Porsche 718 Boxster, the four-cylinder models officially unveiled

A few weeks ago we began talking about the renewal of the mid-engined range of the sports car brand Porsche.

The current Boxster and Cayman will be renamed 718, following the numerical naming trend. Today we finally learn about the renewal of the Boxster, the first Porsche of the 21st century to fit four-cylinder engines.

The 718 Boxster is officially unveiled with a host of technical and aesthetic novelties. Today the Boxster maintains a notable level of popularity with the general public, as it is the entry-level model of the German brand. However, after the arrival of turbo engines in the 911, it was only a matter of time before the Boxster went through the workshops to be equipped in the same way.

Aesthetically, the 718 Boxster has been substantially modernised, although it should be clarified that it is not a new generation, but a restyling. Profound, but a restyling. The overall design of the Boxster’s bodywork is modernised thanks to touches here and there that tighten and reinforce the image of the two-seat roadster.

The front now features a redesigned bumper and optics. Both the air intakes and the headlights are more defined. They are smaller and more angular, emphasising the aggressiveness of the lines. The wheels are also new. At the rear, the tail lights now have a black background. In addition, some of the strokes and folds of the panels have been defined a little more, improving the dynamism.

In the interior, the changes are less numerous, although they help improve the look of the cabin. The steering wheel and gear lever knob are now the same as those fitted to the 911, with hollow spokes and a satellite control for selecting different driving modes. The air vents become round, some controls have been relocated, and the entertainment system has been updated with a larger, higher-quality screen.

The new 718 Boxsters are the first Porsche of the 21st century to fit four-cylinder powerplants

But if this new 718 Boxster is to be remembered for anything, it is not for its rounded air vents, but for the tremendous mechanical leap. For the first time in decades, a Porsche once again fits four-cylinder engines, as we previewed at the time.
The current 2.7 and 3.4 six-cylinder boxer engines give way to 2.0 and 2.5 four-cylinder units, also with boxer architecture.

Both engines are turbocharged, delivering 300 CV and 380 Nm in the 2.0 (for the 718 Boxster) and 350 CV and 420 Nm in the 2.5, which will power the 718 Boxster S. These figures represent an increase of 35 CV in both models. Performance is noticeably better, with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in the 718 Boxster taking 4.7 seconds, down from 5.5 seconds until now. The 718 Boxster S completes the same manoeuvre in 4.2 seconds, down from 4.8 seconds until now.

Top speeds also rise, reaching 275 km/h in the 718 Boxster and 285 km/h in the 718 Boxster S. Another key point of these new engines is fuel economy, as consumption has been reduced by an average of 13%. On the combined cycle, the 718 Boxster PDK uses 6.9 l/100 km, rising to 7.3 l/100 km in the 718 Boxster S.

Source | Porsche