2019 Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder: Everything We Know So Far
Will it be the last naturally aspirated 718 Boxster? Whenever the end is near for the current generation Porsche 718 Boxster, the German automaker goes all out with the last variant of the popular roadster, the Spyder. Likely to arrive sometime this summer, the 2019 Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder is currently undergoing final testing, evidenced only a few weeks ago by spy shots featuring a lightly camouflaged advanced prototype. It was immediately evident this was the Spyder thanks to its tent-like soft top, a trademark feature limited solely to this hardcore variant. Although Porsche, like it always is regarding future models, has been mum on details, we鈥檝e managed to learn quite a bit about what could be the final naturally aspirated 718 Boxster (formerly known as just 鈥楤oxster鈥?. Power is expected to come from the very same 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six found in the 911 GT3, though it鈥檒l be detuned from the latter鈥檚 500 hp to around 425-450 hp, give or take.
Power will be directed to the rear wheels only through either a six-speed manual or an optional seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission. Those seeking to optimize track performance are recommended to go with the latter gearbox option. An ideal (or close to it) 50:50 weight distribution is all but guaranteed. One of the other key obstacles engineers had to overcome was weight. As is the case with all convertibles, slicing off the roof, believe it or not, increases weight because of necessary structural additions needed for rigidity. And because the Boxster Spyder has always been the lightest of the current generation, specific weight-saving changes are needed. For starters, the electric folding top is swapped out in favor of that aforementioned 鈥渢ent top鈥? Without the mechanism needed for the automatic soft top, a couple hundred pounds is eliminated right there. Features like sound-deadening materials, air conditioning and a radio will also be removed, although the latter two could be options. Porsche is so hardcore about shaving weight that as it's done in the past, removed the traditional (metal) interior door handles, in favor of nylon-like handles. As far as the exterior goes and aside from the unique top, previous spy shots clearly show a new rear diffuser and the rear pair of 鈥渉umps鈥? A set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires will be standard to further provide the best-handling driving experience possible. Although we expect Porsche to reveal the new 718 Boxster Spyder sometime this summer online, it likely won鈥檛 make its live debut until early October at the Paris Motor Show.
1,250 destination charge. This post has been updated to reflect the new information. Porsche wowed the world with the debut of its deliciously attractive 911 Speedster at the 2019 New York Auto Show. It serves as the swan song to the 991 chassis that entered the scene in 2012, and what a swan song it is. Order banks are open in Europe and production is underway. 274,500 in the U.S., while and though we don鈥檛 yet know pricing for buyers in the U.S. 301,000 in American greenbacks, but it鈥檚 likely that Porsche will have a different pricing structure for U.S.-bound cars. In either case, that鈥檚 pretty much 911 GT2 RS cash, so what does that buy you with the Speedster? The Speedster鈥檚 chassis isn鈥檛 pulled straight from the 911 GT3. Porsche engineers dial in specifically calibrated rear steering and dynamic engine mounts. There鈥檚 also less weight for the Speedster to deal with despite its roofless configuration, due in part to the soft top being manually operated but also credited to an infusion of carbon fiber for many of the body panels. The manual gearbox also weighs less than either the seven-speed or the dual clutch transmission. As such, Porsche says the new Speedster can rip to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and hit 192 mph flat out.
Jaguar will focus on building high performance versions of its SUVs in the coming decade, in particular refining the idea of making powerful and sporty electric cars. To appeal to this growing band of buyers, Jaguar will look to add more performance versions of its SUVs in the future - and even its bespoke, limited run Project cars could get an SUV model. 鈥淪UVs are the fastest growing type of car - everyone loves an SUV,鈥?said Wayne Burgess, Jaguar SVO design director. 鈥淲e鈥檝e certainly enjoyed designing SUVs that have credible Jaguar styling language with SUV packages, so I can see no reason why we couldn鈥檛 do increasingly high performance halo cars with SUVs. 鈥淟ook at the success of Range Rover Sport SVR - we鈥檝e taken the wrong car (in size and stature) and done a performance version. But because of the kind of car it is - an SUV - everyone wants it. One potential SUV model to get the SVR treatment could be the new I-Pace. Having beaten many rivals like Audi and Mercedes in the game of building an all-electric SUV, Jaguar is pondering how it can dominate the market for a performance EV SUV.