Porsche 718 Boxster
Two decades after Porsche released the
successful Boxster, Stuttgart is not only changing the name of the series to
718 Boxster with the updated model, but also what powers it with the
introduction of turbocharged flat-fours.
From this generation or rather, this
model, since it’s not entirely new- and onwards, Porsche’s entry-level Boxster
roadster and Cayman coupe will bear the numeric designation 718, as a nod to
the four-cylinder-powered 718 mid-engine sports cars that won numerous races
back in the 1950s and 1960s.
The new 718 Boxster will be revealed at
the Geneva Motor Show in the beginning of March, possibly joined by the 718
Cayman at Porsche’s booth.
At the heart of the new 718 models is
Porsche’s newly designed turbocharged flat-four engine, available in two
displacements, at 2.0-liters and 2.5-liters. The same units should eventually
make their way into the Macan SUV.
In the base 718 Boxster, the 2.0-liter
unit produces 300 PS and 380 Nm of peak torque available from
1,950 rpm to 4,500 rpm, representing gains of 35 hp and 100 Nm respectively over the naturally-aspirated 2.7-liter flat-six it replaces. When
combined with the optional PDK dual-clutch transmission and the Sport Chrono
package, the base 718 Boxster sprints to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, shaving 0.8
seconds from its predecessor, while topping out at 275 km/h.
The 718 Boxster S gets the larger
displacement 2.5-liter four featuring a turbocharger with a variable turbine
geometry that’s rated at 350 PS and 420 Nm from 1,900 rpm to
4,500 rpm, offering an increase of 35 hp and 60 Nm respectively over
the 3.4-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six of the previous Boxster S. According
to Porsche, when paired to the PDK transmission and the Sport Chrono kit, this
model hits 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and reaches a
top speed of 285 km/h.
The new engines are not only more
powerful, but also more efficient with Porsche claiming fuel economy
improvements of up to 13 per cent. Both versions come with a standard
six-speed manual, with Porsche adding that the updated and optional PDK
dual-clutch transmission now features the brand’s “fuel-saving virtual gears”
that allows the system to partially engage two adjacent gears to create an
intermediate gear to further improve fuel efficiency at cruising speeds.
Porsche says it has also modified the
chassis with a re-tuned suspension to accommodate the new engines and keep its
weight distribution, and a new electro-mechanical power steering that is now
“10% more direct”. Those looking for better handling, can opt for the Porsche
Active Suspension Management (PASM) that includes a 10 mm reduction in ride
height.
On the design front, Porsche says that
the 718 Boxster “was completely revised except for the luggage compartment
lids, the windscreen and the convertible top”, though, you might be hard
pressed to tell all the changes without actually comparing it with the outgoing
Boxster. On the outside, the 718 variant looks sharper and has more
contemporary details, like the new head- and tail-lamp fixtures, while inside,
the Germans gave it a revised steering wheel and the latest gen of their PCM
infotainment system, complete with a new touchscreen.
In the United States, the new 718 Boxster
models will arrive in showrooms in June, with the base model priced from US$ 56,000 and the ‘S’ variant from US$ 68,400, excluding the US$ 1,050 destination
charge.