2012 Porsche Boxster (981)

Highlights

• 2.7-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six

• 6-speed manual transmission

• Early third-gen model (981) 

• 88,129 miles, verified by MOT record

• MOT to July 2026

Overview

Intoxicating, beguiling, bewitching. Pick a superlative and the chances are it will be appropriate for the 981 Boxster. When it came to creating the third generation of their top-selling mid-engined roadster, the designers and engineers at Stuttgart clearly decided to take the same well-trodden path that they’d taken with the 911 over the years.

That path is one of gradual evolution and iteration, finding incremental improvements and tweaks that make each generation feel just a smidge better than the last. It’s a well-trodden path for a reason though – it works.

Everything about this generation of Boxster feels alive, sharp and up on its toes. Make no mistake, this is a proper sports car, and every bit as rewarding as machinery costing many times more. As the last of the naturally-aspirated, more analogue generation, it also means that even the “base” model gets a gloriously sonorous flat-six as well as a brilliantly feelsome manual transmission.

Both as an everyday sports car and as something special to wheel out on sunny days, the Boxster excels. It’s beautifully built – it feels like it will outlive Stonehenge – and has a reputation for superb reliability.

Material quality is second to none too, which can be seen in this example’s cabin, which still looks excellent despite being nearly 13 years old. It’s wearing incredibly well. We adore the classic colour scheme here too, Guards Red over black leather with black Porsche branded door stripes is a spec that simply never gets old.

Presented in great overall condition inside and out, this is a beautiful example of one of the finest sports cars ever made. We reckon it’s a future classic. Whether it is or not is kind of beside the point though, if you love driving and want to experience the joy of one of the most characterful engines ever made twinned with one of the greatest road car chassis ever devised, then this is your chance. And it’s not one you want to miss.

History and documentation

• First registered 3 December 2012

• Current owner since 18 February 2021, four previous owners

• 88,129 miles, verified by the MOT history

• Current MOT expires 4 July 2026 – the MOT history is very good, with no notable issues

• Stamped service book shows Porsche main dealer services in December 2014 at 15,170 miles and in October 2016 at 22,803 miles

• We’re assured by the owner that the car has been regularly serviced in his tenure

• Unmodified and in factory specification

• The vendor tells us the car has always been garaged and was used as a second / occasional vehicle

• Two keys

• V5 present in owner’s name

• HPI clear

• London ULEZ compliant

Interior

• Smart black leather upholstery, with perforated sections to the seat centres

• The leather is in excellent condition, with no notable wear, damage, sagging or staining

• Electrically adjustable backrests

• Black carpet with matching, branded Porsche overmats, all of which look to be in fine condition, with no threading or staining we could see

• Electric side windows and door mirrors

• Automatic headlights

• Air conditioning

• Factory BOSE CD/radio system

• Built-in satellite navigation

• Hands-free phone connectivity

• All of the instrumentation and switchgear looks to be in fine fettle, with the main binnacle showing clear and crisp graphics

• The controls show a minimal amount of wear and tear, with just a light patina from use that’s consistent with the car’s age and mileage

• Integrated roll-over hoops

• Good sized frunk, trimmed with neat black carpet – the warning triangle and inflation kit are still in place

• Useful boot space, trimmed in black carpet, with no wear or threading we could see

• No faults or issues are reported with any of the cabin’s features and functions

Exterior

• Guards Red paintwork, presented in very fine order for its age, with no significant marks or blemishes we could discern

• We’re told that the vendor has recently had work done to repair any stone chips on the bonnet and front end, as well as to remove any minor scratches from the paintwork

• Black door mirrors, door stripes and centre stripe over the bonnet and boot

• The bodywork all appears to be in excellent order, with no damage, corrosion or misalignment apparent

• Similarly, the external trim and badging is all present and correct, with no UV damage or warping on show

• The light units all look to be very clean and clear, free from any misting, cracks or chips

• We didn’t note any cracks or chips to the windscreen or the side glass

• Electrically operated black fabric roof, with the fabric looking to be clean and tidy, with no wear, tearing or UV fading

• The roof is said to operate smoothly and quickly, being able to raise or lower in about 7 seconds and at speeds up to 30mph

• Electrically operated rear spoiler

• Underneath everything looks very clean and straight, with no damage to the sills or floorpans we could see

• The wheels are the correct factory-fitted 19-inch alloys, finished in gloss black, and showing no notable kerb damage or lacquer peel

• The front wheels are shod in Pirelli P-Zero tyres (235/40) while the rears wear a brace of Toyo Proxes (265/40) which the vendor tells us were fitted about a year ago

Mechanical

• Mid-engined, rear-wheel drive layout

• 2,706cc naturally-aspirated flat-six

• Unmodified and in factory specification

• Six-speed manual transmission

• Factory performance figures: 261bhp, 207lb-ft, 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds, 164mph top speed

• Sport mode

• Stop-start functionality

• Traction control, ABS, power steering

• We’re assured by the vendor that the car drives extremely well, with a great exhaust note and no mechanical issues or faults reported

Summary

It’s not often you can say that a modern Porsche is brilliantly simple, but that’s exactly what this is. It’s lean and precise, possessed of everything you need to extract maximum fun from every inch of road, with no fat or excess to be seen. 

From that profoundly stirring flat-six to the razor-sharp chassis and honey-sweet gear shift, everything about the 981 Boxster is spot-on. Finished in classic Guards Red, this example really does have everything you need, and it’s presented fantastically well. In reality, driving doesn’t really get a whole lot better than this.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Egham, Surrey.