The Porsche Boxter is not just getting a standard manufacturer make over, it’s a little more complex than that – when Porsche make the decision to give the pending model a new moniker, you know there’s going to more to it than just a set of new paint colours.
The Porsche 718 Boxter will do away with the tried and trusted flat-6 engines for flat-4 turbo powered engines. The base model will get a 2.0 litre engine installed, which is capable of 300bhp and 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds.
There will also be an S version, which will be given a 2.5 litre engine with 340bhp and a 0-62 of 4.9 seconds, tempting potential buyers to make an instant upgrade and skip the base model altogether.
Although when you compare the current 261bhp, 2.7 litre Boxter, the base model will still be tempting enough for many. Indeed, Car Magazine were invited to take the Boxter 718 base model out for a winter spin in Canada’s Northwest Territories in an icy and snowy Yellowknife, they came to the conclusion that the 2.0 litre engined vehicle was slightly more responsive and agile than the larger engined model. If, in time, other testers come to the same conclusion, then this poses a real dilemma for Porsche addicts pondering on which model to go for in 2016 – and they haven’t got long to wait…
The engine of course is a pretty big deal here, with the extra power and the impressive increase of over 70lb ft torque compared to the outgoing model, it makes a real difference. Of course, the drop to 4 cylinders also has a beneficial effect on fuel consumption too, with the 718 Boxter giving around a 15% improvement in that category.
Aside from details of the improved engine, the Boxter 718 itself is a bit of a ringer for the current Boxter, though new LED light styling and the new badge give it away. The 718 will be heavier than the current Boxter – a comparison between base models of 1400kg to 1315kg, so it looks like that extra torque will be most welcome.
“Porsche are sports cars, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore comfort.”
These are the welcome – or comforting – words of Joachim Meyer, Boxter chassis specialist, who advised that the cold condition testing was perfect for simulating a winter daily commute while testing the efficiency of the cars heating system, from heated steering wheel and seats to the defroster. The days of having to decide between home comforts or a Porsche sports car are long gone.
We can expect an official announcement of pricing and further details from Porsche in January 2016, with April being mooted as the month when the UK gets its first arrivals of the new 718 Boxter.
Images: carscoops.com, autocar.co.uk
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