05/11/09 2010 "Spyder" Officially Launched
- Thread starter daro911
- Start date
Great choice Andy...........
She is a looker, will go great next to the RS too.......
She is a looker, will go great next to the RS too.......
Looking real good with roof up too [
]http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1038695_2011-porsche-boxster-spyder-more-live-images-and-a-video
What is it?
It's an otherwise humble Porsche Boxster that's been given a full-blown performance makeover that's turned it into a bit of a 911-eater. Meet the new range-topping Boxster, the Spyder.
Porsche has bolted into this car the 315bhp flat six from the current Cayman S; that means it's got an extra 10bhp and 10lb ft over an "˜S'.
Porsche's also done a wholesale overhaul of the Boxster S' chassis; the Spyder's got stiffer fixed-rate dampers, shorter and stiffer springs, stiffer anti-roll bars and runs more negative wheel camber. And most importantly, by fitting various aluminium body panels, a lighter roof, lighter bucket seats, a smaller fuel tank, a lighter battery, and by stripping out the interior, Porsche has taken 80kg off the Boxster S' kerbweight for this car.
Porsche's design department has worked just as hard to give the Spyder some added performance cache. The new rear deck, with its twin cowls, makes it look a bit like a shrunken Carrera GT, while its "˜Porsche'-branded side stripes are redolent of the firm's late "˜60s 909 Bergspyder racer.
What's it like?
Settle into the car's cabin and you do feel like you've just got into something akin to a junior 911 GT3; the bucket seats contribute greatly to that impression, as does the alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake, which all come as a packaged-up option.
Still, none of that would matter if this car wasn't significantly faster and more exciting to drive that a normal Boxster. And while it's great to report that the Spyder is indeed an altogether more thrilling animal than any of its rangemates, the best news is that it's still a fantastic road car.
Porsche's chassis revisions haven't added any harshness into this car's dynamic character: they've just dialled in better body control, more lateral grip and some sharper responses. That's mainly because the Spyder's 19in alloy wheels weigh less than 10kg each. Option Porsche's carbon-ceramic brakes on this car and you could end up carrying 33 per cent less unsprung mass around on it than you would on a standard Boxster S. And as any chassis engineer will tell you, when you minimise unsprung mass you improve both ride comfort and road-holding.
On the rutted, serpentine backroads of northern California, the Spyder was instantly responsive to both the steering wheel and pedals, and had a wonderfully poised- and agile-feeling chassis. With a limited slip differential as standard, it also had excellent traction and unexpectedly adjustable cornering manners.
It felt genuinely fast, consistently taut and controlled, and yet supple too, and was almost completely free of body shudders and shakes. It could only really have been improved by an engine with a little more power, or at least some real fireworks at high revs.
Should I buy one?
Porsche Boxster Spyder pictures
You should certainly think about it. As a pure sports car, the Boxster Spyder's a cracker; not just one of the most beguiling open options available, but one of the best driver's cars on the market at any price. Take value for money into account and this is potentially the finest Porsche you can buy. Really.
That tricky-to-fathom fabric roof will make it slightly less usable in the UK than a Cayman S, but no less so than, say, a Lotus Elise. And if these first impressions prove reliable, it'll be no less brilliantly suited to British roads than the Elise either.
Matt Saunders
![[FONT=verdana,geneva"]](/forum/styles/default/pcgb/space.gif ". [FONT=verdana,geneva\"]")
It's an otherwise humble Porsche Boxster that's been given a full-blown performance makeover that's turned it into a bit of a 911-eater. Meet the new range-topping Boxster, the Spyder.
Porsche has bolted into this car the 315bhp flat six from the current Cayman S; that means it's got an extra 10bhp and 10lb ft over an "˜S'.
Porsche's also done a wholesale overhaul of the Boxster S' chassis; the Spyder's got stiffer fixed-rate dampers, shorter and stiffer springs, stiffer anti-roll bars and runs more negative wheel camber. And most importantly, by fitting various aluminium body panels, a lighter roof, lighter bucket seats, a smaller fuel tank, a lighter battery, and by stripping out the interior, Porsche has taken 80kg off the Boxster S' kerbweight for this car.
Porsche's design department has worked just as hard to give the Spyder some added performance cache. The new rear deck, with its twin cowls, makes it look a bit like a shrunken Carrera GT, while its "˜Porsche'-branded side stripes are redolent of the firm's late "˜60s 909 Bergspyder racer.
What's it like?
Settle into the car's cabin and you do feel like you've just got into something akin to a junior 911 GT3; the bucket seats contribute greatly to that impression, as does the alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake, which all come as a packaged-up option.
Still, none of that would matter if this car wasn't significantly faster and more exciting to drive that a normal Boxster. And while it's great to report that the Spyder is indeed an altogether more thrilling animal than any of its rangemates, the best news is that it's still a fantastic road car.
Porsche's chassis revisions haven't added any harshness into this car's dynamic character: they've just dialled in better body control, more lateral grip and some sharper responses. That's mainly because the Spyder's 19in alloy wheels weigh less than 10kg each. Option Porsche's carbon-ceramic brakes on this car and you could end up carrying 33 per cent less unsprung mass around on it than you would on a standard Boxster S. And as any chassis engineer will tell you, when you minimise unsprung mass you improve both ride comfort and road-holding.
On the rutted, serpentine backroads of northern California, the Spyder was instantly responsive to both the steering wheel and pedals, and had a wonderfully poised- and agile-feeling chassis. With a limited slip differential as standard, it also had excellent traction and unexpectedly adjustable cornering manners.
It felt genuinely fast, consistently taut and controlled, and yet supple too, and was almost completely free of body shudders and shakes. It could only really have been improved by an engine with a little more power, or at least some real fireworks at high revs.
Should I buy one?
Porsche Boxster Spyder pictures
You should certainly think about it. As a pure sports car, the Boxster Spyder's a cracker; not just one of the most beguiling open options available, but one of the best driver's cars on the market at any price. Take value for money into account and this is potentially the finest Porsche you can buy. Really.
That tricky-to-fathom fabric roof will make it slightly less usable in the UK than a Cayman S, but no less so than, say, a Lotus Elise. And if these first impressions prove reliable, it'll be no less brilliantly suited to British roads than the Elise either.
Matt Saunders
http://jalopnik.com/5417083/how-the-porsche-boxster-spyder-shed-176-lbs-and-how-it-can-lose-more
Here's what Porsche did to lose that weight, details courtesy of Automobile:
46.3 Lbs: Manual soft top and one-piece aluminum hatch
The Spyder ditches the girlie man power soft top for a lighter manual item and also replaces both the rear trunk lid and roof cover with one piece of swoopy aluminum.
33.1 Lbs: Aluminum door skins
Steel is out, aluminum is in.
2.2 Lbs: No map pockets, nylon loops in place of door handles.
26.5 Lbs: Carbon framed seats.
15.4 Lbs: The fuel tank shrinks from 16.9 gallons to 14.3.
28.7 Lbs: No A/C.
13.2 Lbs: No radio, lighter battery.
11.0 Lbs: Lighter wheels.
At 19 inches, these are larger, yet lighter, meaning they're more expensive.
0 Lbs: No cupholders, no clear plastic cover over the instruments.
Meaningless subtractions help present the illusion of weight loss.
Should have ditched the central locking and electric windows too just like my 1989 Speedster []
Here's what Porsche did to lose that weight, details courtesy of Automobile:
46.3 Lbs: Manual soft top and one-piece aluminum hatch
The Spyder ditches the girlie man power soft top for a lighter manual item and also replaces both the rear trunk lid and roof cover with one piece of swoopy aluminum.
33.1 Lbs: Aluminum door skins
Steel is out, aluminum is in.
2.2 Lbs: No map pockets, nylon loops in place of door handles.
26.5 Lbs: Carbon framed seats.
15.4 Lbs: The fuel tank shrinks from 16.9 gallons to 14.3.
28.7 Lbs: No A/C.
13.2 Lbs: No radio, lighter battery.
11.0 Lbs: Lighter wheels.
At 19 inches, these are larger, yet lighter, meaning they're more expensive.
0 Lbs: No cupholders, no clear plastic cover over the instruments.
Meaningless subtractions help present the illusion of weight loss.
Should have ditched the central locking and electric windows too just like my 1989 Speedster [
]
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Porsche-Boxster-Spyder-2010-first-drive/
It's the stripped out, lightweight Boxster that's hoping to revive the glory days of Porsche's legendary 550 Spyder.
Fifty-six years after that car went on sale, we got behind the wheel of the Boxster Spyder, but is it as exciting as Porsche make out?
Weighing in at only 1,275kg this is by far the lightest Porsche in the current line-up. During its crash diet the Spyder has lost any unnecessary dash trim, gained carbon-fibre bucket items in place of the usual, heavy seats and now rides on a unique set of lightweight 19-inch alloys.
In the flesh, an updated exterior reveals that the Spyder is more than the average Boxster. At 25mm lower than the standard model and with two humps mounted behind the seats the new car takes on a stance more recognisable as the Carrera GT supercar than an entry-level sports car.
Despite all the styling tweaks, this isn't a case of all show and no go. Porsche's engineers have added a lower and wider suspension set-up, which offers a lower centre of gravity and firmer ride over the Boxster S. A new limited slip-diff and stiffer anti-roll bars ensure that cornering is as composed as possible.
On the road, all of Porsche's hard work reveals itself. An impressive ride coupled with the low kerbweight and responsive steering means the Spyder is one of the most driver-focused Porsche's ever created.
The optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes fitted to our test car offer huge stopping power and the Stability Management system was impressively unobtrusive.
Comparisons with standard Boxster models don't do the huge step forward this model has made any justice. This machines closest rival is the 911 GT3, considered the ultimate drivers Porsche.
In this week's mag we drive the new Boxster side by side with the car that started it all, the 550 Spyder. So pick up a copy to see how these two cars, united in their aims but divided by 56 years of engineering, match-up in an exclusive head to head.
Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/245962/porsche_boxster_spyder.html#ixzz0Z5LH5yTD
2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder First Drive
Just Add Lightness and Power
At a glance, the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is simply a special model that sheds 176 pounds of non-essentials in the name of purist performance. Nothing new in this plan, since Porsche has been building lightweight models for decades. It's an easy recipe "” cut weight and sell the car at a premium to Porschephiles who can't resist the idea that less is really more.
Among the non-essentials stripped from this Boxster are the air-conditioning and radio "” items which, let's face it, most owners will option back into the car. Check the boxes for these bits and the overall weight saving for the Spyder is diminished to about 134 pounds. Optioned accordingly, we're talking about a roadster that still weighs 2,852 pounds "” a weight reduction that's useful, but one worth celebrating? We weren't so sure. Then we drove it.
And everything changed.
This 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is at once sharp and supple, responsive yet calm, smooth yet immensely powerful. It is, most certainly, a product of much, much more than simple weight reduction. And it's worthy of more than just a glance.
Hammer It
Our research (all this being in the cause of science, of course) began on Carmel Valley Road, one of the most demanding driving roads in the country and our favorite destination when we travel to Monterey, California. County Road G16, as it's known to locals, provides a host of chassis-torturing features: high-speed off-camber corners, cattle guards, frost heaves, patched sections, falling rocks and the occasional wet spot.
Porsche, however, was utterly unfazed by the challenge G16 represents. So we did what we had to do and caned the Spyder through the worst G16 has to offer. And yet we found little to criticize, whether chassis stiffness, damping control or ride quality. Sure, this Boxster roadster isn't as composed as a closed car, but we rarely found the bumpstops and were continually impressed with the Spyder's ability to put power down confidently and remain superbly composed.
And driving to this car's limits means going very, very quickly. There's a comfortable rhythm to be found at 9/10ths that leaves ample room for the unknown, yet yields a speed unmatched by any roadster we've ever driven.
Digging Deeper
After pulverizing Carmel Valley Road, we sat down with Maurice van de Weerd, the Boxster's senior chassis engineer, to talk shop about this most special Porsche.
Compared to a conventional Boxster, the biggest change to the Spyder's suspension is a 0.8-inch reduction in ride height. In combination with the deletion of the regular Boxster's electrically operated convertible top, the overall result is a 1-inch reduction in the Boxster's already low center of gravity. At the same time, the lower ride height requires the spring rates to be increased by 10 percent up front and 30 percent in the rear to keep the car from bottoming. The real secret, according to van de Weerd, is almost neurotic attention to the polyurethane "spring aid," a bump rubber that's used to fine-tune the overall spring rate in the last 2 inches of suspension travel.
"Because of the reduced travel, the key is to achieve a progressive spring rate, which lacks a harsh bottoming at the end of the stroke," van de Weerd says. "Dampers were retuned for more compression and less rebound damping to keep the wheels on the road." Meanwhile, the stiffness of the antiroll bars was also increased.
The bottom line here is that Porsche used both its technical resources and the skill of its chassis engineers to recalibrate the Boxster Spyder's suspension in a way that complements its lighter weight in every detail. Even the tire pressures are lower.
"I wanted a light feel with lots of grip to pronounce the lightness of the car," van de Weerd says. "It needed to produce more pleasure, confidence and be more fun to drive."
He has succeeded.
More and Less
The Spyder's 3.4-liter flat-6 engine pumps out 10 horsepower more than a Boxster S thanks to the same engine calibration tweaks already seen in the Cayman S. Output is 320 hp at 7,200 rpm and 273 pound-feet of torque at 4,750 rpm.
One clue to the Spyder's purposefulness is that it comes standard with a mechanical limited-slip differential, a relatively rare device in a Porsche. A six-speed manual transmission is standard for the Boxster Spyder, while the impressive dual-clutch seven-speed PDK transmission is optional (and 55 pounds heavier). We drove only cars with the manual transmission, but Porsche tells us it has eliminated the PDK's Tiptronic-style shift buttons on the spokes of the steering wheel in favor of shift paddles behind the steering wheel.
Power goes to the ground through larger Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires, which now measure 235/35ZR19 in front and 265/35ZR19 in the rear.
Remarkably, the chassis required no special stiffening to accommodate the needs of this lightweight special. When asked about the additional loads demanded by a lower, stiffer and more powerful car, Boxster Line Director Hans Jurgen Wohler offered this confident and stoically German response: "The body has enough potential."
Hard Driving
Porsche claims PDK-equipped Spyders will accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.6 seconds using launch control. Manual-transmission cars, it claims, require 4.9 seconds. Our experience with the PDK transmission in other Porsche models suggests this is true, and gives credibility to Porsche's relentless pursuit of ever more elaborate technologies in the service of performance.
One technology that gives us pause, however, is its Automatic Brake Differential, which has appeared on several recent models including the Boxster Spyder. We noticed its presence when driving the car aggressively with stability control switched off. The telltale wasn't what you might think, however, as power was never diminished and control never felt interrupted. Rather, we simply noticed the stability control light (already illuminated) flashing as we exited corners while using wide-open throttle.
Porsche seems to be using the electronic brake differential as a tuning aid to complement the action of the mechanical limited-slip differential. The mechanical unit is tuned to send only 22 percent of available torque to the outside wheel under acceleration "” a relatively mild amount that is probably meant to minimize understeer as you turn into a corner. The resulting wheelspin is then managed by the brakes instead of the differential.
As much as we don't like the idea of applying the brakes to go faster, we have to admit that the system works without interrupting the experience. Van de Weerd points out that it only works when one tire is spinning. Provoke a powerslide involving both rear wheels "” something we did only once in miles of hard driving "” and the brake differential is uninvolved.
The Non-Essentials
In addition to the elimination of the radio and air-conditioning, Porsche cut 46 pounds from the top of the car by removing its electrically operated top. Aluminum doors knock another 33 pounds from the equation. A smaller fuel tank, lighter seats, GT3-style door panels and fabric door pulls shaved another 44 pounds. Lighter, cast-aluminum 19-inch wheels that are unique to the Spyder save a further 11 pounds over the 18-inch wheels on the Boxster S.
And if you're willing to spend, there's more weight to be lost. Carbon-ceramic brakes will eliminate another 6.6 pounds, which perhaps is not as much as you might expect given their $8,150 price tag. According to Wohler, this is because they are the same ceramic brakes used on the 911, so they're probably overkill for the Boxster.
The optional $1,700 lithium-ion battery will cut 22 pounds from the total, but won't start the car when the temperature falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit "” probably not a deal-breaker for the Spyder, which isn't exactly what we would call a winter car.
Practically Practical
The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is clearly a machine designed for open-air motoring. For example, the top resembles something from the Porsche 356 Speedster of the 1950s and it isn't watertight enough for a car wash. Nevertheless, Wohler insists that the Spyder's soft top will stop every manner of rain and even told us that he wished it would rain so he could prove to us just how well protected the occupants are from the elements. (Never mind; we're glad it didn't rain.)
The Spyder's top certainly can't be erected with the speed and convenience of the Mazda MX-5 Miata's manually operated soft top, but we timed a Porsche product specialist who managed to remove and stow the top in 1 minute and 30 seconds. After a quick lesson, we deployed and removed the top ourselves with little effort and no confusion. It's fairly easy and the top stows neatly under the Spyder-specific aluminum deck lid without intruding into the Boxster's modest trunk space.
The Value Equation
The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder will be available in February 2010 and will cost you $62,150 including delivery, which is exactly $4,500 more than a 2009 Porsche Boxster S. That's no small premium.
At the same time, this is a car that already carries its mass lower and more centralized than any other production car thanks to a flat-6 engine that sits within the span between the two axles. Factor in the detail work and hardware required to further focus and purify this potent formula and it's hard to say there's a true downside to the result. There's a proprietary top, different bodywork, a unique interior, more power and a suspension that's among the most capable sold today.
Whether driven in anger or simply driven daily, the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder proves itself a worthy addition to Porsche's already comprehensive quiver of performance machinery. It's at once fast and refined. It's finished and it's supremely impressive "” even if it isn't as light as we'd like.
Porsche is generally reticent about sales predictions, especially in the current market, but they think Spyder might account for about 10 per cent of Boxster sales.
It's the stripped out, lightweight Boxster that's hoping to revive the glory days of Porsche's legendary 550 Spyder.
Fifty-six years after that car went on sale, we got behind the wheel of the Boxster Spyder, but is it as exciting as Porsche make out?
Weighing in at only 1,275kg this is by far the lightest Porsche in the current line-up. During its crash diet the Spyder has lost any unnecessary dash trim, gained carbon-fibre bucket items in place of the usual, heavy seats and now rides on a unique set of lightweight 19-inch alloys.
In the flesh, an updated exterior reveals that the Spyder is more than the average Boxster. At 25mm lower than the standard model and with two humps mounted behind the seats the new car takes on a stance more recognisable as the Carrera GT supercar than an entry-level sports car.
Despite all the styling tweaks, this isn't a case of all show and no go. Porsche's engineers have added a lower and wider suspension set-up, which offers a lower centre of gravity and firmer ride over the Boxster S. A new limited slip-diff and stiffer anti-roll bars ensure that cornering is as composed as possible.
On the road, all of Porsche's hard work reveals itself. An impressive ride coupled with the low kerbweight and responsive steering means the Spyder is one of the most driver-focused Porsche's ever created.
The optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes fitted to our test car offer huge stopping power and the Stability Management system was impressively unobtrusive.
Comparisons with standard Boxster models don't do the huge step forward this model has made any justice. This machines closest rival is the 911 GT3, considered the ultimate drivers Porsche.
In this week's mag we drive the new Boxster side by side with the car that started it all, the 550 Spyder. So pick up a copy to see how these two cars, united in their aims but divided by 56 years of engineering, match-up in an exclusive head to head.
Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/245962/porsche_boxster_spyder.html#ixzz0Z5LH5yTD
2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder First Drive
Just Add Lightness and Power
At a glance, the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is simply a special model that sheds 176 pounds of non-essentials in the name of purist performance. Nothing new in this plan, since Porsche has been building lightweight models for decades. It's an easy recipe "” cut weight and sell the car at a premium to Porschephiles who can't resist the idea that less is really more.
Among the non-essentials stripped from this Boxster are the air-conditioning and radio "” items which, let's face it, most owners will option back into the car. Check the boxes for these bits and the overall weight saving for the Spyder is diminished to about 134 pounds. Optioned accordingly, we're talking about a roadster that still weighs 2,852 pounds "” a weight reduction that's useful, but one worth celebrating? We weren't so sure. Then we drove it.
And everything changed.
This 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is at once sharp and supple, responsive yet calm, smooth yet immensely powerful. It is, most certainly, a product of much, much more than simple weight reduction. And it's worthy of more than just a glance.
Hammer It
Our research (all this being in the cause of science, of course) began on Carmel Valley Road, one of the most demanding driving roads in the country and our favorite destination when we travel to Monterey, California. County Road G16, as it's known to locals, provides a host of chassis-torturing features: high-speed off-camber corners, cattle guards, frost heaves, patched sections, falling rocks and the occasional wet spot.
Porsche, however, was utterly unfazed by the challenge G16 represents. So we did what we had to do and caned the Spyder through the worst G16 has to offer. And yet we found little to criticize, whether chassis stiffness, damping control or ride quality. Sure, this Boxster roadster isn't as composed as a closed car, but we rarely found the bumpstops and were continually impressed with the Spyder's ability to put power down confidently and remain superbly composed.
And driving to this car's limits means going very, very quickly. There's a comfortable rhythm to be found at 9/10ths that leaves ample room for the unknown, yet yields a speed unmatched by any roadster we've ever driven.
Digging Deeper
After pulverizing Carmel Valley Road, we sat down with Maurice van de Weerd, the Boxster's senior chassis engineer, to talk shop about this most special Porsche.
Compared to a conventional Boxster, the biggest change to the Spyder's suspension is a 0.8-inch reduction in ride height. In combination with the deletion of the regular Boxster's electrically operated convertible top, the overall result is a 1-inch reduction in the Boxster's already low center of gravity. At the same time, the lower ride height requires the spring rates to be increased by 10 percent up front and 30 percent in the rear to keep the car from bottoming. The real secret, according to van de Weerd, is almost neurotic attention to the polyurethane "spring aid," a bump rubber that's used to fine-tune the overall spring rate in the last 2 inches of suspension travel.
"Because of the reduced travel, the key is to achieve a progressive spring rate, which lacks a harsh bottoming at the end of the stroke," van de Weerd says. "Dampers were retuned for more compression and less rebound damping to keep the wheels on the road." Meanwhile, the stiffness of the antiroll bars was also increased.
The bottom line here is that Porsche used both its technical resources and the skill of its chassis engineers to recalibrate the Boxster Spyder's suspension in a way that complements its lighter weight in every detail. Even the tire pressures are lower.
"I wanted a light feel with lots of grip to pronounce the lightness of the car," van de Weerd says. "It needed to produce more pleasure, confidence and be more fun to drive."
He has succeeded.
More and Less
The Spyder's 3.4-liter flat-6 engine pumps out 10 horsepower more than a Boxster S thanks to the same engine calibration tweaks already seen in the Cayman S. Output is 320 hp at 7,200 rpm and 273 pound-feet of torque at 4,750 rpm.
One clue to the Spyder's purposefulness is that it comes standard with a mechanical limited-slip differential, a relatively rare device in a Porsche. A six-speed manual transmission is standard for the Boxster Spyder, while the impressive dual-clutch seven-speed PDK transmission is optional (and 55 pounds heavier). We drove only cars with the manual transmission, but Porsche tells us it has eliminated the PDK's Tiptronic-style shift buttons on the spokes of the steering wheel in favor of shift paddles behind the steering wheel.
Power goes to the ground through larger Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires, which now measure 235/35ZR19 in front and 265/35ZR19 in the rear.
Remarkably, the chassis required no special stiffening to accommodate the needs of this lightweight special. When asked about the additional loads demanded by a lower, stiffer and more powerful car, Boxster Line Director Hans Jurgen Wohler offered this confident and stoically German response: "The body has enough potential."
Hard Driving
Porsche claims PDK-equipped Spyders will accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.6 seconds using launch control. Manual-transmission cars, it claims, require 4.9 seconds. Our experience with the PDK transmission in other Porsche models suggests this is true, and gives credibility to Porsche's relentless pursuit of ever more elaborate technologies in the service of performance.
One technology that gives us pause, however, is its Automatic Brake Differential, which has appeared on several recent models including the Boxster Spyder. We noticed its presence when driving the car aggressively with stability control switched off. The telltale wasn't what you might think, however, as power was never diminished and control never felt interrupted. Rather, we simply noticed the stability control light (already illuminated) flashing as we exited corners while using wide-open throttle.
Porsche seems to be using the electronic brake differential as a tuning aid to complement the action of the mechanical limited-slip differential. The mechanical unit is tuned to send only 22 percent of available torque to the outside wheel under acceleration "” a relatively mild amount that is probably meant to minimize understeer as you turn into a corner. The resulting wheelspin is then managed by the brakes instead of the differential.
As much as we don't like the idea of applying the brakes to go faster, we have to admit that the system works without interrupting the experience. Van de Weerd points out that it only works when one tire is spinning. Provoke a powerslide involving both rear wheels "” something we did only once in miles of hard driving "” and the brake differential is uninvolved.
The Non-Essentials
In addition to the elimination of the radio and air-conditioning, Porsche cut 46 pounds from the top of the car by removing its electrically operated top. Aluminum doors knock another 33 pounds from the equation. A smaller fuel tank, lighter seats, GT3-style door panels and fabric door pulls shaved another 44 pounds. Lighter, cast-aluminum 19-inch wheels that are unique to the Spyder save a further 11 pounds over the 18-inch wheels on the Boxster S.
And if you're willing to spend, there's more weight to be lost. Carbon-ceramic brakes will eliminate another 6.6 pounds, which perhaps is not as much as you might expect given their $8,150 price tag. According to Wohler, this is because they are the same ceramic brakes used on the 911, so they're probably overkill for the Boxster.
The optional $1,700 lithium-ion battery will cut 22 pounds from the total, but won't start the car when the temperature falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit "” probably not a deal-breaker for the Spyder, which isn't exactly what we would call a winter car.
Practically Practical
The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is clearly a machine designed for open-air motoring. For example, the top resembles something from the Porsche 356 Speedster of the 1950s and it isn't watertight enough for a car wash. Nevertheless, Wohler insists that the Spyder's soft top will stop every manner of rain and even told us that he wished it would rain so he could prove to us just how well protected the occupants are from the elements. (Never mind; we're glad it didn't rain.)
The Spyder's top certainly can't be erected with the speed and convenience of the Mazda MX-5 Miata's manually operated soft top, but we timed a Porsche product specialist who managed to remove and stow the top in 1 minute and 30 seconds. After a quick lesson, we deployed and removed the top ourselves with little effort and no confusion. It's fairly easy and the top stows neatly under the Spyder-specific aluminum deck lid without intruding into the Boxster's modest trunk space.
The Value Equation
The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder will be available in February 2010 and will cost you $62,150 including delivery, which is exactly $4,500 more than a 2009 Porsche Boxster S. That's no small premium.
At the same time, this is a car that already carries its mass lower and more centralized than any other production car thanks to a flat-6 engine that sits within the span between the two axles. Factor in the detail work and hardware required to further focus and purify this potent formula and it's hard to say there's a true downside to the result. There's a proprietary top, different bodywork, a unique interior, more power and a suspension that's among the most capable sold today.
Whether driven in anger or simply driven daily, the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder proves itself a worthy addition to Porsche's already comprehensive quiver of performance machinery. It's at once fast and refined. It's finished and it's supremely impressive "” even if it isn't as light as we'd like.
Porsche is generally reticent about sales predictions, especially in the current market, but they think Spyder might account for about 10 per cent of Boxster sales.
Rating:*****
It's the back-to-basics Porsche that the firm says has been 56 years in the making. The new Boxster Spyder is inspired by the legendary 1953 RS550, and built to match that model's strict principles of light weight and driver focus. According to bosses, this is Porsche at its best. But is it really the most exciting open-topped car in the world? We brought the newcomer head-to-head with the Fifties original to find out.
Porsche wastes no time in pointing to the pared-down specification as proof that the Boxster Spyder will offer the ultimate in driver thrills. It's the third member of the Boxster family, joining the standard roadster and the tin-top Cayman. To ensure it stands out from both, the Spyder gets a major makeover.
For starters, it sits 25mm lower than the Boxster. Plus, the side windows are lower, and there's a new windscreen surround and an elongated tail. Two striking domes on the rear lid stretch back from the driver-focused cabin. The interior has been stripped of all non-essentials "" even the door handles are lightweight fabric straps.
Figure-hugging seats and new-look, 19-inch alloy wheels also help to save weight. The doors are made of aluminium, as is the sculpted engine cover. As a result, the Spyder tips the scales at only 1,275kg "" so it's by far the lightest model in Porsche's line-up.
What's more, the alterations give the newcomer a sleek silhouette which is more reminiscent of a Carrera GT than an entry-level sports car.
As engineers took weight from the body and cabin, they added to the suspension. The new spring and damper set-up ensures the model is lower and wider than a Boxster S, which provides a lower centre of gravity and a firmer ride.
A fresh limited-slip differential has been fitted at the rear, too, while stiffer anti-roll bars keep the body under control on demanding roads.
Finally, the car wears special low-profile tyres. As they are designed to run at very low pressures, Porsche can stiffen the suspension further without ruining the ride. On the road, the car feels every bit as focused as its specification suggests. Comparisons with standard Boxsters simply don't do justice to the huge step forward this model takes.
Its closest rival is the 911 GT3 "" considered by many to be the ultimate driver's Porsche. Key to the experience are the Spyder's lightning reflexes, courtesy of that low kerbweight and ultra-direct steering. With only two-and-a-half turns lock-to-lock, the variable rack-and-pinion set-up becomes more direct the harder you turn it.
However, what impresses most is the way in which the Spyder rides "" and how masterfully it deals with tricky mid-corner bumps. This Boxster is bristling with advanced safety systems, too. For a start, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) fitted to our car offer huge stopping power.
The latest-generation Porsche Stability Management (PSM) package, included as standard, also provides a high degree of active safety. PSM comes with a range of features such as ABS, Anti-Slip Control, Engine Drag Force Control and an Automatic Brake Differential, as well as Brake Pre-Filling and Brake Assistant functions. To enable agile driving through tight bends, the PSM system cuts in late when the car is travelling below 50mph.
Rival: Audi TT RS
it's powerful and extremely fast, but the TT RS can't match the Boxster Spyder's sharp reflexes and delicate controls. And while the styling turns heads, the Audi is brash where the Porsche is more subtle.
Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/246064/porsche_boxster_spyder_vs_rs550_spyder.html#ixzz0Zk931aPB
It's the back-to-basics Porsche that the firm says has been 56 years in the making. The new Boxster Spyder is inspired by the legendary 1953 RS550, and built to match that model's strict principles of light weight and driver focus. According to bosses, this is Porsche at its best. But is it really the most exciting open-topped car in the world? We brought the newcomer head-to-head with the Fifties original to find out.
Porsche wastes no time in pointing to the pared-down specification as proof that the Boxster Spyder will offer the ultimate in driver thrills. It's the third member of the Boxster family, joining the standard roadster and the tin-top Cayman. To ensure it stands out from both, the Spyder gets a major makeover.
For starters, it sits 25mm lower than the Boxster. Plus, the side windows are lower, and there's a new windscreen surround and an elongated tail. Two striking domes on the rear lid stretch back from the driver-focused cabin. The interior has been stripped of all non-essentials "" even the door handles are lightweight fabric straps.
Figure-hugging seats and new-look, 19-inch alloy wheels also help to save weight. The doors are made of aluminium, as is the sculpted engine cover. As a result, the Spyder tips the scales at only 1,275kg "" so it's by far the lightest model in Porsche's line-up.
What's more, the alterations give the newcomer a sleek silhouette which is more reminiscent of a Carrera GT than an entry-level sports car.
As engineers took weight from the body and cabin, they added to the suspension. The new spring and damper set-up ensures the model is lower and wider than a Boxster S, which provides a lower centre of gravity and a firmer ride.
A fresh limited-slip differential has been fitted at the rear, too, while stiffer anti-roll bars keep the body under control on demanding roads.
Finally, the car wears special low-profile tyres. As they are designed to run at very low pressures, Porsche can stiffen the suspension further without ruining the ride. On the road, the car feels every bit as focused as its specification suggests. Comparisons with standard Boxsters simply don't do justice to the huge step forward this model takes.
Its closest rival is the 911 GT3 "" considered by many to be the ultimate driver's Porsche. Key to the experience are the Spyder's lightning reflexes, courtesy of that low kerbweight and ultra-direct steering. With only two-and-a-half turns lock-to-lock, the variable rack-and-pinion set-up becomes more direct the harder you turn it.
However, what impresses most is the way in which the Spyder rides "" and how masterfully it deals with tricky mid-corner bumps. This Boxster is bristling with advanced safety systems, too. For a start, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) fitted to our car offer huge stopping power.
The latest-generation Porsche Stability Management (PSM) package, included as standard, also provides a high degree of active safety. PSM comes with a range of features such as ABS, Anti-Slip Control, Engine Drag Force Control and an Automatic Brake Differential, as well as Brake Pre-Filling and Brake Assistant functions. To enable agile driving through tight bends, the PSM system cuts in late when the car is travelling below 50mph.
Rival: Audi TT RS
it's powerful and extremely fast, but the TT RS can't match the Boxster Spyder's sharp reflexes and delicate controls. And while the styling turns heads, the Audi is brash where the Porsche is more subtle.
Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/246064/porsche_boxster_spyder_vs_rs550_spyder.html#ixzz0Zk931aPB
In todays post the official hardcover brochure turned up packed in a nice black canvas pocket, which I assume is the roof material, along with a red pull to open which must be the new door release fabric []
I now have my Christmas reading material []
Anyone else in here ordered or considering ordering yet or is Andrew the only one to jump so far
Seasons Greeting To You All
]I now have my Christmas reading material [
]Anyone else in here ordered or considering ordering yet or is Andrew the only one to jump so far
Seasons Greeting To You All
Gulfstream
New member
I don't see any reason for paying much more than a standard Boxster S and gettin' less. If it was 300# lighter, with a 400hp engine, it could make sense, but 80kg lighter and 10hp more are not enough to justify the higher price and the loss of the electric top.
2010 Porsche Boxster Spyder
This is a magnificent sports car.
Steering is as good as it gets, with every seam of the road and every link to lateral cornering g delivered faithfully to your fingertips.
The engine shoves you into the seat with gobs of torque and spins with a gorgeous howl.
Despite the added tautness of the suspension, the Spyder doesn't feel rough over rotten roads; in fact, it does an amazing job of keeping its tires planted.
And the six-speed manual...well, you can get the Spyder with the PDK (which, happily, now uses conventional shift paddles instead of the previous, ridiculous pushbuttons), but the manual is so light, smooth, and precise, it's hard to imagine shifting this car any other way. This has to rank as one of the top manual transmissions on the planet.
Wind turbulence, thankfully, is minimal in the open cabin-helped in part by a plastic deflector between the rear deck domes.
Which is to say, you'll want to drive the Spyder without the silly lid at all times. (Porsche says above 125 mph the top flutters too much to be viable, but when the top is stowed the Spyder can reach a claimed 166 mph.) In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find a sweeter, better-balanced machine for mountain-road carving.
The Spyder feels nearly as light and nimble as a Lotus Exige -- albeit with considerably more solidity (the structure is brilliantly tight). The weight-management, it seems, isn't simply a marketing gimmick. The Boxster Spyder really does feel special.
Porsche estimates the Spyder take rate at about ten percent of total Boxster sales-say, about 1500 cars per year. The base price, $62,150, checks in $3200 higher than a Boxster S'.
So, yes, in a way you're paying more for less. Ah, but you're getting so much in return.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/los_angeles/2009/porsche_boxster_spyder/index.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q4/2011_porsche_boxster_spyder-first_drive_review
The Spyder can tackle 25-mph switchbacks at double that speed. The grippy seats hold you in place and the body shows no signs of pitching or rolling, yet the ride is never harsh. Traction into and out of the turns is hardly lost, with the standard mechanically locking differential enabling high exit speeds. And in a straight line Porsche is claiming a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.6 seconds on PDK-equipped cars with launch control, which seems a bit conservative considering we managed 4.3 in a less-powerful Boxster S weighing 3220 pounds with the PDK. Figure 4.1 or quicker to 60 and about 12.7 seconds in the quarter-mile once we strap test gear to a Boxster Spyder.
This is a magnificent sports car.
Steering is as good as it gets, with every seam of the road and every link to lateral cornering g delivered faithfully to your fingertips.
The engine shoves you into the seat with gobs of torque and spins with a gorgeous howl.
Despite the added tautness of the suspension, the Spyder doesn't feel rough over rotten roads; in fact, it does an amazing job of keeping its tires planted.
And the six-speed manual...well, you can get the Spyder with the PDK (which, happily, now uses conventional shift paddles instead of the previous, ridiculous pushbuttons), but the manual is so light, smooth, and precise, it's hard to imagine shifting this car any other way. This has to rank as one of the top manual transmissions on the planet.
Wind turbulence, thankfully, is minimal in the open cabin-helped in part by a plastic deflector between the rear deck domes.
Which is to say, you'll want to drive the Spyder without the silly lid at all times. (Porsche says above 125 mph the top flutters too much to be viable, but when the top is stowed the Spyder can reach a claimed 166 mph.) In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find a sweeter, better-balanced machine for mountain-road carving.
The Spyder feels nearly as light and nimble as a Lotus Exige -- albeit with considerably more solidity (the structure is brilliantly tight). The weight-management, it seems, isn't simply a marketing gimmick. The Boxster Spyder really does feel special.
Porsche estimates the Spyder take rate at about ten percent of total Boxster sales-say, about 1500 cars per year. The base price, $62,150, checks in $3200 higher than a Boxster S'.
So, yes, in a way you're paying more for less. Ah, but you're getting so much in return.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/los_angeles/2009/porsche_boxster_spyder/index.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q4/2011_porsche_boxster_spyder-first_drive_review
The Spyder can tackle 25-mph switchbacks at double that speed. The grippy seats hold you in place and the body shows no signs of pitching or rolling, yet the ride is never harsh. Traction into and out of the turns is hardly lost, with the standard mechanically locking differential enabling high exit speeds. And in a straight line Porsche is claiming a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.6 seconds on PDK-equipped cars with launch control, which seems a bit conservative considering we managed 4.3 in a less-powerful Boxster S weighing 3220 pounds with the PDK. Figure 4.1 or quicker to 60 and about 12.7 seconds in the quarter-mile once we strap test gear to a Boxster Spyder.
Well I guess at £52K very very few will be tempted. It will be the second or third buyer who purchases the car that benefits.
Just look at the 356 Speedster - same thing pay more for less - now look at price of 356 Speedster against 356 Cab/Roadster.
Cab Roadster £85K Speedster £140K - who's laughing now[
][][][]
ORIGINAL: jdpef356
Well I guess at £52K very very few will be tempted. It will be the second or third buyer who purchases the car that benefits.
Just look at the 356 Speedster - same thing pay more for less - now look at price of 356 Speedster against 356 Cab/Roadster.
Cab Roadster £85K Speedster £140K - who's laughing now[
This month's evo, February Issue 140
911 Sport Classic, driving the greatest special editions.
We start on page 50 with the new 911 Sport Classic before imagining a few Porsche specials of our own. EVO RATING 4/5
On page 82 Richard Meaden retraces James Dean's final journey in a Boxster Spyder, the modern incarnation of the car the star was driving when he met his death. [8D]
"It could so easily have been a folly that proved cynics right, but instead I think it's a brilliant success. It's distinctive looks, pared-back build and driver -centric focus leave an enduring impression; a vivid deep seated desire that conventional Boxsters - hugely accomplished though they are - never seem to manage, at least for me." EVO RATING 5/5
During December's 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show press preview, Porsche board member Klaus Berning readily admitted that some of the company's newest vehicles were controversial.
Berning, whose responsibilities include Porsche's worldwide sales and marketing, alluded to the hot debate over whether the recently introduced Panamera four-door luxury sedan is a true Porsche, and whether the company should have ever produced their SUV, the Cayenne.
To calm the fears that Porsche has lost its way, Berning called the striking 2011 Boxster Spyder out on into the spotlight. It acted like a welcome salve for even the most ardent Porschephiles.
Unbeknownst to most of the media attending the press event at the LA Auto Show, a handful of journalists had already tested the new Spyder the day before the press conference. AOL Autos already knew the character of the car Berning was just presenting.
Pure Porsche
There is no doubt that this sports car deserves the Porsche crest. Perhaps better than any recently introduced model, the Boxster Spyder represents the essence of what makes a Porsche, a Porsche.
Everywhere you look, there's lightness, simplicity, performance, and design elegance.
Designers drew inspiration from Porsche's own garage. They looked at the Porsche 356 Speedster from 1948, the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, the 1960 718RS60 racer, and 1969 909. These cars share a minimalist approach to motoring that helped build Porsche's reputation as one of the world's premier performance car manufacturers.
While the new Boxster Spyder is clearly a member of the modern Boxster/Cayman family, the double bumps on the aluminum rear deck clearly recall racing Porsches from decades past. The Spyder's racing-inspired profile helps define the car ... at least when the top is off.
Porsche designers intended its open cockpit be open nearly all the time. The two-piece top assembly is for occasional use only, so don't expect to see hundreds of Spyders sold in Seattle, Portland or Duluth.
What's most important about the top is that it properly represents the Spyder's design philosophy. For example, compared to the power top mechanism in the Boxster S, the Spyder's arrangement saves a significant 42 pounds. In place of two separate deck lids on a standard Boxster, the sculpted one-piece aluminum rear deck lid on the Spyder weighs a feathery 22 pounds. The two-piece top fits under the rear deck, plus there is additional room for cargo.
The fabric and carbon fiber top is really more of a high-tech tent. It keeps rain out and protects the driver and passenger from wind buffeting or scorching sun. However, it provides little security for valuables left in the cockpit, and it's also trickier to get in and out of the Spyder with the top in place.
The nautical-like Bimini toupee isn't without other drawbacks. The engineer who designed the top can install it in about 90 seconds, but your author's first try required about four minutes. Attesting to the complexity of the mechanism, the owner's manual includes over a dozen steps for erecting the main top. Additionally, once the main top is secure, a secondary rear piece must be fitted to provide full weather protection. Plan on more steps to accomplish that.
The solution to these issues? Forget about them! They matter almost as little as Porsche's recommended lower top speed with the top in place (125 mph). With the top properly stowed, and with a get-out-of-jail-free card, the Spyder will run to 166 mph.
Besides, with the top off, it's easier to see how the racing-inspired look of the exterior carries through to the interior. Body-color elements on the transmission tunnel and dash that add to the elemental feel. Depending on color choices, the effect is striking.
Engineered Liposuction
Porsche went to great lengths to pare down weight on the Boxster Spyder. For example, while the new Panamera has a power-operated tailgate, the Boxster Spyder's rear deck must be raised manually and is supported by a slender prop-rod operated by a human hand.
Conscious weight-saving decisions like these further define the Spyder.
Inside, compared to the elegant aluminum door handles one finds in a Boxster, Cayenne or 911, in the Spyder, one clicks open the doors using simple woven straps. The weight savings total 2.2 pounds.
Those straps open doors skinned in lightweight aluminum, saving 33 pounds compared to a standard Boxster with steel doors.
The Boxster's supportive seats also save weight by going without electric power controls. The detail-oriented eye will note that the seatbacks are carbon fiber, helping save 26.4 pounds compared to the seats in a Boxster.
Air conditioning is a no-cost option that saves 28.6 pounds when left off the car. Given that the Spyder should spend most of its driving life with the top off, A/C is hardly necessary.
Each of the Spyder's 10-spoke, 19-inch wheels represents saved weight. The set saves 11 pounds compared to the 18-inch rims fitted to a normal Boxster.
There are even ways to save weight to be found the Boxster Spyder's option list. For about $3,000, drivers can shave 22 pounds from the car's curb weight by substituting a lithium-ion battery in place of the standard lead-acid unit. That works out to be $136 for each saved pound "¦ an expensive diet!
Without the optional battery, calculated decisions helped Porsche keep the weight of the Boxster Spyder to just 2,811 pounds. This makes the Spyder the lightest current Porsche, and a full 176 pounds lighter than the Boxster S, a sports car already recognized for its lack of mass.
What "Less" Feels Like
When designing this car, Porsche engineers knew that for every pound they kept off, the issue would be not what's missing in terms of equipment, but what's been gained in terms of performance.
Once on the road, you feel every pound that isn't there.
The thoroughfares around Carmel, California provide a variety of conditions and challenges; we drove everything from interstates to winding mountain paths. The heavily bolstered sport seats positioned this driver perfectly even though they only offered only fore and aft adjustment. Visibility was excellent, especially with the Spyder's top stored in the trunk where it belonged.
The Boxster Spyder takes to any road like a magnet to iron. It doesn't seem to care about the material (concrete or asphalt) or condition (smooth or pocked). The Spyder just wants to go and go, faster and faster.
Especially as the roads get twisty and undulating, the Spyder gets happier. The car's fluid feel seems uncanny. Nothing seems to upset the car's balance, deflect it off course, or detach its tires from the pavement. Steering is eager and responsive, almost anticipatory.
Lightness will do that for you. Porsche's engineers explained that having less mass makes it easier for the suspension to control the car while improving the chassis' ability to comfortably absorb impacts from potholes and other pavement imperfections. Unlike some other sports cars, the Spyder rides supplely.
Less weight also helps the Spyder's acceleration. Thanks to changes to the engine computer, the Spyder's direct-fuel-injected 3.4""liter flat-six cylinder engine produces 320 horsepower, 10 more than the Boxster S. Less weight combined with more power gives the Spyder a better power-to-weight ratio Porsche 911 S, and results in 0-60 mph times that are under five seconds.
Many sports cars are faster than the Spyder, but none possess this car's complete sense of poise. Everything works beautifully together from the way the clutch engages to the sublime feeling of the optional short-throw, six-speed manual shift linkage.
The traditional manual gearbox is standard, and seems appropriate for this car. Porsche also offers their clutchless PDK 7-speed direct-shift transmission as an option. Unfortunately, PDK-fitted vehicles weren't available for our drive, but Porsche engineers claimed that PDK Spyders will be faster 0-60 mph than the standard-shift models, enabling sprints of 4.6-seconds compared to 4.8 seconds.
Porschephiles Rejoice
The 2011 Boxster Spyder gives Porsche enthusiasts reason to believe that their beloved company hasn't completely lost its marbles. A Porsche minivan might have done-in the brand's hard-core fans, but the Spyder should rejuvenate the faithful for years to come.
Yes, we're joking about the minivan.
The Weissach zealots will revel in the Spyder's ephemeral details, like the fact that not having a standard audio system saves six pounds. Regular buyers will enjoy the fact that, like all Porsches, the list of optional features is extensive. The radio is a no-cost option.
After a couple hundred miles behind the wheel, we'd recommend the sport exhaust system (the better to hear the engine) and the short-throw shift linkage (in lieu of the PDK option). These options make the Spyder an even better driver's car ... a tough accomplishment by any measure.
The car goes on sale in February of 2010, with pricing starting at $61,200.
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