Rejoice! Porsche Might Be Putting The Flat-Six In More 718 Boxsters And Caymans
Good news, everyone who loves Porsche's butter-smooth flat-six engine: it's finally going to show up in what's really Porsche's best driving chassis again, and more often. A "well-placed source" told Automobile that the flat-six is coming back to 718s that aren't the range-topping Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder. As to which models are getting the flat-six the 718 platform always deserved, that wasn't made clear. Perhaps it could fill a spot between the hardcore, bare-bones GT4 and the more luxe but still track-ready GTS, or it could simply be the engine for the next-generation 718 GTS, Automobile guessed. Another possibility is that the flat-six is coming further down the model hierarchy into the regular S-variants, which I'm all for. The 911 has become rather chunky in its old age, and the 718 is now the nimbler, more enjoyable to drive platform for many Porsche fanatics out there. You can't tell me that folks are buying the bigger sports car for its backseat that wasn't designed for full-size humans, either. Offering more 718s with a flat-six again seems like a no-brainer when it comes to reviving 718 sales.
Transmission options included a five-speed automatic, a five-speed manual, and a six-speed automatic (also known as a 鈥淭iptronic鈥?. In terms of output, the early 2.5-liter engines doled out 201 horsepower, while the later 2.7-liter engines from 1999 made 217 horsepower. The first 3.2-liter engines made 250 horsepower. In 2003, the updated 2.7-liter engines made upwards of 225 ponies, while the updated 3.2-liter engines made 258 horsepower. As a result of all this constant tweaking and tuning, the Boxster 986 got quicker and quicker over the years. In 1996, the manual-equipped vehicles could hit 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and top out at 149 mph, while Tiptronic models did the 60-mph sprint in 7.6 seconds and topped out at 146 mph. Then in 1999, the manual 2.7-liter models could hit 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and topped out at 155 mph, while the manual 3.2-liter versions hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds and topped out at 162 mph. Finally, in 2003, the manual 2.7-liter models hit 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and topped out at 157 mph, while the manual 3.2-liter hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and topped out at 164 mph.
Porsche launched production of the original Boxster in 1996 at the company鈥檚 manufacturing plant in Stuttgart, Germany, the same plant where Porsche built the Porsche 928. The Boxster was also built in Finland under contract with Valmet Automotive. 40,000, depending on options. Read our full review of the 1996 - 2003 BMW Z3. Mercedes first introduced the SLK class in 1996, with the first generation lasting until 2004. Like the Porsche and the Bimmer, the Merc offered sporty, compact, open-top fun, but with a dollop of extra Benz-branded gloss on top. Making the go is a supercharged inline four-cylinder, while later models (2000 and above) came with a supercharged 3.2-liter V-6. Output ranged as high as 349 ponies in the top-ranging SLK32 AMG, enough to send the RWD roadster to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Read our full review of the 1996 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class. While most of the performance world turns to high-riding SUVs and crossovers to make a buck, it鈥檚 comforting to know that small, quick, fun roadsters are still part of the emergency plan should sales start to stagnate.
Indeed, the remarkable success of the first-generation Boxster should be the first thought when the market鈥檚 taste for the current body style du jour is finally sated. Do people still buy sporty compact roadsters? Porsche first began work on the 986 Boxster back in 1991, immediately after the Tokyo Motor Show. Simply put, Porsche needed some kind of follow-up to the 928 and 968, something that was both innovative and exciting, but also affordable, all in the name of higher sales figures. To that end, Porsche took inspiration from the hugely popular Mazda Miata and gave the green light to a proposal from Grant Larson in 1992 for an entry-level, lightweight roadster model. By January of 1993, the Boxster Concept was ready to show to the public, making its initial debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The eye-drawing styling, faultless handling, and six-cylinder wail all contributed to a swell of interest for Porsche, and as a result, sales numbers spiked considerably. The Boxster also helped a good deal with Porsche鈥檚 parts sharing and cost-cutting programs, both of which were aided through consultation with Toyota. Of course, the massive increase in interest didn鈥檛 go unnoticed elsewhere in the market. In 1999, German tuner RUF created its own high-performance iteration of the Boxster called the 3400S, which offered more power thanks to a freshly tuned version of Porsche鈥檚 3.4-liter flat-six engine. Plucked straight from the tail of the 996-era 911, this 鈥榮ix made as much as 310 horsepower - a sizable boost compared to the stock model鈥檚 200 ponies. RUF also added additional components for enhanced chassis rigidity, as well as bigger brakes, new aero components, and bigger wheels wrapped in stickier rubber, not to mention all the requisite badging to make it stand out as an RUF model. That year also brought the 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition, which offered a bit more exclusivity with a maximum of 1,953 examples produced.
Porsche is making some amazing performance cars right now. The 911 GT2 RS obliterated the Nurburgring production car lap record. The Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid does 0-60 in 3.2 seconds with a seamless hybrid drivetrain that gives crazy acceleration no matter how fast or slow you're going. But our favorite Porsche might just be something that's far slower, far less aggressive than these heavy hitters. The 718 Cayman GTS takes everything we love about the Cayman鈥攊ts brilliant steering, excellent chassis, and perfect combination of comfort and handling control鈥攁nd puts it in the most well-rounded variant of Porsche's mid-engine sports car. It's not too soft, not too firm. It might not have the razor-edge dynamics of a circuit beast, but it won't embarrass itself on a racetrack. It's comfortable enough to be a daily driver without being soft, dull, boring. In short, we think it's the sweet spot鈥攁 sports car that favors a rewarding driving experience instead of all-out spec sheet dominance. Learn all about it in the latest episode of Road & Track's Three Lap Reviews.