The New 1997 Boxster from Porsche

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Herrsching, Germany:
Porsche has been very coy about revealing information on its forthcoming Boxster sports car. Until we obtained the photos you see here, there was just one official picture of the car, along with sketchy details about the model that Porsche hopes will expand its audience dramatically.

Although it's not breathtakingly pretty, the Boxster is a proper Porsche, the sculptured shape evoking fond memories of the classic 550 spyder, the late 968 cabriolet, and the 1993 Boxster show car. That design exercise was a real stunner, but unfortunately it wasn't possible to tailor it for volume assembly. The front fenders were not big enough to accommodate the two radiators, the low-mounted side air intakes were too small and too far away from the engine, the graciously curved doors made getting into and out of the cabin a tad too difficult, the elegant trunk lid badly affected the cargo volume, and there was no provision for the canvas-top cover (because there was no canvas top) or for a high-mounted third stoplight.

Characteristic design elements of the final production version include fully integrated headlights, fog lights, and turn signals: lateral air intakes; a chromed single tailpipe central exhaust; large body-color bumpers; low-drag mirrors; and flush-fitting door handles that are not quite as practical as those on the 911. Unlike the 911 cabriolet, the Boxster has passive roll barsÑtubular steel hoops that are welded to the floorpan and the side panels. Together with the reinforced windshield frame, they are said to provide adequate protection in case of a somersault.

Although it seems at a glance that the Boxster doesn't have any aerodynamic aids, that's not the case. Wedged between the rear deck lid and the bumper is an electrically operated air deflector that automatically appears at speeds above 50 mph. Extending nearly four inches, this spoiler greatly reduces axle lift, thereby improving high-speed stability.

The power-operated canvas top incorporates a plastic window that is neither heated nor scratchproof. At the push of a button, the top disappears into a recess behind the seats. A project engineer comments: "This car is not only the quickest roadster in its class, it also has the fastest roof by a long shot. Opening or closing it takes a record ten secondsÑthe Mercedes- Benz SLK needs twenty-seven seconds to perform the act." When stowed away it is protected by a large composite flap, but this rigid tonneau cover still exposes part of the fabric beneath it.

Like most mid-engined sports cars, the Boxster has two luggage compartments, the one in front holding 4.2 cubic feet, the one in back having a capacity of 4.9 cubic feet. Together, they provide notably more cargo space than the SLK (5.3 cubic feet with the top down), the Alfa Romeo Spider (3.8 cubic feet), or the BMW Z3 (5.0 cubic feet). Although both cargo compartments are easily accessible, the engine bay is extremely difficult to get to. Fluid levels can be checked and replenished through a small service panel behind the seats, but any repair or service work must be carried out from below.

Inside, the production Boxster adopts the cocoon theme of the show car. The curvy wraparound dashboard dominates the instrument panel, which features five round, partly overlapping dials with a central tachometer redlined at 6500 rpm. The base version comes with conventional white-on-black instrument faces, but extra money will buy more stylish silver gauges. The show car's bakelite applications are also expected to reappear on the options list. Gone for good are the propeller-type ventilation rosettes of the show car, because a long-haired female test driver repeatedly experienced potentially dangerous conflicts between wig and fan. To stop the wind from making a total mess of one's hair, Porsche recommends rolling up the side windows and clipping a wind deflector to the roll bars.

Ergonomically, the Boxster ranks leagues above the hopeless 911. Gone are the scattered switches, the impractical heater and ventilation controls, the messy center console, and the lack of storage space. The new Porsche is surprisingly roomy for a mid-engined sports car. The Carrera-style seatsÑwith integrated head restraintsÑ push back a long way and are height adjustable. The steering wheel is adjustable for rake and reach. Elbow room is generous and so is headroom, even with the top up. There are shelves for small items behind the seats, and the backrests are fitted with practical coat hooks. Dual front airbags are standard; side air bags are under development.

"The 944 and the 968 were great cars," recalls a senior engineer from Weissach, "but Porsche die-hards didn't like them, partly because of the 924 ancestry, partly because the engine had only four cylinders. With the Boxster, we corrected these faults. This really is a worthy stablemate of the 911." Whereas the Carrera 2/4 is a rear- engined sports car, the Boxster's drivetrain is installed amidships, a setup that ensures a perfectly even weight distribution and, at least theoretically, much more benign handling characteristics. The latest creation from Zuffenhausen is 170 inches long, 70 inches wide, and 50.8 inches high. The wheelbase measures 95 inches, and the track is 57.7 inches in the front and 60.1 inches at the back. Fitted with a manual transmission, the Boxster tips the scales at 2761 pounds, and the automatic checks out at 2871 pounds. Both have an acceptable payload of 682 pounds. The Boxster, which is slightly shorter than the BMW 328i convertible and the Audi Cabriolet, has more total cargo capacity but less cabin space than those rival two-plus-twos.

The front suspension, the forward firewall, the inner front fenders, and elements of the platform structure are essentially identical to the next- generation 911 (dubbed 996). This strategy not only works wonders in terms of economies of scale, it also establishes a welcome link between the Boxster and its prestigious big brother. The front suspension consists of damper struts, lower wishbones, and an anti-roll bar. The multi-link rear is made up of semi-trailing arms, longitudinal and transverse links, coil springs, and gas-pressurized shock absorbers. This sophisticated layout also includes toe-control (the so-called Weissach suspension pioneered by the 928) as well as anti-dive and anti-squat properties. In true Porsche style, the brakes are designed for pace-setting deceleration, unrivaled staying power, and well-above- average durability. Equipped with the latest fifth-generation anti-lock system, the front and rear vented discs are straddled by fixed multi-piston monoblock calipers that accommodate extra-large pads.

Although Porsche has not been wildly in favor of traction control devices in the past, the Boxster can be ordered with a 911-style automatic limited-slip differential and, for the first time in corporate history, a brake- and throttle-activated anti- slip system. Other options include a recalibrated sport suspension and a set of wider aluminum wheels that can be specified in various shapes and surface finishes. The base Boxster is shod with six-inch wheels and 205/55R-16 tires in front and wider seven-inch wheels with 225/50R-16 tires in the rear.

The customer can choose between two transmissions: the familiar five-speed manual and a much-improved Tiptronic S. The latter gearbox has been reengineered for improved efficiency, throttle response, and fuel economy. Operated via two fingertip switches in the top spokes of the steering wheel, the latest Tiptronic has five forward speeds, and that means more midrange acceleration and a more even segmentation of the rpm band.

The six-cylinder Boxster engine has been developed from scratch. Made of light alloy from bottom to top, it breaks new ground (at least for a horizontally opposed piston unit from Porsche) in that the coolant is water, not air, and in that there are four valves per cylinder. With a bore of 85.5 mm and a stroke of 72.0 mm, the displacement is 2480 cc. Aided by a relatively high compression ratio of eleven to one, the DOHC flat-six produces 204 bhp at 6000 rpm, and the maximum torque of 177 pound-feet is available at an uncommonly high 5000 rpm. Despite a Varioram intake system, the torque is slightly lower than that of rival engines, most of which peak at notably lower revs.

In terms of performance, however, the Porsche easily beats the opposition from Mercedes and BMW. For instance, the Boxster Tiptronic S accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in seven seconds and is capable of reaching 152 mph. The figures are even better with a manual transmission. The fuel economy reflects the car's light weight and the engine's above-average efficiency. The two-seater droptop returns 35 mpg at a constant 56 mph, 28 mpg at a steady 75 mph, and 18 mpg in the urban cycle. This results in an average consumption of 25 mpg. With the reasonable sixteen-gallon tank, one can expect a realistic driving range of approximately 325 miles.

In Europe, the Boxster comes with a full two-year warranty that can be extended to three years at extra cost. In addition, the car carries a ten-year anti-corrosion guarantee and a three-year paint warranty. To make sure that rust isn't a problem, the body is double-galvanized for optimum surface protection. The service intervals have been extended to 12,000 miles for an oil and filter change and to 24,000 miles for the main inspection.

When it goes on sale in Germany in September, the Boxster will start at 76,500 deutsche marks ($52,000), which is a little steep even if you consider the exotic layout and the prestigious badge. Both the BMW Z3 2.8 and the supercharged Mercedes-Benz SLK will cost considerably less. It's also easy to spend an extra ten grand or so on the Boxster for attractions like the good-looking hard top, full leather trim, special wheels and tires, automatic air conditioning, Tiptronic S, wind deflector, upgraded stereo, metallic paint, and so on. However, the U.S. Iist price will be kept at just under $40,000 for the no-frills edition, which shows that Porsche's biggest export market can still make its own rules. Despite the high price, more than lO,000 customers have already put down deposits. Those who are hoping for additional variants must wait at least until 1998, the unofficial release date of the high-performance Boxster powered by a stroked three-liter engine, which should be good for 245 bhp. Still up in the airÑand increasingly unlikely to materializeÑis an entry-level version with a new 170-bhp two-liter four.

Asked how many Boxsters the company is expecting to sell, a senior marketing manager replies: "We should be able to find at least 15,000 customers a year, but we can supply more than 20,000 cars if there is enough demand. Is Porsche going to go under if the Boxster flops? Absolutely not. The development and tooling have been paid for, and there is still money in the bank. From now on, each vehicle sold means incremental business."

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Article thanks to Automobile Magazineª