Motoring / Cars and Bikes

Icon Reinvented: Porsche 718 Boxster

Everyone’s favorite two-seat roadster is now faster, more powerful and more attractive.

Jul 06, 2016 | By Shatricia Nair

The Porsche Boxster has long been the quintessential roadster with its soft top, two-seater interior and six-cylinder engine that powers its rear-wheel drive. So just when you thought it couldnā€™t get any better, Porsche has gone ahead and doneĀ just that with the Boxster 718.

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The most notable improvement comes from within; its euphonic six-cylinder engine has been replaced by a newly-developed turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that supplies a good 296 bhp to the normal 718 Boxster, compared with its predecessorā€™s 261bhp. The 718 Boxster S ā€“ a sportier iteration ā€“ receives a 2.5-liter vomeengine that powers a heftier 345bhp to the car, a remarkable improvement to the previous 311 bhp. The result is two Boxsters that are now faster than ever before. The entry-level 718 sprints zero to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds, shaving off 0.8 seconds off the older model.

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The S variation will do the same in 4.2 seconds with a 0.6 second improvement, thanks in part to the PDK gearbox and Sport Chrono pack. And if youā€™re wondering how itā€™d fare on a drag strip, the 718 has a top speed of 170mph, while the S version, 177mph. The optional Sport Chrono Package now comes with three settings: Normal, Sport and Sport Plus. Cars with the PDK will also have a Sport Response Button that enables a boost in responsiveness for a period of time.

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Appearance-wise, the new 718 Boxster sees a broader masculine front and a more dynamic side profile, thanks to its larger wheel arches and contoured doors that direct headwind into air intakes for more efficient power generation. Other upgrades include a reconfigured power steering that is now 10 percent more direct (read: more agile, easier to steer) and the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) that gives a ten millimetre lower ride height.

Prices of the new 718 Boxster start from S$258,788, while the 718 Boxster S will set you back by at least S$316,588.


 
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