Porsche has just released the new Boxster and the Boxster S and they have called the latest generation as the 718.
Porsche has just released the new Boxster and the Boxster S and they have called the latest generation as the 718. The nameplate pays homage to the flat-four cylinder engines used in the mid-engine Porsche 718 sports car which won numerous races back in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The 718 Boxster gets design changes that set it apart from the old car. It gets a new bumper with larger air intakes, new bi-xenon headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights, new alloy wheel design, a new rear end with a black strip connecting the tail lamps with the Porsche sign integrated in it and new tail LED tail lights with four-point brake lights. The headlights get 4-point daytime running lights as an optional extra.
On the inside, the driver is greeted to a very familiar cockpit. The air vents are now rounded with a flat bottom and it now has a new steering wheel. The car now gets a slightly redesigned instrument panel and Porsche Communications Management (PCM) as standard. The PCM includes cell phone preparation, audio interfaces and the 110 watt Sound Package Plus. It can be enhanced with an optional navigation module including voice control. Connect Plus module is available as an extension of the navigation module and it provides various online services.
Powering the sports cars are a new generation of turbocharged flat-four engines which now produce more power and torque and are also more fuel efficient. The increase in power is 35 bhp. It is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed PDK automatic transmission. All the specs below are for the cars equipped with the 7-speed PDK transmission and the Sport Chrono Package. The fuel efficiency figures are still unknown but the cars are expected to be around 14% more fuel efficient according to the New European Driving Cycle.
The 718 Boxster is powered by a 2.0-litre engine that produces 300 bhp at 6,500 rpm and 380 Nm of torque between 1,950 and 4,500 rpm. The torque figure has gone up by 100 Nm. The car accelerates from a standstill to a 100 kmph in 4.5 seconds, which is 0.7 seconds faster than the previous model, and it goes on to a top speed of 274 kmph, which is 13 kmph faster than before.
The 718 Boxster S is powered by a 2.5-litre engine that produces 350 bhp at 6,500 rpm and 419 Nm of torque between 1,900 rpm and 41500 rpm. The torque figure has gone up by 58 Nm. The car accelerates from a standstill to a 100 kmph in 4.0 seconds, which 0.5 seconds faster than the previous model, and it goes on to a top speed of 285 kmph, which is 8 kmph faster than before.
The suspension of the car has been re-calibrated to improve handling. The electric steering is now 10% more direct than before. The Boxster also comes with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as an option. This has been re-tuned to improve handling and ride comfort. It lowers the ride height by 10 mm in the Boxster and 20 mm in the Boxster S. The options list also includes the Sport Chrono Package. It now gets an Individual program along with the regular Normal, Sport and Sport Plus settings. The PDK equipped cars get a Sport Response Button that improves the responsiveness from the engine and the transmission.
The new Boxster has now gone on sale and deliveries will start in June. The Boxster has been priced at $56,000 while the Boxster S costs $68,400. Prices in India are yet to be announced. The old Boxster S in India costs INR 1.02 crores (ex-showroom, New Delhi). It competes with the BMZ Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLC and the Audi TT.