Highlights

High-performance 2.7-litre power unit

Displacing 2.7 litres in six cylinders, the Boxster engine develops maximum output of 162 kW 220 bhp) at 6400 rpm. Maximum torque of 260 Newton metres or 225 lb-ft comes at 4750 rpm. Apart from Porsche’s well-known four-valve technology and VarioCam camshaft adjustment, the wide range of modern technical features boasted by the 2.7-litre comprises a two-stage resonance intake system as well as electronic engine management with an electronic gas pedal.

Standard from Porsche: sidebags with head protection suitable also for a convertible

Porsche fits the POSIP (Porsche Side Impact Protection) safety system as standard on all models within the range. Offering exactly the right geometry, these sidebags ensure efficient protection at head and chest level even with the roof open and the side windows down.

The interior: lots of features fitted as standard

Reaching for the gearshift lever, handbrake lever and door closing handles, the driver will enjoy the feeling of black leather, decorative seams accentuating the superior class and style of the material. Seating comfort is equally superior, with fine Alcantara pampering the car’s occupants. The Boxster also comes with a leather-covered three-spoke steering wheel as well as interior roof lining reducing the noise level inside the car. In conjunction with the matte black soft paint surface, the aluminium look offered on a wide range of interior features ensures an attractive contrast and rounds off the superior style and appearance of the car.

Sporting Roadster with Midship Engine

Apart from the 3.2-litre Boxster S, Porsche offers the “basic” version of this outstanding roadster with a 2.7-litre power unit, thus for the first time creating a genuine Boxster family. While the “heart” of the “smaller” brother is not quite that powerful, its agility and superior torque at all speeds leave nothing to be desired: The six cylinders in flat arrangement develop 162 kW (220 bhp) at 6400 rpm. As on the Boxster S, the practical engine speed range extends from 700 to 7200 rpm. Acceleration to 100 km/h with the 5-speed manual gearbox comes in 6.6 seconds, top speed is 250 km/h or 155 mph.

2.7-litre power unit with ultra-modern technology

In developing the 2.7-litre power unit for the new Boxster, Porsche's engineers also focused first and foremost on “beefy” torque over a wide speed range. Precisely this is why the six cylinders are supported by the same modern technology as in the Boxster S. Apart from the well-known four-valve technology and VarioCam camshaft adjustment, this also means a two-stage resonance intake system providing a much better torque curve particularly at low and high engine speeds. Maximum torque of 260 Newton metres or 192 lb-ft comes at 4750 rpm.

Engine management is the same as on the Boxster S, capitalising on the wide range of electronic functions now available. Accordingly, the 2.7-litre power unit comes with advanced ME 7.2 Motronic engine management providing E-gas not only for a smoother load change response, but also for more harmonious start-off behaviour, even better gearshift with Tiptronic S, and enhanced anti-spin control. A further advantage of the new engine management is that it warms up the catalytic converter more quickly while the engine itself is reaching its standard operating temperature, thus ensuring a high emission conversion rate from a very early point.

To fullfil strict emission legislation in the USA (LEV) and the EU3 standards in Europe, the Boxster also features the latest catalyst technology with trimetal-coated walls on the catalytic converter. The share of precious metals within the catalyst has been more than doubled for this purpose. Further measures serving to reduce exhaust emissions are the subdivision of the metal substrates into two sections and secondary air injection.

Sports-tuned gearbox

The Boxster comes as standard with a five-speed manual gearbox conceived from the start for a very sporting style of motoring, allowing the driver to exceed the 200 km/h-mark before shifting to fifth gear, which then provides the final thrust for reaching top speed. But even at lower speeds, fifth gear offers excellent performance, with acceleration from 80 – 120 km/h in 10.4 seconds, one second faster than with the former model. Tiptronic S available as an option takes a bit longer to provide the same kind of performance, the Boxster accelerating in this case from 80 – 120 km/h in fifth gear in 12.3 seconds. Top speed with this automatic transmission is 245 km/h or 152 mph.

Active and passive safety guaranteed

The chassis, suspension and brakes of the Boxster offer the excellent standard of active safety our development engineers demand of every Porsche, meaning, in particular:

• harmonious, safe behaviour when changing lanes at all speeds,
• excellent driving safety in all situations,
• spontaneous, direct and precise steering with very good road contact,
• easily controllable load change response in bends,
• outstanding lateral acceleration,
• minimum body sway and dive in bends, when accelerating and applying the brakes,
• very short stopping distances even in extreme situations with constant application of the brakes,
• superior brake stability on straights and in bends.

Moving on to passive safety, the Boxster comes as standard with everything modern technology has to offer. Featuring a stable body structure and optimised deformation zones, high-strength materials for example to reinforce the doors and on the bulkhead support, and an integrated side impact and rollover safety system, the safety concept offers nothing but the best. And it is rounded off by a comprehensive restraint system complete with driver and passenger airbags as well as the POSIP (Porsche Side Impact Protection) sidebag system all fitted as standard.

Also standard: the upgraded interior

Inside, the Boxster excels in particular through the use of the most sophisticated, high-quality materials. As on the Boxster S, the seats are finished in fine Alcantara and the sporting three-spoke steering wheel is fitted as standard. The centre console, body panels in the dashboard area, and the door panels are all finished in black soft paintwork. Leather is used throughout on the steering wheel, gearshift lever, handbrake lever, and door closing handles. The door opener, side airbag symbol, gearshift lever trim and handbrake release button in aluminium look supplement the wide range of improvements and modifications. On the Tiptronic S version the release button and the gearshift gate are also finished in aluminium look.

Like the Boxster S, the Boxster also comes with an interior roof lining not only offering even more stylish and sophisticated looks, but also minimising the noise level able to reach the interior of the car through the soft roof from outside. The special fabric material on the inner lining reduces the noise level at all road speeds by 2 – 3 dB on average, improving voice recognition and understanding by approximately 10 dB.