Highlights

Six cylinders for 185 kW (252 bhp)

The Boxster S develops its superior power from a six-cylinder boxer engine displacing 3.2 litres. Maximum output at 6250 rpm is 185 kW or 252 bhp. Peak torque of 305 Newton metres or 225 lb-ft comes from 4500 rpm. But even at lower engine speeds the 3.2-litre does not necessarily need a lower gear. For one of its most out-standing fortes is its extremely smooth and harmonious torque curve from the ground up all the way to maximum engine speed.

Weighing 1295 kg, the Boxster accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 260 km/h or 161 mph.

Six gears for pure driving pleasure

The six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard on the Boxster S is matched perfectly to the engine and its specific characteristics. Tiptronic S, in turn, is available as an option, equipped with Porsche's manual control in the automatic mode: Even with the transmission in position D, this function allows the driver to intervene via a toggle switch on the steering wheel, shifting up or down within fractions of a second.

Incredibly smooth and stable in bends

Another intriguing feature of the Boxster S is its outstanding driving behaviour boosting the car's dynamic performance to the highest level. The necessary input providing this standard comes not only from the well-balanced mid-engine concept, but also from the sporting Porsche-style suspension offering optimum stability in bends. The spring/damper system features even firmer springs and shock absorbers reflecting the car's supreme performance. A particular factor receiving special consideration from Porsche's development engineers is the brake system, extra-large brake discs offering enormous performance reserves requiring only a slight increase in pedal forces even in Porsche's well-known fading test conducted under extreme conditions with the brakes being applied all-out no less than 25 times in a row.

Wide range of standard features

Titanium-coloured air scoops at the front and the titanium-coloured Boxster S designation on the rear luggage compartment lid identify Porsche's roadster at very first sight. Further signs of distinction recognisable right from the start are the standard 17-inch wheels in special design for the Boxster S, brake callipers painted red, and the twin exhaust tailpipe.

The wide range of standard features includes an alarm system with full surveillance of the interior as well as a function control unit also serving to open the front and rear lids electrically.

Built for Performance

The Boxster S – clearly, this means even faster, even more powerful, even safer. Featuring a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, the Boxster S accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. Acceleration from 80-120 km/h in top gear takes exactly 10.3 seconds, and the top speed is 260 km/h or 161 mph.

From outside you will hardly notice the superior power and performance of the Boxster S. Perhaps the 17-inch light-alloy wheels featured as standard, with the Porsche logo in black, as well as the cross-drilled brake discs with the brake callipers painted red, are the clearest sign of distinction. Otherwise only a few discreet details betray the extra power and performance this car has to offer. Examples are the additional air intake scoop at the front centre and the powerful-looking twin tailpipes replacing the usual oval pipe.

Extra power behind the cockpit

Like its “standard” counterpart, the Boxster S comes with the engine in midship arrangement between the cockpit and the rear axle. The flat-six displaces 3.2 litres – an increase in size guaranteeing not only a significant boost in power by 23 kW or 38 bhp to 185 kW or 252 bhp at 6250 rpm, but also significantly more torque up from 260 Newton metres (192 lb-ft) all the way to 305 Newton metres (225 lb-ft) at 4500 rpm. The 3.2-litre power unit excels also through its very harmonious torque curve, with extra muscle particularly at lower and higher engine speeds. The ingredients providing this superior power and performance all the way to the maximum engine speed of 7200 rpm are four-valve technology, adjustable VarioCam camshafts and the two-stage resonance intake manifold.

Gearshift – either manual or automatic

In order to capitalise in full on the superior power and performance of the 3.2-litre engine, the Boxster S comes with a six-speed manual gearbox. This ensures harmonious gear increments at all speeds, making full use of engine torque and avoiding even the slightest “gaps” between gears when shifting up.

As an option the Boxster S is also available with five-speed Tiptronic S complete with transmission ratios matched to the car’s superior performance. The five speeds allow the driver to use the engine power and performance available individually and without the slightest effort throughout the possible speed range. Manual intervention via the toggle levers on the steering wheel enable the driver to shift gears manually even with the selector lever remaining in the automatic mode.

The suspension – dynamic all the way

Reflecting the even higher level of performance and the slight increase in weight over the “regular" Boxster, the chassis and suspension of the car also had to be modified. Apart from firmer springs and anti-roll bars, the focus in this process of modification was primarily on the shock absorbers now even firmer than before and with optimised spring response.

While the front axle, with the exception of the new suspension tuning, did not require any change, the rear axle features revised wheel mounts and guiding elements as a tribute to the car's enhanced performance. Longer rear axle control arms serve to increase toe-in stiffness, meaning that the change in toe-in upon compression of the springs is reduced accordingly.

A further point is that the larger wheel bearings help to enhance camber stiffness. In practice both of these features act together to optimise driving stability at high speeds and in bends.

More brake power

Clearly, the brake system also has to live up to a new standard on the Boxster S, Porsche going far beyond the requirements of national legislation. The new model therefore comes with a brake system fully adequate for even extreme mountain passes or a most dynamic style of motoring. The 17-inch wheels fitted as standard, with 205/50 ZR 17 tyres on the front 7J x 17 ET 55 rims and 255/40 ZR 17 tyres on the rear 8.5J x 17 ET 50 wheels, give the suspension engineers the freedom required for ensuring the necessary deceleration.

The brake discs have the same dimensions as on the 911 Carrera, with diameter on the front wheels now measuring 318 mm (12.52”) and brake disc width increased to 28 mm or 1.10”.

The diameter of the brake discs at the rear, in turn, now measures 299 mm (11.77”), while the width of the rear brake discs, finally, is 24 mm or 0.94”. The final point is that the brake discs are now cross-drilled to ensure not only better cooling, but also an optimum response in wet conditions, the water film between the brake disc and lining being efficiently removed.

Another crucial factor in this context is the four-piston fixed-calliper aluminium brake system. The monobloc concept patented by Porsche, with well-known advantages such as superior stiffness, optimum dissipation of heat and reliability, is naturally also featured on the Boxster S.

All-round safety concept

Focusing on the front end of the car, Porsche continues to use a combination of longitudinal and transverse support beams providing the required stability and an exactly defined distribution of impact forces in a collision. Areas particularly exposed to impact forces such as the doors and bulkhead supports are reinforced as in the past by extremely stiff and stable boron steel members treated in a special pressure-hardening process ensuring superior qualities.

Crash behavior and stability of the Boxster S are also extremely good in a rollover. The highstrength tube integrated in the ultra-rigid A-posts gives the windshield frame outstanding stability. The high-strength stainless steel roll bar positioned directly behind the seats also helps to maintain the survival zone for the driver and passenger in a rollover.

Apart from the frontal driver and passenger airbags, the Boxster S comes as standard with POSIP Porsche Side Impact Protection featuring sidebags for maximum safety also in a collision from the side. The special feature about POSIP is that the airbags are designed to provide their superior safety and protection also in an open convertible. In collisions from the side, the sidebags not only afford the occupants the necessary standard of safety at shoulder height, but also cushion the entire body of the driver and passenger all the way from chest to head level.

Refined features and equipment

Like on the Boxster, the black soft-paint finish serves in particular to upgrade the instrument panel, centre console and door panels. The roof comes with precisely fitting interior fabric lining covering the roof bars and minimising any noise able to get into the car via the roof from outside.

Porsche's designers have given the interior of the Boxster S even greater sporting elegance than on the “regular" Boxster. The instrument panel, for example, has been refined by some sophisticated modifications, two particularly striking features being the greyish-silver instrument dials and the aluminium-coloured surrounds encompassing the instruments. And then, of course, there are the door strips on the driver's and passenger's side bearing the “Boxster S” model designation.

To round off its exclusive character, the Boxster S comes with a wide range of comfort features all fitted as standard. These include, inter alia, an alarm system with interior surveillance, remote control with electric release of the front and rear lids as well as a memory function on the driver’s seat.