A third model will be joining the Boxster and Boxster S range, which bears the name Boxster Spyder.
It's a lightweight, purist model intended to offer 'the ultimate roadster experience', says Porsche. Weighing 1,275kg, the Boxster Spyder is the lightest model in the company line-up, and offers full homologation for the road, reflecting a common wish expressed by Porsche customers.
It's a mid-engined roadster that embodies the purist form of the Porsche sports car - light, powerful, open-roofed, and efficient. This is precisely the formula already applied in creating the most successful road-going sports and racing cars throughout the history of Porsche, ranging from the legendary 550 Spyder of the 1950s to the RS Spyder Le Mans Prototype race car so successful in motorsport today.
From a distance, the Boxster Spyder has a silhouette faintly reminiscent of the Carrera GT of a few years ago. The low-slung, lightweight soft top extends far to the rear and serves to protect the driver and passenger from bright sunshine, wind and rain. When closed, the soft top fits over bespoke extra-low side windows and two unique, striking bulges on the single-piece rear lid.
Significantly, the new model weighs 80kg less than the Boxster S which, combined with a lower centre of gravity and revised suspension, gives the Boxster Spyder the calibre of driving dynamics that better reflect the unique look of the car.
The Boxster Spyder features a tuned version of the proven 3.4-litre flat six 'boxer' engine with Direct Fuel Injection, which is located ahead of the rear axle. Maximum output is 320 bhp, 10 bhp more than in the Boxster S. Equipped with the Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) twin-clutch transmission and the Sports Chrono Package, the new Spyder, using Launch Control, accelerates from a standstill to 62mph in 4.8 seconds. Again with optional PDK, fuel consumption is 30.4mpg on the NEDC New European Driving Cycle and top speed, in turn, is 166 mph - with the roof removed.
In terms of its fundamental concept, the entire Boxster family is a spiritual successor to the legendary 550 Spyder built back in 1953, both models sharing the same mid-engined roadster concept offering low weight and supreme agility combined with equally outstanding driving pleasure - in essence, an authentic roadster experience.
The 550 Spyder was the first Porsche sports car from Stuttgart developed specifically for racing but also homologated for the road. Weighing only 550kg, this unique Spyder scored numerous victories in the years following its production on the race circuits and in road races popular at the time. The 550 Spyder was followed by other extremely successful Porsche Spyders, such as the 718 RS 60 in 1960.
In 2004 and 2008 Porsche dedicated a limited edition of special Boxsters bearing the additional name Spyder, inspired by these legendary racing cars. By contrast, the new Boxster Spyder is a regular, specially developed and upgraded production model with significant modifications over and above the Boxster and Boxster S.
The Porsche Boxster Spyder will make its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December, with the car arriving in showrooms worldwide in February 2010. It will be priced from £44,643 in the UK. |
