both are quick cars.

The name change to 718 Boxster referenced the 718 that won the Targa Florio in 1959 and ’60.

19. GTS 4.0 (2020)

A GTS model had been part of the Boxster line-up since 2017 with a 2.5-litre flat-four engine, but Porsche gave fans what they really wanted with the six-cylinder 4.0-litre GTS.

Power rose from the four-pot motor’s 360bhp to 395bhp, so the Boxster could see off 0-60mph in as little as 3.9 secs with the PDK auto ’box.

As well as the speed and handling, the biggest revelation with this car was the pliant ride Porsche managed to provide, even when the GTS sat on 20-inch wheels and the suspension was 20mm lower compared to an S.

20. 718 Spyder

It took a while, but midway through 2019 Porsche added a Spyder version to its fourth-gen Boxster range.

The Spyder has the same jutting front spoiler as the Cayman GT4, but the rear deck has unique twin tapering humps behind the headrests.

Under that deck lies a 414bhp version of the GTS’s 4.0-litre, six-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine that revs with a hair-trigger eagerness.

Make full use of the motor’s potential and the Spyder can cover 0-60mph in 4.4 secs and hit 189mph, making it the fastest Boxster from the factory so far.