Porsche Boxster - from styling masterpiece to everyday sports car

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Porsche Boxster - from styling masterpiece to everyday sports car

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Created on October 4, 2016

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Porsche AG

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Bruno von Rotz

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - many parts were common with the 996

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - entry into Porsche heaven at the end of the nineties

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - up to 240 km/h fast

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - for the first time since the 914, the engine of a Porsche production sports car sits in front of the rear axle again

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the standard rear end looked less upbeat than on the Detroit prototype

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - every opportunity to drive open-top is used

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the driver gets plenty of sunshine

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - economical sports car suitable for everyday use

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - with a width of 1.78 meters almost compact today

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - designed strictly for two people

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - hardly distinguishable from a 996 from the front

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - Cockpit with leather steering wheel

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - Porsche had also thought of a wind deflector, it was stretched between the headrests

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - three instruments that wanted to score design rather than functionality points

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - without navigation system, but with CD player and air conditioning

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the roof also serves as a cover

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - semi-transparent headrests

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - only three instruments in the Boxster

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the overhangs grew in comparison to the Detroit prototype

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - beautiful aluminum wheels

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - Brakes with Porsche lettering

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - not everyone liked this lamp design

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - hardly distinguishable from a 996

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the fried egg headlights - as they were called back then

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the rear lights have grown considerably in size compared to the Detroit prototype

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - curved rear lights

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the central brake light

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - the rear trunk holds around 130 liters

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Porsche Boxster (1997) - this is all you can see of the engine - refill openings for water and oil, as well as an oil dipstick

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Porsche Boxster prototype (1993) - as it was presented in Detroit

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Porsche Boxster (1996) - as shown by the magazine Auto Motor und Sport in 1993 (Detroit), 1994 and 1995

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Porsche Boxster (1993) - as shown in the Auto Motor und Sport magazine after its premiere in Detroit

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Porsche Boxster (1994) - according to Auto Motor und Sport, the Boxster had already changed somewhat just one year later

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Porsche Boxster (1995) - the magazine Auto Motor und Sport presented the Boxster very close to series production, and it was still good for the cover page

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Porsche 968 Roadster (1992) - was given up in favor of the Boxster project - Special exhibition "40 Years of Transaxle" at the Porsche Museum

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Porsche Boxster S (2000) - with 3.2-liter engine

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Porsche Boxster S (2000) - with twin-flow exhaust system

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Porsche Boxster (2002) - compared to the Porsche 996 Cabriolet

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - Inspection drawing - Chassis

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Porsche Boxster (1996) - Phantom drawing - from the side

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Porsche Boxster (1996) - Phantom drawing - from above

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - 130 liter rear luggage compartment

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - extended rear lip

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - the roof opens in 12 seconds

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - Front impact against deformable barrier

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - Headlights with cleaning system

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - Rear light design

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - in its original version

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - in sporty yellow

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - Interior equipment with Porsche Communication Management

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Porsche Boxster S (2000) - at the harbor

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Porsche Boxster (1996) - standard version

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Porsche Boxster S (2000) - at the harbor

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Porsche Boxster S (2000) - the more powerful version

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Porsche Boxster S (2000) - the enlarged six-cylinder engine

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - with and without hardtop

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - with lowered soft top

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Porsche Boxster (2000) - Roll bar and A-pillars made of high-strength steel

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Porsche Boxster (2004) - the second generation

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Porsche Boxster (2004) - the second generation

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Porsche 718 Boxster S (2016) - blessed with a legendary name - at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show

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Porsche 718 Boxster and Boxster S (2016) - with four-cylinder turbo boxer engine

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Summary

In 1993, Porsche presented a sensational design study in Detroit, and around three years later the Porsche Boxster was launched on the market, the first mid-engined road sports car since the 914. And it fulfilled the expectations placed in it with flying colors. To this day. The oldest examples are now 20 years old, making them veritable youngtimers. A good time to look back. This driving report portrays a first-generation Porsche 986 Boxster and also shows it in historical pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

The sensation of Detroit
From prototype to production variant
Joint development with the 996
Disillusionment with the production version
Good package
Continuous further development
Important model series for Porsche
Fun at the wheel
Further information

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

What is immediately noticeable when you drive a Porsche Boxster: you don't stand out! In fact, hardly any passers-by will interpret the mid-engined sports car as a rarity or even a historic vehicle, there are simply too many of them on the road every day. Yet the oldest Boxsters are already over 20 years old and veritable youngtimers. And the first presentation of the entry-level sports car was almost 25 years ago. Porsche was not doing particularly well in 1993, especially in the USA. Sales were declining, so Wendelin Wiedeking wanted to send out an optimistic and combative message and the 986 was brought to the Detroit Auto Show, clearly labeled "Boxster" on the rear.

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