Warning: Checking out the Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S for the first time may result in time travel.
First, that 718 badge takes us back to the 50s and 60s when the original 4-cylinder Porsche 718 made a name for itself by winning several track races, including the Targa Florio and Le Mans. Then, we’re whipping back in time to 20 years ago, when we first introduced the mid-engine roadster, the Porsche Boxster.
Talk about a flashback.
Now some stats: the new Porsche 718 Boxster boasts a 2.0-litre, turbocharged, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder engine spitting out 300 hp, while the 718 Boxster S has 2.5 litres of displacement, producing an extra 50 hp. The S model harnesses the same variable turbine geometry in its turbocharger as the 911 Turbo does. (The turbocharged engines also improve fuel economy by 13 percent.)
On the road or track, it also promises better cornering with all new chassis tuning and stronger brakes. With the PDK and Sport Chrono Package, the 718 Boxster can go from zero to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, while the 718 Boxster S with the same upgrades gets it done in 4.2 seconds. Top speeds are 275 km/h and 285 km/h for the 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S, respectively.
Visually, it’s clearly a throwback, and Porsche enthusiasts will recognize the 718 lines, but it’s also lower and wider and generally more masculine looking. Features like its bi-Xenon headlights, larger inlet panels, and 4-point brake lights mark it as a completely modern vehicle.
The interior has been similarly updated, including the newest Porsche Communication Management infotainment system complete with touchscreen and navigation as an add-on option.
The Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S will hit markets in Europe in late April.
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Date Posted: February 4, 2016