2011 Porsche

When Porsche unveiled its Boxster concept at the 1993 Detroit Motor Show, the reaction was unanimous: Porsche must build this car. Getting the hint, they did, and the affordable mid-engined roadster market was both re-booted and transformed, as were Porsche’s fortunes moving forward.

The production 986 Boxster, when it arrived in 1996 (The Boxster celebrates its 30th anniversary this year), saw the beginning of Porsche’s water-cooled era and you could say that they’ve never looked back. Whilst early 2.5-litre, flat-six Boxsters had only 201bhp, it was enough to make the mid-engined platform perform, and reviews were certainly of the ‘rave’ variety. More powerful versions being introduced was a given, most significantly with the 3.2-litre “S” version that took power to 260bhp.

By the time the 986 was replaced by the 987 in 2004, Porsche had the market to themselves, the competition long having given up. The 987 of course carried on the good work, using more of its bespoke panels, rather than sharing with the 911 as the 986 Boxster had done. Well, Porsche could afford to do that now.

Base 987 Boxsters came with a 2.7-litre flat-six, rising to 2.9-litres, while S featured a 3.2-litre, again rising to 3.4-litres and 310bhp, during the 987’s evolution, which for Generation Two models also saw the arrival of DFI (Direct Fuel Injection) engines and PDK gearboxes.

Along Came a Spyder

There was also the occasional Special Edition Boxster, notably the RS60 Spyder, which commemorated the 60s racer of the same name (of which we have sold a couple recently and have another on the way), and rather a more radical bespoke Boxster Spyder, which was more in keeping with the true Spyder concept, featuring weight savings and added performance.

Weight? It was possible (if you binned the air-con and PCM etc) to lose 80kg, taking the Spyder’s kerb weight down to 1,275kg, which in the modern world is very light indeed. This was achieved with lightweight aluminium doors, Porsche’s lightest 19-inch road wheel, carbon bucket seats, and most significantly a clever fabric hood and carbon fibre frame, to replace the electric full-folding roof. Other notable touches, and a nod to the Spyder’s racing past were the twin-cowling humps on the rear aluminium deck, racy Porsche side stripes and a colour palette of Carrara White, Cream White, Platinum Silver, Guards Red, Aqua Blue and Basalt Black.

Anything else? Yes, a 20mm lowered sports chassis with fixed mechanical dampers tuned to the Spyders reduced weight with no PASM option, a mechanical limited slip differential, and an extra 10bhp, taking the 3.4-litre flat-six to 320bhp and the Boxster Spyder to a top-speed of 166mph and 0-60mph in 5.1 secs.

So, the 987 Boxster Spyder was a hit. Losing weight is always a winner when it comes to performance, dynamics and handling, and the Boxster Spyder gains in all three areas to create a more hardcore Boxster experience.

We really rate them here at PS and we’re delighted to have this special example in stock. In Carrara White, with just 14,600 miles showing, it was delivered to Porsche Centre Sheffield in December 2011, making it one of the last of the 987 Boxster Spyders.

As intimated, very few Spyders were specified so spartanly as to lose the full 80kg, and this is no different. So, it does have a radio etc and climate control. For a full list of options see below, but standouts that make this Spyder properly driver focused are a manual six-speed gearbox (with sports short-shift) and limited slip differential, plus sports exhaust for a bit of noise! And perhaps, to save the best until last, full folding carbon bucket seats in black leather, with alcantara inserts.

As you would imagine, this very low mileage example presents very close to new throughout, the service book is fully stamped with a mix of Porsche Centre, plus Porsche specialist attention, including bi-annual brake fluid changes, and, as you would hope, it presents in the same beautiful condition underneath too.

On The Road

Everything a sports car should be. That is to say – small, light and with enough power to be fun and fully exploitable. It should be a mantra, and sadly too many sports cars have simply lost the plot in this regard.

A standard manual 987 Boxster in almost any guise is a work of genius, that punches well above its weight, if you’ll excuse the pugilistic analogy. And it is weight that is key to the Spyder’s appeal, as in a lack of. It may not sound like much, but losing weight from the body, plus unsprung weight in the form of lighter wheels, combined with the Boxster’s low centre of gravity, just amplifies its talents all the more.

Sitting low and snug in the fabulous carbon buckets, you really are dialled into the mid-engined action. Factor in also the steering, which is full of feel, the slick-shifting six-speed gearbox and the punchy engine, and it’s not hard to see why the 987 Spyder has a very dedicated fanbase.

In Summary

The Spyder formula is an interesting one, on paper it initially appears to have just a few mechanical and styling upgrades over its standard brethren. However, as with other special Porsches, add all those unique parts together, and in the 987 Spyder, you have one of their sweetest driving cars the company has produced.