After two decades of releasing the Boxster, Porsche took a surprising move by renaming the series to ‘718 Boxster’. But the changes made to the Boxster is not limited to only its name as Porsche is also introducing the new turbocharged flat-four engines for this model. From this generation onwards, the entry-level Boxster and Cayman will bear the numeric designation 718 as a tribute to the four-cylinder mid-engined 718 sports car that won many races back in the 50’s and 60’s.
Like mentioned earlier, powering the new 718 models will be the newly-designed turbocharged flat-four engines that will be available in two displacements of 2.0-liters and 2.5-liters. In the base 718 Boxster, it will get the 2.0-liter unit with 296-horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque available from 1,950rpm to 4,500rpm.
With a gain of 35-horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque from the 2.7-liter naturally-aspirated engine it replaces, zerotohundred takes only 4.7 seconds when paired to the optional PDK dual-clutch transmission and the Sport Chrono package. Top speed is rated at 275 km/h.
As for the 718 Boxster S, it gets the larger 2.5-liter engine that features a turbocharger with a variable turbine geometry producing 345-horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque from 1,900rpm to 4,500rpm. Again, when paired to the PDK transmission and the Sport Chrono kit, zerotohundred is dealt with in 4.2 seconds and has a top speed of 285 km/h.
Both versions come as standard with a six-speed manual transmission, and the updated and optional PDK dual-clutch transmission now features Porsche’s “fuel saving virtual gears”, allowing the system to partially engage two adjacent gears to create an intermediate gear to improve fuel efficiency at cruising speeds.
The chassis had also been modified by Porsche with a re-tuned suspension to accommodate the new engines and keep its weight distribution, as well as a new electro-mechanical power steering that is “10% more direct”. Porsche also offers the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) for a better handling and at the same time lowers the car by 10mm.
