Porsche's Boxster S is one of our favorite cars for its balance, capability, and forgivingness. It's a stretch to say we thought the latest car need any significant improvements, but that hasn't stopped Porsche from delivering a new Boxster that's lighter and more powerful.
Combining a lightweight philosophy with an open-air spirit, the Porsche Boxster Spyder features a manual soft top and sheds 176 pounds compared to the Boxster S. At 2811 pounds for a manual-transmission car, the Boxster Spyder is now the lightest car Porsche sells. You can imagine how excited we get when one of our favorite cars is blessed with two of our favorite traits: lightness and power.
Spyder also means "leave the roof at home"
While it's instantly recognizable as a Boxster, the Spyder's curved bulges behind the seats and distinctive soft top differentiate it from the base and S cars. The two-piece roof is removed and replaced manually, with the driver exiting the car and working a number of hooks and clips. It's a fairly involved task for one person, requiring you walk back and forth between driver and passenger side multiple times. A well-practiced Porsche employee casually performed the take-down in 90 seconds, but the reality is that most owners will likely leave the top off for the majority of the time.
When you've had enough sun, the vertical section that clips behind the seats can be removed for a shaded but open driving experience. With the manual top, the rear deck lid is replaced with a single sheet of aluminum. Together, the top and lid result in a 46 pound weight savings. Mass is also cut with aluminum doors.
Subtle changes to the front fascia have also been made, and the fixed rear spoiler is larger. A Porsche graphic is applied to the lower side of all Spyders and the exhaust tips are painted black. The ten-spoke 19-inch wheels also save weight over the 18-inch wheels of a Boxster S.
Interior
To shave just 2.2 pounds, the Porsche team installed lightweight interior door panels that strip out the map pockets and use a loop of nylon strapping as a door handle. The rest of the interior controls are familiar Porsche switchgear. The standard color scheme calls for black soft-touch surfaces accented with hard panels in the exterior color along with red seat belts and door handles. Red and beige interiors are also available while an optional package covers the steering wheel, brake lever, and shift knob in Alcantara.
More significantly, the product development team has stripped out air conditioning and the radio. Lightweight sport seats with carbon-fiber backs also work toward reducing weight. The seats are comfortable and well padded, but their adjustability is somewhat limited and they're clearly suited to slimmer passengers. Of course, Porsche is happy to undo any of its laborious weight-cutting work should you desire. Air-conditioning, a radio, navigation, and plusher seats can all be optioned in. If you're that guy. ...next page >>