Porsche Boxster Spyder

[lightweight]

FACTS

• 0-62mph: 4.8sec
• 316bhp 3.4-litre flat-six engine (10bhp up on the Boxster S)
• 1275kg (not specified if dry or kerb)
• £45,000
• PDK option
• Built to order, limited-run special edition
• Unveiling at the Los Angeles motor show in December, with sales following in February 2010

EVO ARTICLE

A legendary name from Porsche’s back catalogue is back. Say hello to the Boxster Spyder, a modern day incarnation of the firm’s speedster body-style.

Porsche is keen to big up the car’s lightweight characteristics, the Spyder dropping 80kg from the conventional Boxster S roadster it’s based on. At 1275kg, though, it still weighs more than twice that of its distant 550 Spyder ancestor.

It’s the lightest current Porsche on sale, however, and with a 316bhp 3.4-litre flat-six engine (10bhp up on the Boxster S) sitting in the middle it should be plenty quick enough. It does the 0-62mph dash in 4.8sec, nearly half a second quicker than the S, and hits 166mph.

The latter’s only with the roof off, mind. We wouldn’t advise trying it with the canvas top on, as even Porsche comes close to admitting it’s a bit of a token effort. They say, for instance, that the Spyder ‘has been developed first and foremost for driving in the open air’. Looking closely at the roof-up picture, it certainly doesn’t look the most snug or secure solution to sealing a car.

As well as the obvious, there are further tweaks to distance the Spyder from its Boxster siblings, including sharper sports suspension to suit its more purist attitude.

The Porsche Boxster Spyder will be unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show in December, with sales following in February 2010. Expect a UK price of around £45,000, with the company’s PDK twin-clutch gearbox on the options list. The Spyder is not a limited-run special edition, but will be built to order, Porsche anticipating low production numbers to reflect the car’s specialist nature.

EVO - Porsche Boxster Spyder

YOUTUBE TEASER

YouTube - Constrained?

YouTube - Constrained?

MY OPINION
Yet another pointless special edition that will sell like a hotcake. Unfortunately Porsche in 30 years will use this Spyder as the "inspiration" for a future Spyder version of the then contemporary Porsches...

[clutch-monkey]

has the same problem as the 911 cabriolet now.


looks like a beached humpback whale.

[092326001]

Great classic tainted by stupid special edition

[Ferrer]

The name is a bit stupid. But as a concept it is interesting and the weight figure isn't too bad either.

[Roentgen]

The roof looks like a tarpaulin tent.

[NicFromLA]

Waaaaant. Want baaaaad.

[csl177]

Originally Posted by clutch-monkey

has the same problem as the 911 cabriolet now. looks like a beached humpback whale.

Agreed. Too many fussy details to be considered attractive. Why not style the car with less, keeping to the design
brief of the original 356 Speedster? Remove another 250kilos while doing so...

And really, the "top" is laughable. Might as well use side curtains, too.

[LTSmash]

Boxter-Spyder? But I thought the Boxter-Boxter was already a spyder.

[W.R.]

I think it looks okay. But then again it's a Boxster...

[Ferrer]

1275kg is the kerb weight. By comparison standard Boxster S is 1335kg.

[lightweight]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

1275kg is the kerb weight. By comparison standard Boxster S is 1335kg.

So the difference more or less stems from the ditching of the roof mechanism...

Racing engineering at its finest

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by lightweight

So the difference more or less stems from the ditching of the roof mechanism...

Racing engineering at its finest

Some savings are also made by removing the radio, the climate control and having aluminium doors.

[RacingManiac]

2800lb isn't bad....but really they didn't lose too much weight....

Looks ok though, I do find it look better than normal Boxster....

[lightweight]

YouTube- Unleashed. The new Boxster Spyder.

YouTube- Unleashed. The new Boxster Spyder.

Just In

[NicFromLA]

Originally Posted by csl177

Might as well use side curtains, too.

That'd be awesome!

I'm so confused: everyone is always bitching about weight (me included) and how much they hate the Cayenne and Porsche's recent cars and (half of you) complain about the engine being in the rear, and when Porsche launches a lighter, sportier mid-engine car all everyone does is crap on it. Am I really the only one who's doing to defend this car?

PS: I'm having fantasies of Porsche doing this with a 911.