By Cars.com Staff
Cars.com National December 31, 2009Vehicle Overview
Porsche's mid-engine roadster, the Boxster, and its coupe counterpart, the Cayman, serve as the German brand's entry-level sports cars. The Cayman is covered in a separate report in the Cars.com Research section. The Boxster competes with the Audi TT roadster, BMW Z4, Chevrolet Corvette convertible and Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class. Porsche got an early start on the 2011 model year by introducing the Boxster Spyder in February 2010 as a lightweight, higher-performance edition. The Spyder comes with a manual-folding soft-top, sport seats, aluminum on the doors and lighter inside panels that reduce weight to 2,811 pounds, which is 176 pounds less than a regular Boxster. To save weight, air conditioning and a stereo are not standard, though they are no-cost options.
New for 2011
Boxster and Boxster S models gain a Bluetooth hands-free phone interface and a USB audio port, plus they are available with an assortment of new option groups, including the Convenience, Infotainment, Design and Design Sport packages. The Boxster Sypder is new for 2011.
Exterior
The styling was tweaked for 2009 to distinguish the Boxster from its hardtop Cayman cousin. The Boxster incorporates its turn signals into the projector-beam halogen headlight clusters. Exterior features include:
- Standard LED taillights
- Optional bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights
- Optional adaptive and auto-leveling headlights
- Optional hardtop and wind blocker
- Aluminum doors and lightweight, manual folding top for Spyder
Interior
A 6.5-inch touch-screen controls the audio, communication and navigation systems in this two-seat roadster. Interior features include:
- Standard leather seats
- Optional leather, simulated suede and carbon fiber trim
- Optional heated seats include ventilation function
- 10-speaker Bose audio system available
Under the Hood
The base Boxster's engine is a horizontally opposed 2.9-liter six-cylinder with 255 horsepower. The 3.4-liter engine in the Boxster S generates 310 hp. Both are available with a manual or PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission. Porsche says the Boxster S reaches 60 mph in 5.2 seconds with the automatic and 5.3 seconds with the manual. The times for the base Boxster are 5.8 seconds with the auto and 5.9 with the stick. The Spyder gets an extra 10 hp over the Boxster S that helps cut the zero-to-60-mph time to 4.6 seconds from 4.9 seconds. The Spyder's suspension lowers the car by nearly an inch, and a limited-slip differential is standard. Mechanical features include:
- Standard six-speed manual transmission
- Optional seven-speed PDK automatic with manual-shift mode
- Direct fuel injection for better performance, mileage
- Optional adaptive suspension
Safety
Standard safety features include:
- Dual front airbags
- Side-impact airbags
- Head-protection airbags
- Antilock disc brakes
- Electronic stability system
Additional Reviews
Cars.com Expert Reviews
| Mike Hanley | Cars.com National | October 28, 2010 |
| Cars.com Staff | Cars.com National | December 31, 2009 |
Affiliate Reviews
| Clifford Atiyeh | Boston.com | July 1, 2010 |
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