Tuesday 6th February 2007

Porsche boosts the Boxster

Modded engines plus exterior tweaks

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2006 Porsche Boxster

Porsche looks set to update the Boxster around the same time as the 911, according to new pictures available on the Web.

Car magazine's site shows pictures of the ragster in winter testing, probably somewhere in northern Sweden. Shots of the cars suggest changes will be evolutionary -- this is Porsche after all.

The front air intakes appear slightly wider and re-profiled to be less trapezoid. The front auxiliary lights and the rear lamps get LEDs rather than boring old filaments, while the headlamps have been disguised but appear ever-so-subtly larger.

According to the story, Porsche has modified the engines too to add direct fuel injection -- the recently revamped Cayenne has already received the mod. This makes them more efficient by supplying exactly the right amount of fuel at the right time, cutting consumption by up to 15 per cent. More precise metering ought also to make the car more responsive to drive.

You can expect that the parts-sharing Cayman coupé will receive the same treatment too, and to see the new cars displayed at this autumn's Frankfurt motor show.

Follow the link below to see the new car -- for copyright reasons, we can't reproduce the pictures here.

Links

• New Boxster pictures
• Related story: 2009 Porsche 911 spotted
• Related story: Porsche updates the Cayenne

[scotty_917]

always evolution rather than revolution with Porsche...that's why they are where they are!

[Andy T]

Cool, that means that secondhand prices of 987s will plummet!

[nicedude1976]

Yep nice, but but a bloody 3.8 engine it deserves at last (I know they wont do it).

[fatboy b]

[Dr S]

Business as usual at Porsche then...

[gwatson]

Oh dear..... is it just me or is it not starting to look like the current MR2?

[Asterix]

If they give the Cayman S 320hp at the same time, I might finally buy one.

[silver993tt]

gwatson said:

Oh dear..... is it just me or is it not starting to look like the current MR2?

I think it's the other way around. The Japanese are great at copying European car designs. Take a look at Lexus (fancy Toyotas) - they look just like Mercs

[road_terrorist]

gwatson said:

Oh dear..... is it just me or is it not starting to look like the current MR2?

There is no current MR2, they killed it off last year.

[davy9449]

You have both taken the words right out of my mouth!

I think it looked more like the MR2 in it's old guise.

Edited by davy9449 on Tuesday 6th February 22:04

[ec2]

I presume we are going to see a facelifted 987 and 997 in the UK in Spring 2008? I owned an 'original' 987S but am thinking now more about a 997C4/C4S. I guess if they put 30 bhp on each of the 997 engines that would allow them to update the 987 and Cayman by 20 bhp?

Would the 997C4S just then become the same engine as the current one with the power pack (right name?) or will the capacity increase? I know that no one really knows the answer but it's interesting speculation.

[corradoboy1983]

gwatson said:

Oh dear..... is it just me or is it not starting to look like the current MR2?

My exact thoughts mate! They need to give the sides a bit more of an agressive profile.. They're currently too flat and shapeless...

It needs generally bigger, rounder arches (More classic corvette-eske if you know what I mean?) and a meaner overall look...

Plus the 3.8 engine as someone above rightfully pointed out!

[nickfrog]

Just for your info Corradoboy, it's the MR2 that outrageously copied the 986. Not the other way around.

[timmo]

2 X Hairdryer plugs ?

[corradoboy1983]

nickfrog said:

Just for your info Corradoboy, it's the MR2 that outrageously copied the 986. Not the other way around.

Ahh, now I think you perhaps misinterpreted my comment. I wasn't meaning to imply that the Porsche copied the MR2. In fact, that was the last thing that I would suggest.

What I was doing was agreeing that the two look very similar (who copied who doesn't come into this part). And then I was saying what I thought needed doing to improve the look of the car. I didn't actually mention the MR2 in my answer

[rimmer]

it looks good

[Schmalex]

IMO Boxsters are getting uglier by each model, but I may be biased, as I own a 986S.

I saw a 987 in white yesterday & it looked absolutely nothing. Whereas I have seen a few 996 / 997's in white & they look very good indeed.

For me, the new shape Box doesn't cut the mustard.

<<Flame Proof Suit ENGAGED>>

[Trogg]

I am somewhat late to the discussion but surely despite the flattering or not! copy that the Toyota (lazzzzzy) design office has come up with if you put the 986/987 next to the MR2 and offered the keys to the driver..... have a guess which one they would grab with both hands!

Just by any chance... does anyone have a date for the new (ok evolutionised and tweaked) 987 will be in the UK showrooms?