12:31 pm, April 22, 2010
ONE-in-10 Porsche Boxsters will be the new Spyder variant. It is that sort of specialised car, one that Porsche won’t even guarantee will completely insulate the cabin from the rain (yes, really).
That’s why the firm expects dealers will sell them as second or third cars.
Think of this, then, as the Boxster Club Sport, the Boxster GT3 RS. It is focused, special and distinctive – and while it costs £46k, it is still the cheapest route into a much more bespoke Porsche experience.
This is what will bring interested parties into Porsche Centres. What’s the deal they’ll be shown once they’re there?
A car that is very different indeed to the standard model, that’s what. It’s lighter for one, the lightest new Porsche you can buy; 80kg has been trimmed from the kerbweight, which is akin to leaving your mate by the roadside.
More than a quarter of this is through the use of a manual canvass roof instead of an electric item. How manual is it? Well, it takes, even with practice, more than two minutes to lower. Indeed, ‘disassemble’.
But, with a new aluminium rear deck, it endows the Boxster Spyder with a Carrera GT appearance.
More weight has been cut by using aluminium doors from the 911 Turbo, while the special-design 19-inch alloys have a hollowed-out profile for more weight-trimming. Inside, there are canvass door pulls instead of handles, no stereo, no air con, carbonfibre-backed seats, even a smaller battery! We did ask: yes, Porsche does expect most dealers to receive optional orders for air con and CD players…
All this weight saving is combined with a 10bhp power boost to make it faster. Significantly so, if buyers also opt for the PDK semi-auto with launch control. This will hit 62mph in just 4.8s; even the standard six-speed manual is half a second faster than the standard 3.4-litre S, at 5.1 seconds.
SWEET
It’s a sweet thing to use. The rudimentary roof means there is less soundproofing, so even more of that mid-mounted flat-six bark makes it to the cabin.
Porsche reckons the Spyder is best driven with the roof down – keep the speed below 70mph and this means even more sonorous sound effects for the cockpit. Note, though, wind rustle above this increases significantly.
We’d like it to be even more deafening as standard, through the fitment of a sports exhaust. Porsche keeps this on the options list. Why? It peaks at 99dB and the track-day limit on the many UK circuits Porsche expects this car to be used is 92dB…
Porsche has created a bespoke lowered suspension set-up for the Boxster Spyder. This is firmer than standard, which means the ride is decidedly jostly, particularly on aggressive British B-Roads. The pay-off is even more delightful handling – harnessed further here with a standard-fit limited-slip differential. The effect this has on handling confidence and security is significant. No doubt about it, this is a great driver’s car.
It is also a very collectable machine indeed. Porsche is not capping the numbers but doesn’t expect to sell much more than 100 a year. It will most likely be a car for collectors and enthusiasts, at last marking the Boxster’s move into the more niche areas of Porsche motoring.
The opportunity here for Porsche dealers is significant. By drawing in hardcore car nuts early – those who may otherwise have considered a Caterham or a Lotus – the firm is hopefully winning customers for life. Never thought the Boxster would be this hardcore?
The Spyder proves that Porsche will always be Porsche, always do its utmost to push the envelope rather than taking the easy route of volume sales. Dealers will certainly benefit from the focused clientele, which leaves our only question: When can we book the twin-test with a hot Elise?
by RICHARD AUCOCK
