Guide: Porsche 986 Boxster 2.5 & 2.7

Jul 18

Jul 18 Guide: Porsche 986 Boxster 2.5 & 2.7

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Background

At the Detroit Motor Show in January 1993, Porsche unveiled a stunning mock-up of a mid-engined two-seat Roadster dubbed the Boxster Studie.

Public and media reaction to the car was incredible; within days of the event closing, Porsche management had given the green light to develop a production version.

It would prove to be a make-or-break model for a firm that was in the midst of a well-documented slump; having produced just over 30,000 cars in 1991, sales dropped by 50% in 1992 when just over 15,000 cars were built. In comparison, over 50,000 cars had been sold in 1986.

A global economic downturn and an unfavourable image had both taken their toll. However, there was no doubt that Porsche’s range of outdated models (all of which could trace their origins back to the 1970s) was also to blame for the firm’s inexorable slide towards bankruptcy – the 928, 964 and 968 were from a bygone era, as were the company’s production methods.

The Boxster was Porsche’s first clean sheet production model for around two decades. To save money, a common parts strategy was adopted with the forthcoming 996-type 911; the two cars would share an engine, suspension components, the same front chassis and an array of exterior and interior equipment.

To streamline production, Toyota were consulted and Just in Time manufacturing techniques adopted.

The highly anticipated 986 Boxster was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1996. The final production version arrived in September and was displayed at that month’s Los Angeles Motor Show. The new car would turbocharge Porsche’s tentative revival which had begun with the critically-acclaimed 993-type 911 launched at Frankfurt in September 1993.

Boxster series production began with the 1997 model year V-series. The model was initially assembled on the old 928 line in Stuttgart beginning August 1996. It went on to become a huge commercial success and is credited with turning Porsche’s fortunes around.

Chassis

The Boxster was based around a brand new fully galvanised steel monocoque bodyshell with a 2415mm wheelbase.

Because it was created as a Roadster from the outset, the Boxster chassis was extremely rigid. Torsional stiffness was further enhanced with boron-enriched steel tubing for the windscreen frame and also the roll over hoops behind each seat.

Practicality was at least as good as the 911 thanks to substantial storage areas at either end. A 64-litre fuel tank was mounted ahead of the bulkhead underneath the front lid.

Porsche included a ten-year anti-corrosion guarantee with every car.

The independent coil sprung suspension was via MacPherson struts located by a pair of interlinked lightweight alloy lower control arms. Bilstein dampers were fitted all round along with anti-roll bars at either end.

Ventilated Brembo brake discs had a 298mm diameter up front and a 292mm diameter at the rear. Brembo also supplied monobloc calipers (a first for Porsche).

ABS was standard along with power steering.

The standard 16-inch diameter five-spoke wheels were 6-inches wide up front and 7-inches wide at the back. They originally came fitted with Michelin Sport tyres.

Engine / Gearbox

The Boxster Studie displayed at Detroit in early 1993 was announced with a 2.9-litre water-cooled Flat 6 that produced 250bhp.

For production, this was initially scaled back to 2.5-litres.

The all-alloy Type M96/20 power unit fitted to these first generation Boxsters displaced 2480cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 85.5mm and 72mm respectively.

It was longitudinally mounted and a broadly similar engine, albeit in 3.4-litre trim, would be fitted to the forthcoming 996-type 911.

The specification comprised dual overhead camshafts with chain-driven hydraulic lifters, pent-roof combustion chambers, four-valve heads and Porsche’s state-of-the-art VarioCam variable valve timing system.

Porsche also fitted what was described as an ‘integrated dry-sump lubrication system’. This used a traditional oil sump at the bottom of the engine (instead of a separate reservoir) and a scavenge pump at the non-drive end of each cylinder head served to evacuate the oil from the heads and return it to the sump.

The compression ratio was set at 11.0:1.

Engine management was courtesy of the latest Bosch Motronic M5.2 which offered sequential fuel-injection.

Peak output was 201bhp at 6000rpm and 177lb-ft at 5000rpm.

The standard transmission option was a close-ratio five-speed manual gearbox with a dual mass flywheel and hydraulic clutch.

As an option, Porsche offered a ZF-sourced Tiptronic S gearbox that allowed the driver to choose between a fully automatic mode or manual shifts via steering wheel-mounted buttons.

A mechanical limited-slip differential was never offered. However, customers could request the Automatic Brake Differential (ABD) which effectively served as traction control system by applying the brake to a spinning wheel.

Bodywork

The Boxster pioneered many of the styling features seen on later Porsches such as the 996, Cayenne and Carrera GT. Its glass-covered single-piece headlights, front lid, front fenders and doors were actually identical to those subsequently used for the 996.

In typical Porsche fashion, the Boxster’s overall design was extremely clean and simple. It remained remarkably true to the original 1993 design concept which had been inspired by Porsche’s mid-engined sports racing cars of the 1950s.

Distinctive light assemblies were fitted at either end along with bulbous fenders. At the rear was a single oval centrally-exiting exhaust pipe.

At the front, two curvaceous intakes fed fresh air to the brakes and radiators. An intake duct for the engine was carved out from each flank.

A drag coefficient of 0.31 was achieved.

Although there were no fixed aerodynamic devices, a speed-sensitive rear spoiler was installed. This rose vertically into the air-flow at speeds above 75mph and lowered back down again below 50mph. Back end lift was reduced by up to 30% as a result.

The electric canvas roof came with a plastic rear window and could be raised or lowered in twelve seconds. When the roof was down, it disappeared completely from view underneath a steel body coloured tonneau. Fixed roll over bars were located behind each seat (a feature not seen on the original 1993 concept).

Compared to the 993-type 911, the Boxster was 43mm wider and 10mm lower. It was also 70mm longer (thanks largely to an extra 143mm in the wheelbase).

Body panels were steel except for the fibreglass single-piece bumpers and side-mounted intake scoop assemblies.

Interior

Inside, Porsche discarded most of the over-stylised and impractical features of the 1993 concept car to create a modern yet functional environment.

In standard configuration, the dash was trimmed in soft-touch plastic. Directly behind the four-spoke airbag steering wheel was a separate three-gauge instrument binnacle. This comprised an analogue central tachometer inset with inset digital readouts for road speed and water temperature. To the left was an analogue speedometer inset with a digital odometer and trip meter. To the right was a combined fuel and water temperature gauge inset with a digital oil level read out.

Underneath the main dials was a slim panel of warning lights.

Instrumentation was housed in a satin black plastic fascia that matched the central console panel. The centre console was home to a pair of air vents, a control module for the ventilation / heating system, a stereo and half a dozen buttons for separate functions.

Switches for the electric windows were located on the dual-tone transmission tunnel behind the gear lever.

Other standard equipment included electric mirrors, two-way electric seats, a passenger-side airbag, an alarm and an immobiliser

Cars destined for certain markets came with leather seats and a leather-covered dash as standard.

Options

Porsche offered a huge array of optional extras for the Boxster.

Among the most desirable were Sports seats, the aforementioned Automatic Brake Differential, 17-inch wheels (7-inches wide front and 8.5-inches wide rear), a short-shift gear lever and the Sport suspension pack which comprised 10mm lower ride height and stiffer springs, shocks and anti-roll bars. 17-inch wheels and ABD were included as part of the Sport suspension pack.

Other optional extras included air conditioning with automatic climate control, a wind deflector between the seats, eight-way electric seats, a stronger battery, an extra front centre console (which could be specified with storage for CDs or cassettes), a choice of audio systems, cruise control, telephone preparation, park assist, an onboard computer and leatherette / cloth, leather or extended leather upholstery.

There was also a range of wood, body colour, carbon or aluminium cockpit inserts, an automatic dimming interior mirror, a Tiptronic gearbox, metallic paint, wheel caps with coloured Porsche crests, wheels painted body colour, model designation delete, a roof rack, a top tinted windscreen, roll over bars in either chrome, leather or body colour, an aluminium hard top with heated rear window, a fire extinguisher and headlight levelling system.

Further customisation could be carried out at Porsche’s Exclusive department.

Weight / Performance

The five-speed manual Boxster weighed 1252kg. Top speed was 149mph and 0-62mph required 6.6 seconds.

The Tiptronic version weighed an additional 48kg (1300kg). 0-62mph required 7.5 seconds and top speed was 144mph.

1998 Model Year W-series

For the 1998 model year W-series (production of which started in August 1997), the Boxster was modified to incorporate redesigned wheel wells and coil spring mounts, a lower engine compartment bulkhead, a redesigned rear wall cross member and reinforced rear axle mounts.

These changes enabled the car to run on new 18-inch wheels which were added to the options list.

Other new options included a satellite navigation system and an Aerokit. The Aerokit comprised sporty new front and rear bumpers, deep crossover side skirts and a rear spoiler.

In September 1997, Porsche transferred production to the Valmet Automotive plant in Uusikaupunki, Finland.

1999 Model Year X-series

More new options arrived for the 1999 model year X-series in August 1998. Litronic headlights with clear instead of amber lenses, a Speedster-style hood cover and a rear bulkhead storage compartment joined the list of extras.

2000 Model Year Y-series & 2.7-litre Engine

At the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1999, Porsche unveiled a new 2.7-litre Boxster to replace the original 2.5-litre version (over 55,000 examples of which had been produced).

In addition to the 2.7-litre 986, a significantly enhanced 3.2-litre Boxster S was also introduced (covered separately).

The new 2.7-litre Y-series Boxster for the 2000 model year came with a Type M96/22 long stroke engine that displaced an additional 207cc compared to its predecessor (2687cc). Bore stayed at 85.5mm while the stroke was extended from 72mm to 78mm.

New equipment included updated Motronic ME7.2 engine management and an E-gas drive-by-wire throttle.

Power went from 201bhp at 6000rpm to 217bhp at 6400rpm.

There was also significantly more torque on offer: 192lb-ft at 4750rpm compared to 177lb-ft at 5000rpm for the outgoing 2.5-litre engine.

Porsche fitted modified shocks, dampers and anti-roll bars.

Side airbags were added along with a new hood mechanism and a soft-look satin black interior paint finish.

Inside, the steering wheel, gear lever, handbrake grip and door handles came with leather upholstery as standard. A single disc Porsche CDR23 audio system was also now standard along with illuminated vanity mirrors.

Cars specified with full leather now came with a colour-matched steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake grip.

Extras added to the options list included a six-disc CD changer, alcantara upholstery and three new wheel designs (17-inch Boxster S II, 18-inch Carrera and 18 Turbo Look II rims).

Weight rose from 1252kg to 1275kg (an increase of 23kg). Top speed was 155mph compared to 149mph for the manual 2.5-litre variant. The 0-62mph time dropped from 6.6 to 6.4 seconds.

The 2.7-litre with Tiptronic was 40kg heavier. It had a 150mph top speed and 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds.

2001 Model Year 1-series

In September 2000, Porsche started production of the 2001 model year Boxster 2.7 which switched over to a new 1-series internal designation.

These cars came with some minor switchgear updates, cup holders below the restyled air vents, ambient lighting for the door pulls, ignition switch and centre console and new trunk carpeting.

The 2.7-litre Boxster also now received the double skinned roof that had appeared on the S a year earlier.

New options included Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and rain-sensing wipers.

2002 Model Year 2-series

A Bose audio system was made available from September 2001 for the 2002 model year 2-series Boxster.

These latest iterations also came with a new multi-function display for the optional onboard computer.

2003 Model Year 3-series Facelift

Porsche made arguably their most far-reaching changes in September 2002 for the 2003 model year 3-series Boxster when both the 2.7 and 3.2-litre S were given a mild cosmetic facelift.

Externally, a new front bumper featured re-shaped, more chiselled intake ducts with body coloured slats. The side-mounted intake scoops on the rear fenders also now came with body coloured slats.

At the back of the car was a new bumper with vented apron.

Clear instead of amber lenses were fitted, the plastic rear window was switched to a heated glass item and the rear spoiler was subtly updated.

Inside, Porsche fitted a redesigned centre console with re-shaped air vents and new switchgear. The original four-spoke steering wheel was dropped in favour of an S-type three spoke item. A lockable glovebox also arrived.

Opening for the front and rear trunks became electromagnetic.

In the engine bay was a slightly more potent M96/23 version of the original 2.7-litre power unit. This came with updated Bosch Motronic M7.8 engine management and the latest VarioCam technology.

Unlike the outgoing VarioCam system that adjusted the cam phasing with a timing chain (limiting its range of adjustment to three stages and 25°), this latest system used a hydraulic actuator at the end of the intake camshaft to enable infinite cam phasing within a range of 40°.

A new exhaust system was fitted as well.

As a result, the power output went from 217bhp at 6400rpm to 224bhp at 6300rpm.

Peak torque was still 192lb-ft which was developed at 50rpm less than before (4700rpm as opposed to 4750rpm).

Suspension was upgraded to S specification which meant stiffer springs, firmer dampers and thicker anti-roll bars.

A range of new wheels were offered along with an updated Aerokit II and revamped PCM II (Porsche Communication Management).

Weight rose by 25kg to 1300kg. The 0-62mph time was cut by a tenth-of-a-second to 6.3 seconds. Top speed went from 155mph to 157mph.

The facelifted Tiptronic Boxster 2.7 was again 40kg heavier. It had a 152mph top speed and 0-62mph time of 7.2 seconds.

2004 Model Year 4-series

Aside from a couple of new colours and a new Sports exhaust option, no major changes were made for the 2004 model year 4-series Boxster introduced in September 2003.