Autoblog

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the Porsche Boxster RS 60

Our colleague Chris Tutor recently took the Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder for a few quick turns around Barber Motorsports. A tad more powerful than the Boxster S, and filled with red leather, he discovered it was plenty of car on the closed circuit. We recently had a chance to get the special edition RS 60 off the track and onto the back roads of Rhode Island and Connecticut, and got to see what the car could do on twisting country lanes – and unexpectedly, in the rain. The likewise unexpected result: damn near perfection. Follow the jump to find out how,and check out the gallery of hi-res and sometimes very damp images below.


All Second Drive gallery photos Copyright ©2008 Sergio Jurado / Weblogs, Inc.

Click the image above for more high-res shots.

Porsche won't be coming to the Bologna Motor Show in Italy empty handed. Instead, the souls from Stuttgart will be unveiling a limited edition Boxster S that draws inspiration the automaker's 1960 win at the 12 Hours of Sebring in the Type 718 RS.

The Boxster RS 60 Spyder comes swathed in GT Silver Metallic paint with a Carrera Red interior to match the #42 car it's attempting to channel, along with a serialized silver plaque on the dash proclaiming its limited numbers and a new front spoiler. But it's not just a bit of extra glitz heaped atop the already competent Boxster S. The stock rollers are swapped in favor of a set of 19-inch Porsche SportDesign alloys, the suspension benefits from Porsche's Active Suspension Management system (PASM) and the flat-six is uncorked with a sports exhaust that bumps output to 303 HP.

Appropriately, only 1960 units will be available worldwide, with a base price of 53,000 euro abroad.

[Source: Porsche]

In keeping with Porsche tradition, the next iteration of the Boxster will benefit from styling tweaks that only the most hardened auto-fanatic would recognize. These latest shots from AutoGespot show Porsche's mid-ship masterpiece undergoing testing at the Nurburgring and give those of us who care, a brief glimpse of what's to come.

The last time the Boxster went under the knife the changes were subtle, but enough to distinguish itself from its predecessor. This time, it's less obvious. To begin with, the '08 model seems to get more elongated headlamps that draw further down the fascia, while the air intakes get a similar rounded shape. LED daytime running lights are part of the package up front, while out back the taillights get more of the light-emitting diode treatment.

As for the engine, we don't expect any massive gains in performance, but it wouldn't surprise us to learn that the Boxter and its S-adorned sibling would get a slight bump in output. As for the transmission, we'll keep our fingers crossed that Porsche's new DSG will become an option, but we doubt that will take place until later next year.

[Source: AutoGespot via Motor Authority]

During last month's New York Auto Show, Porsche displayed a Boxster coated in GT3 orange dubbed the Splashlight. There was no question that this "design exercise" was going to evolve into a limited edition version of Porsche's mid-engined masterpiece, and now, it's official.

The SportDesign Boxster is limited to 500 units, 250 plain-Jane versions and 250 models sporting an "S" on the bootlid. The exterior gets the aforementioned hue, along with a SportDesign-specific body kit made up of a redesigned, deployable wing and a series of diffusers, fore and aft. Black rims with a polished lip round out the package, tying in nicely to the black accents.

On the inside, the lucky few get Alcantara trim lining the seats and steering wheel, which should keep occupants firmly planted when the driver decides to mash the throttle and enjoy the new sport exhaust.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but we'd expect a moderate bump in over the base models.

[Source: Inside Line]

How do you make the Boxster better? First, make sure there's an "S" badge on the boot and second, let Stuttgart's finest loose with some GT3 RS orange, acres of Alcantara and some time in the wind tunnel.

The result was displayed across the street from the Javits Center in New York City, but for some reason, we missed its atomic orange hue from a distance.

Regardless, the people at Porsche decided to tweak the Boxster in all the right places, beginning with the exterior. The aforementioned paint job is complemented by a set of black wheels with a polished lip, along with blacked-out wing mirrors and air intakes. The SportDesign package adds an integrated rear diffuser, front lip spoiler and the automatically deploying aerofoil to reduce lift and look trick. The only significant piece of go-fast goodness is the custom exhaust that sports a duo of "unique" tips.

On the inside, occupants are greeted with Alcantara seat inserts, while the driver gets to engage both a steering wheel and a park brake lever swathed in the sexy suede-like material. The exterior's color finds its way inside, lining the dash-mounted cup holder's cover, the door lever recesses and the layout of the shift pattern on the gear lever.

While this is all well and good, what does it portend for the future? Expected a limited edition Boxster at your local Porsche dealers this summer.

[Source: Paddocktalk via the German Car Blog]

Last week was big for Porsche as the automaker produced the 200,000th Boxster. The Boxster line, which now includes the fixed-roof Cayman variant, is in the midst of its tenth year on the road. Production of the Boxster and Cayman exceeded 27,000 cars for FY 05/06, reflecting the model's growth since its introduction. At that time, Porsche expected 15,000 cars to be produced annually.

Car number 200,000 was a Boxster S born at Valmet Automotive in Finland and destined for a US customer -- no surprise, as the North American continent accounts for 40% of global Boxster sales. With styling clearly inspired by the Spyders of yore, the Boxster has evolved from concept car to a brand name as recognizable and important as Porsche's other star, the 911. And like its big brother, it serves an aspirational vehicle to many. Over the last ten years, the phrase "first Porsche" and "Boxster" became synonymous for an undetermined number of enthusiasts. A first Porsche is undoubtedly a special thing, and so, by extension is the Boxster.

Congratulations to Porsche on reaching the milestone.

(Press release after the jump)

[Source: Porsche]

Fans of Porsche's mid-engined roadster are getting the best present a sports car driver could ask for - more horsepower. Porsche is kicking off its new model year August 1 with a modest 5 hp boost for the entry-level Boxster's 2.7 liter engine, and a more satisfying 15 hp upgrade for the Boxster S. The 0-60 mph sprint now takes 6.1 seconds in the Boxster, and only 5.4 seconds for the Boxster S.

Both engines benefit from Porsche's new VarioCam Plus valve management technology, which provides variable valve timing (VarioCam) and changeover valve lift (Plus). The new valve lift changeover mechanism uses two-position bucket-type tappets on the intake valves, actuated by an electrohydraulic valve. The Boxster S engine also benefits from a bump in displacement from 3.2 to 3.4 liters.

Also added to the roadsters' option list are the upgraded Tiptronic S transmission and the 19-inch forged alloy two-tone wheels developed for the new 911 Turbo.

[Source: Porsche]