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The 718 Boxster Spyder is everything you could possibly want in a sports car. The sublime combination of a legendary chassis and naturally aspirated 6-cylinder Porsche engine is accentuated by the emphasis that less is more when done right - and nobody does this better than Porsche’s GT division.  Connections with these cars are visceral and emotional, an outcome mutually desired by both Porsche engineers and customers alike. They will never be considered tardy in the right hands. The Spyder is in my opinion, the best sports cars you can buy in this segment.
Welcome to the four generation Boxster. The base Boxster was powered by a twin-turbo 2.0-liter direct-injection gasoline unit. It offered a total output of 300 hp and it was paired as standard with a 6-speed manual, while a 7-speed automatic (PDK – dual-clutch) was on the options list. In terms of design, it gets a more modern look and feel and the interior is upgraded. More tech, more power and more speed. The only downside is the loss of the aural pleasure of a flat 6 engine that is naturally aspirated and loves to rev to the sky.
Stuttgart. Porsche is celebrating the 25th birthday of its roadster family with a special anniversary model: the Boxster 25 Years. The limited edition is restricted to 1,250 units worldwide and is based on the GTS 4.0 model, which is powered by a 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine with 294 kW (400 PS). It makes reference to numerous design features of the Boxster concept car that heralded the success story of the open-top two-seater at the 1993 Detroit Motor Show. The production version was launched in 1996 with hardly any changes in its visual appearance and is now in its fourth generation.
In true Porsche GTS spirit, the output of the 2.5-litre, four-cylinder flat ‘boxer’ engine has been increased to 360 bhp courtesy of a new intake system and an optimized turbocharger. These improvements generate 15bhp more power compared with the 718 S model, and up to 35 bhp more power than the prior GTS models. A manual six-speed gearbox is standard, with the Porsche PDK available as an option. Standard equipment includes the Sport Chrono Package, Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with a mechanical rear axle limited slip differential and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).
Essentially a liaison Boxster version situated between the 718 Boxster GTS and the hardcore 718 Spyder, the Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 offers a mix between the comfort and features found on the regular GTS and a detuned version of the engine found in the Spyder. Alongside its hardtop Cayman sibling, it is also one of the last production sports cars with a large displacement engine that doesn't feature turbocharging or supercharging. It produces 395 bhp @ 7800 rpm and 310 ft lbs @ 5000 rpm and can hit zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds (only 0.1 seconds slower than the Spyder).
While the first generation Boxster S was received with mixed feelings, the second generation was praised. With the introduction of the 718 Boxster, the car-maker showed a special commitment to the smallest member of the Porsche family and it arguably become the best sports car in the world. The Boxster S featured a 2.5-liter flat-four engine. It was turbocharged and with direct fuel injection and was good for 345 hp. Performance was up a lot, especially in the midrange, now that torque was 310 ft lbs. It helped rocket the Boxster S from zero to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds and onto a top speed of 177mph.
Fresh colours and harmonious contrast packages characterise the new Porsche 718 Boxster Style Edition and 718 Cayman Style Edition sports cars. Available on the base model, this is a sweet package for the buyer looking to jazz up their base Cayman or Boxster and make them really special. Underlining Porsche’s commitment to ever more creative and vibrant bespoke finishes, the new models are characterized by special colors and matching contrasting elements. This is evident with the new color Ruby Star Neo, a modern interpretation of the color used on the 964 Carrera RS.
The Boxster 718 T was released for the 2020 model year as more sport-oriented versions of the base 718 models. As such, the T features the same 2.0-litre flat-4 engine as the base 718 but adds performance-oriented options such as Porsche's sport suspension system, the Sport Chrono package, and a limited-slip differential, along with minor cosmetic differences including special decals along the lower doors, a smaller-diameter steering wheel, door pull straps in place of standard door handles, wheels from the Porsche 992 Carrera S, and black rear badging.
In 2015, Porsche's executive board ordered Weissach engineers to design and build the lightest sports car possible based on the 981. It was to be more minimalistic than the 981 Spyder. Some of the inspiration came from the 1968 Porsche 909 Bergspyder. This is one sexy one-seater and roofless extreme machine. It received the 3.8-liter Cayman GT4 engine, which was tuned to produce 387hp (up 7hp). Expected Nürburgring time of around 7:30 minutes.
It was Porsche's first road vehicle to be originally designed as a roadster since the 914. The first-generation Boxster (the 986) was introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model year car. The V-Series Boxster 2.5 rolled out in August 1996 from Porsche’s factory in Zuffenhausen, Germany. The design was heavily influenced by the 1993 Boxster Concept (which was a good thing). It was an instant success, becoming Porsche's biggest seller from its introduction in 1996 until the introduction of the Cayenne sport utility vehicle in 2003. 
While the original 986 Boxster was a sweet ride, its performance began to lag behind newer competitors like the Honda S2000. Powered by a 2.5-litre flat six-cylinder engine, the base model was upgraded to a 2.7-litre engine in the year 2000. The gearbox options in the Boxster 2.7 are the same as in 2.5, but they got new type designations due to improvements. Externally, the 986 Boxster 2.7 looks like Boxster 2.5. Inside the side airbags are standard and the plastic feeling has been reduced. The fuel tank is a larger 64-liter. Alcantara trim is available on the options list.
The first generation Boxster got a facelift and refresh for the 2003 model year. The 2003 Boxster came on the market with new engines and new options. It also had a new face, but not that different than the first generation. The result was more horsepower, the 2.7 liter now good for 225 bhp @ 6300 rpm and 192 ft lbs @ 4750 rpm. Power was up by 8 horsepower over the prior year model, while torque was unchanged. From the outside, the 2002 Boxster featured an apron with two air-intakes on the sides.
The original Porsche Boxster was a huge success and help Porsche grow its customer base, so when the second-generation Boxster (987) came to the US market as a 2005 model it wasn’t a surprise that it followed a similar formula. While the 987 Boxster retained only 20 per cent of the 986’s DNA, it looked similar enough to us that it felt more like a mild refresh than a totally new model update. The engine and transmissions were, for the most part, carry-overs, albeit with the obligatory and customary modest bump in performance and power (now at 240 horsepower).
The 2007 model year Boxster got a change that most people don't think is significant, but is. Model year 2007 is when the base Cayman joined the 987 lineup. The interior and exterior remained mostly the same, but the Boxster S received the Cayman S 3.4-liter flat six while the 2.7 in both the Boxster and new Cayman received VarioCam Plus, which bumped horsepower up to 245. Think of this model year as Porsche taking the changes to get the base Boxster 2.7 to the same level as the recently introduced base Cayman. 
In 2008, the second generation of the Boxster received new technologies and more power. It reached almost the same power as the former Boxster S, from the first generation. The 2.9-liter unit replaced the older 2.7-liter engine and offered 10 hp more than the older engine. It was paired as standard to a 6-speed manual, and a 7-speed PDK (Porsche dual-clutch) automatic was available as an option. The outside gets some welcome design tweaks also, while on the inside we get some updates and more technology options.
The third generation Boxster was a bigger car than the 987 it replaced, but it was also lighter and more powerful. The 2013 model year Boxster went through a downsize program and received a 2.7-liter boxer engine, which was 0.2-liter smaller than its predecessor. With 261 bhp @ 6700 rpm and 206 ft lbs @ 4500 rpm the base Boxster still felt underpowered to many. The base 981 Boxster got a 6-speed manual gearbox or you could opt for an optional 7-speed reworked PDK. The base car is plenty fast but if it were our money, we would opt for the more powerful Boxster S.