In short:
• For the first time in history, the Boxster receives a dedicated RS version
• The engine comes from the Cayman GT4 RS
• It will be sold with a starting tag price of $162,150 and $68,000 in optionals.
An electric successor to the Porsche Boxster is planned to be unveiled in 2025, but until then there is an opportunity to enjoy a particularly attractive gasoline version of the current model, the latest in the 718 family to be offered with a gasoline engine.
And what an engine it is. A Boxster with a 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine, without a turbocharger but with 500 horsepower, straight from the Cayman GT4 RS and with an advantage of 80 horsepower over the regular Spyder.
The redline and ignition cutoff are set at 9,000 rpm, 1,000 more than the regular version. The power goes only to the rear wheels through a double-clutch seven-speed gearbox, with a standing jump to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds (0.5 seconds less than the Spyder) alone, on its way to 200 km/h in just 10.9 seconds (2.5 seconds less) and up to a top speed of 308 km/h (8 km/h more).
Apart from the propulsion system, the Cayman GT4 RS contributes additional elements to improve dynamic ability and reduce weight by about 40 kg compared to the regular Spyder. The front cover is made of carbon with air ducts. There are air vents above the front wheels to reduce turbulence, larger side skirts and air ducts at the corners and a pair of air ducts for engine air intake that are responsible for an exceptional sound.
The main change compared to the GT4 is a more modest rear spoiler in a ducktail structure. The suspension system also comes from the GT4 RS with different tuning and lowered by 3 cm compared to the regular Boxster, and an option for manual adjustment of strut stiffness and impact angles. Porsche will also offer a Weissach package (for an additional $12,570) with “20 magnesium forged wheels and a central locking mechanism as usual in racing cars, and titanium exhaust branches instead of aluminum.
The manual convertible mechanism weighs only 18.3 kg, 7.6 kg less than the Spyder and 16.5 kg less than the regular Boxster electric unit. The passenger compartment has carbon bucket seats, a different design gear lever and Alcantara finishes for the dashboard and steering wheel.
