400bhp Boxster ready to roar
OUR spies have caught Porsche testing its new 718 Boxster Spyder, ahead of the car’s release next year. Set to be the most powerful production Boxster ever made, it will also be the only model to retain sixcylinder power in the current line-up.
Tell-tale signs that this is no ordinary Boxster include the pronounced buttresses on the rear deck and uniquely-shaped canvas roof. Also visible behind the enlarged wheels are beefier brakes, while larger twin exhausts also feature on this test mule (right). Historically, the Spyder has always been the most potent model in the Boxster line-up, and that will continue to be the case.
The new version will ditch the flat-four turbo engine in favour of the naturallyaspirated 4.0-litre flat-six from the 911 GT3. It’ll be shared with the next Cayman GT4, and will be detuned from the 911’s 493bhp to fit within Porsche’s model hierarchy.
Given the last Boxster Spyder’s 3.8-litre engine produced 370bhp, expect a figure of around 400bhp for the new one. A strippedback cabin will help shed weight, while a limited production run ensures exclusivity.