Tag: Boxster

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Porsche

2015 Porsche Boxster Spyder in detail

2015 Porsche Boxster Spyder

Porsche had the indecency to release the new Boxster Spyder while I was in Germany, so here’s a bit of a catch up. After the break there’s a host of videos, a big gallery of photos and the official press kit.

The roof on the 981 Spyder is still made from lightweight fabric and it’s still manual. While the roof still a bit cumbersome to operate, it now remains attached to the car at all times, which is a big improvement on the 987 Spyder.

A quick run down of the key stats before you sink your teeth into the full details.

2015 Porsche Boxster Spyder

  • Engine: 3.8 litre flat six
  • Power: 276kW @ 6700rpm
  • Torque: 420Nm @ 6000rpm
  • Transmission: 6-speed manual
  • Wheels: 20×8.5″ (front), 20×10″ (rear)
  • Tyres: 235/35 ZR20 (front), 265/35 ZR20 (rear)
  • Weight: 1315kg
  • 0–100km/h: 4.5 seconds
  • 0–200km/h: 14.8 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 12.7 seconds
  • Top speed: 290km/h
  • Roof: Manually-operated lightweight fabric
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Porsche

Facelifted Boxster ready to move up food chain

981.2 Porsche Boxster

Above you see a pretty good shot of the 981.2 Porsche Boxster. When it goes on sale in Australia mid-2016 it will move up the family food chain, demoting the hardtop Cayman to entry-level status.

Currently priced from $105,100 the 195kW/280Nm Boxster hits the market $1500 cheaper than the 202kW/290Nm Cayman ($106,600). The price gap increases to around $8000 for the more powerful S models.

The facelifted models will include the switch to downsized four-cylinder turbocharged engines, with the Cayman and Boxster to be fitted with a 2.0 litre and the S models to get a larger capacity 2.5 litre unit.

Once positioned above the Cayman, the convertible Boxster will also be the more powerful of the two, receiving modest power and torque increases compared with its fixed-roof sibling.

[Source: Motoring.com.au | Pic: Autocar | Thanks to John for the tip]

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Porsche

You’d love to get caught in this Spyder’s Web

Mark Webber and a pair of Porsche Spyders

Imagine your day job is a factory Porsche driver and that you’re thrown the keys to a new Boxster Spyder to drive to work:

You have to get the basics right. It doesn’t matter how much performance a car has if the driving position is terrible, or the seat doesn’t hold you properly. This is perfect: the wheel is the right size and shape and has no buttons on it. I need them on my 919, but not here. Nothing is more complicated than it needs to be; everything is designed to let you focus on the driving, and that’s what matters.

Then, when you get there, you get some time in a classic 550 Spyder:

If you look at it, you see how well Porsche understood the fundamentals of what makes a great driving machine even then. The car is incredibly light even by modern standards, and putting a boxer engine behind the driver is as good as you can get from the point of view of weight distribution and center of gravity. I loved the gearbox, the engine response, the handling balance, and the whole feel of the car. And it has that sense you get in modern Porsche sports cars that it could go all day, all night, and all the next day and still be ready for more.

And then the real work starts: the 6 Hours of Silverstone.

Sure beats sitting on your arse hanging around shopping malls for hours.

[Source: Porsche]

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Porsche

Porsche Australia updates MY16 price list

Porsche 911 Black Edition

Porsche Cars Australia has announced an updated increased price list for its MY16 models. That change also brings the 911 Black Edition (pictured) and Boxster Black Edition to the local market. Deliveries for the Black Editions commence in September.

The Black Edition models bring extra standard equipment and are available in any colour as long as you like black.

The 911 includes an extra $25,000 of standard options such as a full leather interior, 20″ Turbo alloys, LED headlights with PDLS+, front and rear park assist, a Porsche crest embossed on the seats and Black Edition decals on the door sills.

Meanwhile the Boxster gains $15,000 of freebies, including 20″ Carrera Classic alloys, Bi-Xenon headlights with PDLS, a black rollover bar, auto dimming mirrors, upgraded steering wheel, a Porsche crest embossed on the seats and Black Edition decals on the door sills.

Manufacturer’s List Pricing for the Black Edition models starts at $110,800 for the Boxster. The 911 Black Edition is available in both coupé and cabriolet body styles in either Carrera 2 or Carrera 4 specification. Pricing starts at $209,500 for the 911 Carrera 2 Coupe, and goes up to $240,000 for the Carrera 4 Cabriolet.

All models across the line up also gain extra equipment as standard in MY16 spec, which can be viewed below along with full pricing details for the entire Porsche Australia model range.

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Porsche Video

Listen to the new Cayman four-pot turbo

Porsche Cayman 981.2 prototype

The 981.2 Porsche Boxster/Cayman will be released next year and it will be the first time the models have been sold with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. At least it’ll be a boxer configuration, meaning it should sound better than the ubiquitous 2.0 litre inline four-pots found under the bonnet of most hot hatches these days.

If you don’t believe us then check out the latest video from Bridge to Gantry after the break, where you’ll see a Cayman protype in action at the Nürburgring.

[Source: Bridge to Gantry]

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Driving holidays Porsche Video

VIDEO: Island’s in the dream

Does the island of Majorca have the world's best driving roads?

Evo magazine brings us another dream nomination for the world’s best driving road. It now seems we can forget everything we know on this subject and start setting our sights and sunglasses towards the Spanish island of Majorca.

Following up from the earlier nomination in Romania, Henry Catchpole grabs the keys to a Porsche Boxster GTS and starts chasing the rays and the twisting tarmac given to the world by Antonio Parietti Coll.

If nothing else, Majorca is a great place to flee one’s creditors. As it turns out, it’s also a pretty nice place to snap, crackle and pop in a Boxster GTS.

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Porsche

Details about the new Porsche flat-four

981 Porsche Boxster

The new flat-four cylinder engine from Porsche will underpin a variety of models and will come in three different engine capacities, Car magazine reports. All will feature direct injection and have turbochargers to achieve the peak power Porsche demands.

Kicking off the flat-four family will be a 1.6 litre engine producing 210hp (155kW), followed by a 2.0 litre offering 286hp (210kW) and topping the range will be a 360hp (265kW) 2.5 litre.

The 2.0 litre and 2.5 litre engines are expected to find their way into the next-gen Boxster and Cayman, as well as the Cayenne. We reckon the Macan should be on that list too.

It’s not clear at this stage what purpose the 1.6 litre has, although it could be earmakred for use in Volkswagen/Audi products such as the on-again, off-again Audi R4 and associated acts.

[Source: Car]

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Porsche

Your first taste of the new Porsche flat-four turbo?

Porsche flat-four turbo

Rumours suggest the new turbocharged flat-four engine, which will power the next-gen Porsche Boxster and Cayman, will boast close to 300kW.

At a recent Nürburgring industry pool test day Porsche was running a 991 911 that doesn’t sound at all like a six cylinder 911 should. With 300kW on tap it’s not out of the question that Porsche could consider offering the flat-four as an entry-level 911 in the future. Whatever the production intent of this 911 test mule might be, if nothing else it appears to be giving us our first taste yet of Porsche’s new four-pot.

Check the video after the break and listen for yourself.

[Thanks to John for the tip]

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Porsche

Porsche flat-four to nudge 300kW

981 Porsche Cayman S

Matthias Müller, the bloke running Porsche, says the company will downsize to four cylinder engines for the next-gen Boxster and Cayman. This we pretty much knew already, but Mr Müller has given us some tasty morsels about what the new four-pots engines will be capable of.

“We will continue with the downsizing strategy and develop a new four-cylinder boxer engine which will see service in the next-generation Boxster and Cayman,” Müller explained. “We will not separate ourselves from efforts to reduce CO2.”

Of course the discussion turned to predicted power outputs. “Up to 400PS,” was Müller’s reply. That’s 395hp or 295kW for those of us in the 21st century.

Keep in mind the most powerful factory 981 Cayman you can buy, the recently announced GTS, only produces 250kW from its 3.4 litre flat-six.

Müller didn’t seem to mention it but you can expect the new flat-four to achieve its power thanks to forced induction. Will that be one or two turbos Mr Müller?

Near on 300kW from a four cylinder? Take that Mercedes and Volkswagen!

[Source: Autocar | Thanks to John for the tip]

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Porsche

Porsche Cayman GTS & Boxster GTS revealed

Porsche Cayman GTS

If you’d like your Cayman S, or your Boxster S for that matter, to have a little bit more power and to be a little bit sharper then you’re in luck because Porsche has just announced GTS versions for both models.

Powered by the familiar 3.4 litre flat six from the S models the GTS offers 243kW in the Boxster and 250kW in the Cayman. A jump of 11kW and torque has been boosted by 10Nm as well.

The Sport Chrono package is standard equipment in the GTS, along with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). With the optional PDK you’ll be hitting 100km/h in 4.7 seconds with the Boxster GTS and 4.6 seconds with the Cayman GTS.

You’ll notice the slightly revised and slightly cooler front end. The rear valance has also been given a once over for the GTS. Gloss black lettering for the badging is another subtle sign that your 981 is a bit better than the other bloke’s. Oh yeah, those blackened headlights are pretty neat too!

Australian pricing and delivery dates aren’t known as yet, but Euro deliveries will commence in May.

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Drive Thru Porsche

Drive Thru: Porsche Boxster

981 Porsche Boxster

When the Porsche Boxster was first released in the mid-90s it was often dismissed with the claim it was only for people who couldn’t afford a 911. Now into its third-generation, the Boxster has had enough time to establish itself as a bona fide sportscar worthy of attention.

In truth, the Boxster has always been a very fine car, even if it did take some time for the wider motoring world to catch on. And, as I recently discovered, the new-ish 981 Boxster is a genuinely rewarding drive.

The test car was an entry level model powered by a 2.7 litre flat-six cylinder engine coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox. It certainly looked the part on its optional 20″ rims too. Of the three examples Porsche has provided this latest Boxster is clearly the best looking, inside and out. Indeed the interior has a quality feel to it befitting its price tag and is reasonably well apppointed too.

On paper the outright performance of the Boxster looks capable enough, with 195kW on tap and just a shade over 1300kg to move. So, you might expect a quicker 0–100km/h time than 5.8 seconds. I can remember a time when a sub-6 second car was bordering on supercar territory, but these days it just doesn’t feel that fast.

If you’re looking for blistering straight line speed then the 2.7 litre Boxster isn’t for you. Yet, to judge this car solely on its raw pace is to completely miss the point and would deny yourself of something really quite special.

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Porsche

Porsche Macan details leaked and more

Porsche Macan leaked slide

Jalopnik brings word of a series of leaked slides, allegedly from a Porsche dealer function in Atlanta, Georgia. First up is info on the Macan SUV.

From that info we get a re-confirmation that the Macan will be revealed at the LA Auto Show in November. But we now know (or think we know) the Macan will enter the market with a 3.0 litre V6 for the Macan S and a 3.6 litre six-cylinder for the Macan Turbo. Presumably the engine in the Turbo will be V6 too. US pricing for the S will kick off at $52,000, while the Turbo will be priced from $75,000 (yeah, it sucks to be Australian sometimes!).

Get this, for added confusion, both of these engines are said to be turbocharged.

Casting some doubt over the legitmacy of this info, perhaps, is the fact the image of the Macan in the slide above is not an official Porsche photo, rather a rendering from German rag AutoBild.

The Cayman and Boxster get in on the gossip too, with suggestions there will be GTS models added to each range. Expect a launch in April next year and an extra 15hp and new 20″ alloys among the headline features.

Also included in this leaked info is word on the new 911 Targa, available in either Carrera 4 or 4S designation, which is said to have an auto roof function. Will be fun seeing that in action with the usual Targa rollover hoop, but we’re sure Porsche can find a way.

There is a chance all this info is unreliable, so we’ll just have to sit tight and see what Porsche has to say over the coming months.

[Source: Jalopnik]