The latest 911 has been revealed, and the third-gen Boxster will be Porsche’s next big debut. The mid-engined roadster is, after all, a close sibling to the iconic 911, although Porsche has certainly learned to hide the connection a bit better than with the pre-2002 996 911 and the first-gen Boxster; those cars had interchangeable front fascias. And as you can see from these completely undisguised photos, the 981, as the new Boxster is called internally, will differ significantly from the current 987 model—enough to call it all-new.
Sharper Sheetmetal
The front end looks similar to the outgoing car’s, although the running lights above the outboard inlets are slimmer and the lower intake’s frown has been turned upside down. The drama comes in the new car’s body sides, which now feature hard lines where the previous car had only curved sheetmetal. A crease sweeps back from the front wheel, along the rocker, and around the side intake (at least on this S model) before heading forward and terminating just before the leading edge of the door. It serves to better define and integrate the side port, which provides air for the mid-mounted powerplant and is rendered in black rather than the previous silver. The back end is nearly as simple as before, and the mid-mounted exhaust tips return, but the rear view has been sassed up by a more defined spoiler that bisects the taillights and appears to integrate LED turn signals into its tips. It appears as if the spoiler will again be of the active variety, too.
The mid-engine two-seater likely will be launched at the Geneva auto show next March, with its fixed-roof Cayman sibling following at least one year later. As it did with the new 991-gen 911, Porsche aims to significantly reduce weight with a number of aluminum components. Think 50 to 100 fewer pounds, which is great news, considering the Boxster already is one of the lightest sports cars on the market.
Four- and Six-Cylinder Power
Power will continue to come from Porsche's horizontally opposed engines. The six-cylinders will add engine stop-start technology, and power will slightly increase to around 270 hp for the Boxster and 320 hp for the Boxster S seen here. (The current models make 255 and 310, respectively.) A transaxle version of the 991's seven-speed manual could be offered, but retaining the wonderful six-speed would be the simpler. The ZF-sourced seven-speed dual-clutch transmission—a.k.a. PDK—will remain optional.
We can once again confirm rumors of work on a four-cylinder Boxster, and there are two possibilities for such an engine, which would use a shortened six-cylinder block. Porsche could offer an entry-level, naturally aspirated four making around 240 hp, or go completely the other way and create an extra-powerful, turbocharged version with well over 350 hp. The chances for the weaker engine greatly increase if the small mid-engine Porsche, which is supposed to be co-developed with VW and Audi, doesn’t happen—Porsche is fanatical about avoiding model overlap. We hear that project is currently being reviewed.
No Hybrid Imminent
Porsche has said that all of its models eventually will be offered with hybrid powertrains, but if you ask around Zuffenhausen these days, you don't sense much enthusiasm for such a Boxster derivative. "This is more of a topic for a possible face lift," we are told.
Porsche will produce the next Boxster at the VW plant in Osnabrück, Germany, that was formerly owned by Karmann. That's fitting as most VW-Porsche 914s—the Boxster's spiritual predecessor—were built there. Just don't make this connection too loudly around Porsche suits: An executive involved in the development of the first Boxster tells us that the 914 served as an example of "how not to engineer things." With the next Boxster shaping up to include a mix of proven Boxster and new 991 technologies, we’re optimistic it will be an example of engineering done right.
