Blog

The engineers at Porsche believe in precision instruments, the idea that design should follow function, and the belief in ‘staying the course’. These neurosurgeons of the sports car segment have again reflected on the past to outline the future. As expected and true to Porsche form, they have moved their mid-engine lineup forward with an evolutionary design change to the new Boxster and Cayman. Nothing revolutionary, but a redesigned front and rear along with some performance upgrades.

Prior to the debut, Porsche asserted their contributions to motorsport and their continued devotion to building performance cars. They have built more racing cars than any other brand (over 1000 in use and about 2000 in total), they supply replacement parts for the last 15 model years and they attend more than 100 races every year. This may not have meant much until their closing statements, which tied their motorsports activities to their ability to design and engineer better vehicles. They insinuated that their involvement in motorsport has had an important hand in improving horsepower, torque, and fuel economy in their road going vehicles.

Updates:
The new Boxster and Cayman have received multiple updates and additional options. Some of these updates include active suspension management, a new center console, large touch-screen display, iPod/USB connectivity and ventilated seats; now either occupant can use ventilated (cooled) or heated seats simultaneously.

Engine Performance:
The base Boxster with the 2.9L now has 255HP while the Cayman has 265. The Boxster S with the 3.4L now has 310HP while the Cayman S now has 320. These new versions are lighter, have less friction and a lower center of gravity. The S models will have direct injection; which improves both fuel economy and performance. Porsche also claims that it improves throttle response.

Transmission
PDK, which debued in the newest 911, makes it into the new Boxster and Cayman as a transmission option. With PDK the driver will now be able to choose between comfort to sport mode and be able to shift manually on the steering wheel or the center console. It’s actually faster than a manual while reducing fuel consumption at the same time.

Overall, the new Boxster and Cayman are fine examples of mid-engine sports cars and worthy of the Porsche moniker but we think only the most avid aficionado will notice the evolution. Of course those interested in a new Boxster or Cayman will welcome the subtle changes.