Porsche as we know it today isn’t only a titan of the automotive industry; it's arguably the standout success story of the entire sector.
In 2018, Porsche sold more than a quarter of a million cars, earning €4.3bn in profit. Its sports cars and five-door executive and SUV models are widely considered to be among the very best of their type. Meanwhile, responding to the changing face of the modern car market, Porsche launched its first battery-electric vehicle, the Taycan, to widespread acclaim. The company is thought to be worth as much as €70bn, according to its own chief financial officer.
What a difference two-and-a-bit decades make. In the mid-1990s, Porsche was building sports cars only and it hadn’t brought an all-new model to market since 1978. It was struggling to shift 15,000 units globally each year and, unless something radical was done, it was staring down the barrel of acquisition just to stay in business.
That radical something was the Boxster, an emphatically modern two-seat, soft-top convertible sports car, and one with rear-wheel drive and a mid-engine layout, its engine is mounted directly behind the passenger compartment. When the definitive history of Porsche is written many years from now, chapters will be committed to the car that saved it from the brink of oblivion.
The iconic Porsche 911 had evolved over the years, but it hadn’t undergone any wholesale change since the original was launched in 1964. The 928 grand tourer was long in the tooth itself, while the 968 front-engined sports car was still derived from the 924 that first appeared in the mid-1970s. Porsche’s model range was dated, tired and rapidly losing its lustre. And Porsche knew it. Newly appointed CEO Wendelin Wiedeking realised the only way to turn the brand’s fortunes around was to introduce an affordable all-new sports car that would sell strongly around the world, and not another high-priced model that’d sell in modest numbers only.
Wiedeking reckoned the affordable sports car market was six times bigger than the segment in which the 911, the backbone of his business, traditionally sat. He confidently told reporters the convertible Boxster would double Porsche’s annual sales, but just a few years later he’d be proven wrong. It had almost quadrupled them.
While Porsche's model range has continued to expand, with the introduction of the Cayenne and Macan SUVs, and the all-electric Taycan, the Boxster remains a hugely popular model on both the new and used market. It also spawned a coupe version, called the Cayman. The Boxster is a rival to cars like the Audi TT Roadster, BMW Z4 and Jaguar F-Type Roadster.
Generations: 4
- Porsche 718 Boxster 982 (2016-)
- Porsche Boxster 981 (2012-2016)
- Porsche Boxster mk2 (987) (2005-2012)
- Porsche Boxster 986 (1996-2004)
Porsche 718 Boxster 982 (2016-)
Bodystyles:
- Two-door convertible
Notable features and facelifts of the Porsche 718 Boxster
- Known by the codename 982
- Essentially a major facelift of the previous 981 Boxster
- Fuel economy targets meant six-cylinder engines were ditched in favour of four-cylinder turbo units...
- ...until the introduction of the 718 Spyder model in 2019 and the GTS 4.0 in 2020
- 718 name harks back to Porsche racing cars from the 1950s and 60s
For two decades, the Boxster had been arguably the most highly-regarded two-seat open-top sports car in the world. It seemed the rapturous praise that came flooding in from the press and buyers alike would never dry up. But then Porsche, responding to a need to make its cars more fuel-efficient, replaced the much-adored, naturally-aspirated, flat-six engines with a pair of turbocharged flat-fours, and sentiment towards the Boxster turned on a sixpence.
The 982 was in effect a comprehensive facelift of the 981, with tweaked styling and an updated interior. But the big change was the introduction of 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre turbo engines, both of which were more powerful than the six-cylinder motors they superseded, yet with superior fuel consumption and lower emissions. However, critics accused the new units of being far less characterful and nothing like as tuneful, despite the improved MPG.
The 718 Boxster (the new name harked back to the Porsche 718 competition car of the late 1950s) was still offered in two states of tune, the entry-level model now with 296bhp and the 718 Boxster S with 345bhp. A six-speed manual gearbox and a seven-speed, dual-clutch PDK gearbox are both available. Cars with the Sport Chrono package can switch modes to Sports or Sports Plus for even more excitement.
Although the engines were nothing like as evocative as the Boxster’s engines of old, the car itself remains a gem. In fact, no other droptop two-seater gets close to matching its blend of driver involvement, performance and day-to-day usability. The 718 Boxster GTS model typifies those qualities exquisitely, as does the more affordable 718 Boxster T. Both models, however, came in for the same engine-themed criticism as earlier versions.
Porsche, it seemed, had been paying attention. In 2019 it launched the Spyder, the first Boxster of the 982 era to be powered by a normally-aspirated engine. The same engine is featured in the 718 Cayman GT4 and in the 2020 Boxster GTS 4.0.
Read our expert review of the Porsche Boxster 982 or search for a used Porsche 718 Boxster on CarGurus
Porsche Boxster 981 (2012-2016)
Bodystyles:
- Two-door convertible
Notable features and facelifts of the Porsche Boxster 981
- Known by the codename 981
- New model was substantially lighter than the car it replaced
- New engines introduced, with more power
- Hydraulic steering system replaced by an electric system, which critics said removed some feel from the steering wheel
- First GTS model introduced in 2014, with more power and sharper handling
The third-generation Boxster was introduced in 2012. The basic structure was new, having grown a little in size but shed as much as 35kg in weight. The exterior styling was more muscular than before, the cabin far more upmarket and the engines, though still 2.7- or 3.4-litres in displacement, were entirely new as well. Power outputs rose to 261bhp for the basic model and 311bhp for the Boxster S.
On the face of it, the upgrades were all positive - more space but less weight, more efficient yet more powerful engines, a more modern cabin - but the addition of electrically-assisted power steering in place of the hydraulic systems that had featured on earlier versions was contentious to say the least. Gone was the granular steering feel that characterised the 986 and 987 versions, in its place a slightly more synthesised and muted steering rack.
The 981 Boxster was still magnificent to drive, however. With more power and less weight the various models were faster than ever, while still being beautifully balanced thanks to the mid-engined layout. Their wonderfully supple suspension, meanwhile, meant the newest Boxster also dealt with bumpy B-roads more effectively than just about any other sports car on sale.
In 2014 Porsche introduced the Boxster GTS with even sharper handling and more power still. But the most powerful 981 Boxster of the lot was the Spyder that emerged the following year, its 370bhp comfortably outgunning the GTS’s 326bhp. The second Boxster Spyder in the series was similar in principle to the first, with a fabric hood that required manual operation, at least in part. Like the first Boxster Spyder, it remains a firm favourite among Porsche enthusiasts to this day.
Read our expert review of the Porsche Boxster mk3 or search for a used Porsche Boxster mk3 on CarGurus
Porsche Boxster mk2 (987) (2005-2012)
Bodystyles:
- Two-door convertible
Notable features and facelifts of the Porsche Boxster 987
- Known by the codename 987
- Looks tweaked, cabin quality improved, power increased
- Underlying mechanical platform the same as the 986
- Also made into a new coupe model, called the Cayman
- Facelifted in 2008, with revised front end and new dual-clutch PDK auto gearbox replacing old Tiptronic system
What characterised the original Boxster more than the modern techniques that underpinned its manufacture, and more even than the power output of its engines, was the exquisite way in which the car handled. A mid-mounted engine meant the chassis was perfectly balanced, while communicative steering, consistent grip, expertly-judged suspension and a crisp manual gear change made the Boxster a joy to drive. But it was also comfortable and well-equipped, making it eminently usable in day-to-day driving as well.
When Porsche replaced the 986 with the second-generation Boxster, the 987, all those characteristics were held to be sacrosanct. The new model was better-looking, faster, more refined in everyday driving and within the cabin it felt more than one generation newer. But it was every bit as brilliant to drive as the original.
The 987 shared its platform with the 986, meaning the most substantial changes were made to the styling and the cockpit. The side air intakes were bigger, as were the alloy wheels, but the engines were transplanted from one version to the next, albeit with key modifications such as VarioCam Plus, which lifted power outputs. The base model was now rated at 237bhp while the Boxster S was more potent than ever with 276bhp. Following the 987’s mid-life facelift in 2008, those numbers swelled to 241bhp and 291bhp, the range-topping Boxster S having upgraded to a 3.4-litre engine.
The rarest 987 Boxster of the lot was the Spyder, unveiled at the LA Motor Show in 2009. With a fabric hood that folded manually rather than at the press of a button, and with its air-conditioning deleted, the Boxster Spyder was the lightest of the lot at only 1,275kg. It was also the most powerful Boxster, with 320bhp, giving it comparable performance to the contemporary 911 Carrera. Retuned suspension made the Spyder the most agile Boxster to date and still one of the most sought-after modern Porsche sports cars.
Porsche Boxster 986 (1996-2004)
Bodystyles:
- Two-door convertible
Notable features and facelifts of the Porsche Boxster 986
- Known by the codename 986
- Based on the well-received Boxster concept car of 1993
- Updated in 1999 with a new 2.7-litre engine
- Facelifted in 2003
A concept version of Porsche's new sports car was first shown at the North American International Auto Show in 1993. Porsche called it the Boxster, a portmanteau of ‘boxer’, indicating that kind of engine configuration, and ‘roadster’. It was a hit with the press and show-goers alike and Porsche bosses gave the green light for production right away.
To understand how the first-generation Boxster could be made profitably, Porsche consulted a number of former Toyota executives, who had been responsible for turning the Japanese marque into one of the most profitable and efficient car manufacturers in the world. Between them they rewrote the Porsche copybook, introducing modern manufacturing techniques and advising on parts sharing; the Boxster shared much of its componentry and even its engine architecture with the all-new 996-generation 911 that followed a couple of years later, slashing the cost of development for both models.
The Boxster arrived on the market in 1996 with a 2.5-litre flat-six engine rated at 201bhp. Three years later the line-up was overhauled, the basic model now fitted with a 2.7-litre engine good for 217bhp, while at the top of the range was a new version, the Boxster S, powered by a 3.2-litre flat-six with 250bhp. The 986 was facelifted in 2003 and power outputs crept up again, the Boxster S peaking at 258bhp.