Porsche Boxster Spyder: New Lightweight Model Unveiled Ahead of LA Auto Show
Cars

Porsche Boxster Spyder: New Lightweight Model Unveiled Ahead of LA Auto Show


Porsche has released the first photos of a new, lightweight version of it mid-engined Boxster roadster called the Spyder that is scheduled to make its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December. Following a similar formula to the iconic 550 Spyder of the 1950s, the new model replaces the standard Boxster's retractable soft-top and all its associated mechanics with a simple and lightweight rag top that hooks up onto the windshield and the rear end of the car providing basic protection from the elements of nature.

The Spyder also gets a new 'double bubble' rear deck while other cosmetic tweaks include the re-trimmed front bumper and side air-vents, the new alloy wheel design and the larger fixed rear spoiler.

Almost everything about the third model in the Boxster family after the standard and 'S' versions is about shedding weight. Gone are the regular Boxster's daytime running lights and fog lamps while the interior has been stripped out of any unnecessary features such as the air condition and audio system (though they are available optionally). The cabin also gets a pair of race-like door pulls and lightweight carbon-fiber seats.

Together, these weigh saving measures help shed 80 kg (176 lbs) off the Boxster S with the Spyder model tipping the scales at 1,275 kg (2,810 lbs).

The new model also gets a tuned version of Porsche's 3.4-litre flat six boxer engine with direct fuel injection that produces 320 horsepower, 10HP more than in the Boxster S.

Equipped with the Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) twin-clutch transmission and the Sports Chrono Package, the Spyder can go from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.8 seconds (Boxster S: 5.0 seconds) and reach a top speed of 166 mph (267 km/h) with the roof removed.

The Boxster Spyder is scheduled for a worldwide launch in February 2010 with the base price in the Euro countries set at €53,100 (US $78,400). In Germany, if you add taxes and national specifications, the Spyder will retail for €63,404 or about 12 percent more than a Boxster S.









- Evo Pits Porsche Boxster Spyder Against Audi’s R8 Spyder
The second-generation of Porsche's Boxster roadster has been superseded by a brand-new model, which will make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Porsche’s tradition of rolling out special editions of its standard models...

- All New 2013 Porsche Boxster Gets Aluminium Body And A Pair Of Revised Flat-six Engines
The next iteration of the Porsche Boxster may not have made its world premiere in Detroit but the first official photos of the car were dropped onto the internet just as we were getting ready to write up our final post on the show. This is the third...

- Video: Porsche's New 320hp Boxster Spyder
Get a taste of Porsche's lightest and quickest version of the Boxster to date in this official video that contains both driving and static footage of the new model. Dubbed the Boxster Spyder, it does away with the standard model's folding roof...

- La Show: 2009 Porsche Boxster And Cayman Facelift
Pride of place on Porsche's Los Angeles Auto Show goes to the refreshed 2009 Boxster and Cayman models that benefit from new flat-six boxer engines, a double-clutch PDK gearbox, suspension revisions and subtle cosmetic changes. On the front end, the...

- The New Porsche Boxster Spyder Is Divine
And some people still buy the Porsche 911 Carrera cabriolet? When they can have this? Porsche has upped the Boxster ante with the new Spyder. Slightly differentiated bodywork makes far more than a passing impression. The double-bubble rear deck harks...



Cars








.