2017 Porsche 718 Boxster and Boxster S, Did Somebody Forget a Couple of Cylinders?
New Name, Less Cylinders, More Ponies
Porsche recently announced the new Boxster will be coming to dealers in June of 2016. But the latest incarnation of the Porsche Boxster is a little different this time. First, now it’s called the “718 Boxster”. Secondly, both the 718 Boxster and the 718 Boxster S are only available with turbocharged flat four cylinder engines. No six cylinder options appear to be available. Porsche says that’s where the 718 name comes in, to pay homage to the legendary mid-engine four-cylinder Porsche 718 of the late 1950s-early 1960s. But don’t let the idea of going from six cylinders down to a four-banger fool you, the new 718 Boxster actually has a net increase in horsepower and torque over the 2016 six-cylinder Boxsters.
Flat Four, Flat Out Impressive
The new Porsche 718 Boxster generates 300 horsepower from a 2.0 liter turbocharged flat four, while the 718 Boxster S uses a 2.5 liter turbocharged flat four cylinder engine developing 350 horsepower. The S-model also employs a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry. The new engines develop 35 more horsepower compared to those of the previous Boxster and are also up to 14 percent more efficient than their predecessors according to the New European Driving Cycle. EPA fuel economy figures will be available at a later date.
The new Porsche 718 Boxster engines are a completely new generation of turbocharged flat-four cylinder engines. The two-liter engine of the 718 Boxster puts out 280 lb.-ft. of torque, which is available from 1,950 rpm to 4,500 rpm. This is 74 lb.-ft. or 36 percent more torque than the previous powertrain and does so over a much broader power band. The 2.5-liter engine of the 718 Boxster S develops 309 lb.-ft. from 1,900 rpm to 4,500 rpm – a 43 lb.-ft. gain over the outgoing Boxster S engine.
Those improvements translate to the improved bragging rights, too. The 718 Boxster – when equipped with PDK and the Sport Chrono Package – turns a zero to 60mph time of 4.5 seconds. That’s 0.7 seconds faster than the previous model. The 718 Boxster S outfitted with same options reaches 0-60 miles per hour in 4.0 seconds (0.5 seconds faster than its predecessor). The top track speed of the 718 Boxster is 170 miles per hour (8 miles per hour faster than before), and the 718 Boxster S can achieve a top track speed of 177 miles per hour (5 miles per hour faster than before).
Gallery
*All images credit: Porsche USA
Look Ma, No Paddle-Shifters!
The Porsche 718 Boxster models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. Yay, Porsche! The Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), which now features fuel-saving virtual gears, is also available. Even though they won’t be available in the U.S. until June 2016, you can go to Porsche.com and configure and reserve yours now. The 718 Boxster has a starting MSRP of $56,000, and the 718 Boxster S from $68,400. I have to say that I like seeing Porsche going back to the traditional numbering/naming system and flexing their engineering chops on the flat-fours offered here. I would have liked to see more distinct styling, dare I say a bit of retro-styling to pay more homage to the 718’s of old?
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