2016 PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER
Porsche
Boxster Spyder marks a new edition of the purist roadster. The new top version
of the two-seat convertible retains the independent character of the previous
Spyder, which has already become an automotive icon.
For
instance, the classic fabric hood is once again operated by hand, and the car
is offered with a manual transmission exclusively. In the lightest yet most
powerful Boxster of all times, driver and passenger alike can thus look forward
to a genuine sports-car experience that fears no rival. The unwavering standard
of the North Loop of the Nürburgring proves this convincingly. It takes seven
minutes and 47 seconds for the Boxster Spyder to come around to the
starting/finishing line again.
Mounted in front of the
rear axle of the Boxster Spyder is a 3.8-liter six-cylinder direct-injection
engine that was adapted from the 911 Carrera S and also powers the Cayman GT4.
In the mid-engine roadster, the unit delivers 375 hp (276 kW) at 6,700 rpm,
which is 45 hp more than the power output of the 3.4-liter engine in the
Boxster GTS. Its 420 Nm of torque, which is available between 4,750 rpm and
6,000 rpm, is also higher than the 370 Nm of the GTS engine. The purist
roadster accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, which is
half a second faster than the Boxster GTS with a manual transmission. The
Boxster Spyder can reach a top speed of 290 km/h - even with the convertible
hood up. The car's combined NEDC fuel consumption is 9.9 l/100 km.
More
so than in any other Boxster, the interior of the Spyder conveys an atmosphere
of pure driving pleasure.
As
was the case in the previous model, the driver and passenger sit in lightweight
sport bucket seats with large lateral supports that let them directly
experience the outstanding transverse dynamics of the new top roadster. The
steering wheel, with a diameter of 360 mm, has already proven itself in the
Cayman GT4, and the shorter gear shift lever enables very rapid gear shifts.
In
keeping with the model's purist design, standard equipment includes neither a
radio nor an air conditioner in order to reduce weight. In place of a radio,
there is a compartment for storing small items. However, any of the optional
Boxster audio systems - up to a Burmester sound system - is available to
customers as an option. An air conditioner can also be ordered as optional
equipment, as can the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with all of
its special features, for instance.