| The Boxster was shaped by stylists with a gentle hand and a reverence for the past.
The shape is guided by the laws of physics and aerodynamics.
Every curve, aperture, appendage and piece of hardware is there for a reason, and the profile is designed more around airflow management than absolute minimum drag.
Adapted detail cues run the gamut from the 550 Spyder of the 1950s to the Carrera GT of roughly five years ago (2004-06), a span of more than 50 years.
The headlights, signals, and fog lamps are placed in ovoid housings.
Laid atop the front side grilles are LED daytime running lamps, with thin white LED light pipes that serve as parking lights.
Both the front and rear signals use amber bulbs and clear lenses.
The small chrome turrets up front are headlight washers and these, and many other items like the air vent slats inside and out, may be painted to match.
The taillights appear to add curve to the sheetmetal hips over the rear tires, and the automatic rear spoiler can be overridden to lift for cleaning.
The Boxster S is distinguished by its red brake calipers and dual exhaust outlets.
The standard Boxster tailpipe is nearly rectangular, while the Boxster S dual pipes are round.
Discounting custom orders, there are more than 700 permutations among paint, top color, and wheel style.
Further individualization is easy with myriad detail finishes, paints and trims so the odds of seeing two Boxsters exactly alike is very low.
As elegant as the shape is, your enthusiast friends will be just as intrigued by the aerodynamics and component artistry underneath, with air directed for cooling and stability.
The Boxster does not come with a spare tire.
There is an air compressor and tire sealant.
The tire-pressure monitor may offer a warning before a situation becomes dire.
Additionally, a mast radio antenna may be ordered in place of the in-windshield antenna.
The Boxster Spyder is a new variant released as an early 2011 model.
It features several changes from other Boxsters, including the use of aluminum for the doors and the unique rear deck, which features 1950s sports car-style dual fairings.
Instead of a power top, the Spyder uses a lightweight two-piece manual top that stretches over the car like a bikini top.
The Boxster Spyder also has shorter side windows and the windshield is tilted at a sharper angle.
Instead of an active rear spoiler, the Boxster Spyder has a smaller fixed rear spoiler.
It also features center-exiting twin tailpipes painted black, Boxster Spyder script at the rear, and Porsche stripes in contrasting black, white or silver along the sides.
Shorter springs give the car a slighter lower stance (about 20 millimeters), and they combine with the weight savings to lower the car's center of gravity 25 millimeters.
Finally, the Spyder has its own lightweight 19-inch wheels that save another 11 pounds versus the Boxster S's 18s. |