Guide: Porsche 986 Boxster 3.2 S

Jun 11

Jun 11 Guide: Porsche 986 Boxster 3.2 S

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Background

Inspired by a pair of Audi concept cars in late 1991 (the Quattro Spyder and Avus), Porsche decided to create a design study for a new two-seat Roadster: the Boxster.

After the Boxster Studie took the Detroit Motor Show by storm in January 1993, Porsche management gave the green light to develop a production version.

The resultant Type 986 Boxster was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1996 and production began the following August.

During the next three years, Porsche built over 55,000 Boxsters which had a transformative effect on the company’s balance sheet.

Prior to the Boxster’s arrival, the 993-type 911 had instigated a tentative revival beginning in the autumn of 1993. However, sales figures for this model alone were not sufficient for a firm of Porsche’s size; the old and increasingly unpopular 968 and 928 were shifting in tiny numbers.

In addition to low sales volume for a range of models that could all trace their origins back to the 1970s, Porsche was hampered by outdated and inefficient production methods.

Having consulted with Toyota and instigated new cost-effective manufacturing techniques, the Boxster began a bright new era for Porsche.

One aspect of the efficiency gains came in parts compatability – the Boxster shared an array of mechanical and body components with the 996-type 911 that arrived in September 1997.

Three years after production began, Porsche discontinued the original 201bhp 2.5-litre Boxster in favour of a 2.7-litre iteration.

The Boxster 2.7 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1999.

However, Porsche knew the 217bhp machine would not be enough to satisfy some of their customers and it was obvious the Boxster platform was capable of handling considerably more power - its Flat 6 engine was after all shared with the 996 (simply de-tuned in order to not take sales away from its bigger brother).

To appease calls for a much faster Boxster, Porsche displayed a new high performance flagship version alongside the 2.7 at Frankfurt in ‘99: the 3.2-litre Boxster S.

In addition to its larger, more powerful engine, the Boxster S came with uprated suspension and brakes, a six instead of five-speed manual gearbox and a generally higher specification. It offered performance figures to match the 996 Cabriolet, but was dynamically a far superior proposition.

Production began in September 1999 for the 2000 model year (also known as the Y-series).

Chassis

Each 986 S started life as a standard Boxster monocoque. These bodyshells were fabricated from galvanised steel for which Porsche offered a ten-year anti-corrosion guarantee.

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

Substantial storage spaces were located at either end of the car. A 64-litre fuel tank was mounted ahead of the bulkhead underneath the front lid.

To improve handling on the S, Porsche uprated the Boxster’s MacPherson strut suspension with stiffer springs, firmer Bilstein dampers and thicker anti-roll bars. Stronger wheel bearing carriers, larger bearings and longer control arms were also added.

The brakes came in for significant attention too. The standard Boxster used ventilated Brembo discs of 298mm and 292mm front-to-rear respectively. For the S, these were switched to cross-drilled-and ventilated discs of 318mm and 299mm respectively.

Beefier four-piston monobloc calipers were painted red.

The normally optional 17-inch wheels were fitted as standard. These were 7-inches wide at the front (up from 6) and 8.5-inches wide at the rear (up from 7). Michelin Sport tyres were originally issued.

Engine / Gearbox

The Type M96/21 Flat 6 engine fitted to the Boxster S displaced 3179cc which represented a 492cc gain over the entry-level 2.7-litre version. This was achieved by enlarging the cylinder bores from 85.5mm to 93mm. Stroke was kept at 78mm.

In addition, the Boxster S came with improved cylinder heads, a dual pipe exhaust and a new two-stage induction manifold that allowed the engine to rev higher and helped boost bottom-end performance.

The result was a peak output of 252bhp at 6250rpm and 225lb-ft at 4500rpm.

For comparison, the 2.7 produced 217bhp at 6400rpm and 192lb-ft at 4750rpm.

Unlike the original 2.5-litre Boxster, both the 2.7 and S came with updated Motronic ME7.2 engine management and an E-gas drive-by-wire throttle.

The Boxster’s all-alloy Flat 6 engine was mounted longitudinally in the chassis. A broadly similar engine (albeit in 3.4-litre trim) was fitted to the 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.

Lubrication was via what Porsche described as an ‘integrated dry-sump lubrication system’. It 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 which served to evacuate the oil from the heads and return it to the sump.

The 2.5, 2.7 and 3.2-litre Boxsters all used an 11.0:1 compression ratio.

Whereas the 2.7-litre Boxster came with a five-speed manual gearbox, the S used a six-speed Getrag unit developed for the 996 and fitted with a taller ratio on top. Compared to the five-speed ‘box, the S unit had larger gears, larger shaft bearings and 996-spec. axle shafts and CV joints. A reinforced clutch was fitted to cope with the higher torque loads.

If specified, the semi-automatic five-speed ZF Tiptronic gearbox was imported direct from the 2.7.

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

Bodywork

Externally, only three cosmetic features differentiated the Boxster S from the regular 2.7-litre version.

At the front, a third intake was added to the front apron (in between the existing pair).

At the rear, Porsche fitted a Boxster S script and the aforementioned dual pipe exhaust system.

In the three years since Boxster production had begun, no changes had been deemed necessary and none were made for these 2000 model year variants.

The Boxster S came with an improved double-skinned roof lining that covered the internal framework and helped reduced noise. As before, the electric canvas roof had a plastic rear window and could be raised or lowered in twelve seconds. When the roof was down, it disappeared from view underneath a steel body-coloured tonneau. Fixed roll hoops were located behind each seat.

A speed-sensitive rear spoiler rose vertically into the air-flow above 75mph and then retracted below 50mph.

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

Interior

Inside, the Boxster S came with a new three-spoke steering wheel, white-faced instruments with a recalibrated speedometer, aluminium bezels for the instrumentation, aluminium door pulls, Boxster S-branded sill plates and a Boxster S script on the centre console.

It also had the full range of 2000 model year updates to include side airbags, a new hood mechanism, a soft-look satin black interior paint finish, leather upholstery for the steering wheel, gear lever, handbrake grip and door handles, a single disc Porsche CDR23 audio system and illuminated vanity mirrors.

In standard trim, the dash was trimmed in soft-touch plastic. Directly behind the three-spoke airbag steering wheel was a three-gauge instrument binnacle. This housed an analogue central tachometer inset with 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. The S automatically came with the previously optional centre console storage system as standard.

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 most markets came with alcantara seats as standard.

UK-bound examples automatically came with leather and air conditioning.

As per the updated 2000 model year 986, cars specified with full leather now came with a colour-matched steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake grip.

Options

Customers could enhance their Boxster S by selecting from the vast list of optional extras offered by Porsche.

Performance options included Sports seats, an Aerokit (with custom front and rear bumpers, deep side skirts and a fixed rear spoiler) an Automatic Brake Differential traction control system (ABD), a short-shift gear lever and the Sport suspension pack which comprised 10mm lower ride height and stiffer springs, stiffer shocks and beefier anti-roll bars. ABD was included as part of the Sport suspension pack.

New options for the 2000 model year 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).

Other extras included Litronic headlights, satellite navigation, air conditioning with automatic climate control, a wind deflector between the seats, eight-way electric seats, a stronger battery, 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 chrome, leather or body colour, an aluminium hard top with heated rear window, a fire extinguisher and a headlight levelling system.

More elaborate customisation could be carried out through Porsche’s Exclusive department.

Weight / Performance

The S weighed in at 20kg more than the 2.7 (1295kg compared to 1275kg).

However, it was an appreciably faster proposition. Top speed was 163mph (up from 155mph) while the 0-62mph time dropped from 6.4 to 5.8 seconds.

If specified with the five-speed Tiptronic gearbox, weight rose by 40kg (1335kg). In this configuration, the top speed was 158mph and 0-62mph took 6.4 seconds.

2001 Model Year 1-series

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

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

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

The most substantial range of updates since the Boxster’s introduction were ushered in during September 2002 for the 2003 model year 3-series.

In addition to a mild facelift, both the 2.7 and S were given slightly more potent engines (Type M96/24 in the case of the S).

Both power units came with new Bosch Motronic M7.8 engine management and updated 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 also fitted.

Power output went from 252bhp at 6250rpm to 256bhp at 6200rpm.

There was a little more torque on offer too: 229lb-ft at 4600rpm compared to 225lb-ft at 4500rpm for the outgoing variant.

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 now came with body coloured slats as well.

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. A lockable glovebox also arrived.

Opening for the front and rear trunks became electro-magnetic.

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 1320kg). Top speed went from 163mph to 165mph. The 0-62mph time was a tenth-of-a-second quicker (5.7 seconds as opposed to 5.8).

The facelifted Tiptronic Boxster S was again 40kg heavier. It had a 160mph top speed and 0-62mph time of 6.3 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 that was introduced during September 2003.

However, for the 986’s final year in production, Porsche did offer the S in special 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition trim.

550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition

This last-of-the-line special edition was built to celebrate the Porsche 550 Spyder’s 50th Anniversary. It was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2004 where a limited run of 1953 cars was announced.

Each came with Sport suspension, Porsche Stability Management, 18-inch Carrera wheels with Seal Grey spokes, Porsche crested wheel caps, alloy finish instead of red brake calipers and 5mm wheel spacers all round.

There was also a special free-flow exhaust with overlapped stainless-steel tailpipes that liberated an extra 6bhp (now 262bhp at the same 6200rpm). The torque rating was unchanged.

Externally, Porsche painted the entire production run GT Silver Metallic (a colour previously reserved for the Carrera GT and 40th Anniversary 911). A chrome Boxster S tail script was another special feature.

The rest of the specification comprised a short-shift gear lever, extended Cocoa leather (Grey or Black hide was a no cost option), heated sport seats, a BOSE audio system, a commemorative plaque on the centre console (instead of the normally standard storage bins), air-conditioning, a wind-deflector and onboard computer.

In addition, the centre console and instrument shrouds, the seat backs, the rear section of the transmission tunnel, the handbrake lever and the roll-over bars were all painted GT Silver.