Not a big surprise is it?
Nobody doubted that a drop-top Boxster Spyder would follow the Cayman GT4 into Porsche showrooms, and it was revealed at a New York pre-show event. Following the standard set by its predecessor this is a Boxster that promises more for the purist driver, not least as this time round it's only offered with a six-speed manual gearbox. It might not be the biggest surprise Porsche has ever pulled the covers off, but it's still pretty fabulous.
Cayman GT4 power and suspension?
Not quite, the Boxster Spyder rides on essentially the same suspension as its GTS relation, rather than the 911 GT3 front and bespoke rear-axle set-up of the Cayman GT4. The engine in the new Boxster Spyder is the same 911 Carrera S-derived 3.8-litre flat-six, though here it's got 375hp, which is enough to allow the Boxster Spyder to reach 62mph from rest in just 4.5 seconds and onto a blustery 180mph top speed.
Presumably with the roof blown off somewhere?
Nope; unlike the original, a bit more thought has gone into the roof's structure. So it seals properly this time, which means no worries that it'll blow off at high speeds, and a less draughty experience at lower speeds, too. Not quite the get-you-home effort of old then, but still a bit more fiddly than the press-button operation of the standard roof. It's a far simpler mechanism than the standard Boxster's, but its shape is more exciting, even if the Boxster Spyder looks at its best with the top down.
Gorgeous isn't it?
Hell yes, the Boxster Spyder's attractive enough to have us coupé fans reaching for the sun cream: the way the double-bumped rear bodywork follows the lines of the two roll hoops is a just beautiful. There's the deeper vented and larger intake front bumper of the GT4, plus 20-inch alloy wheels. There's also a weight reducing of in the region of 30kg in comparison to the Boxster GTS's 1,315kg kerb weight, as well as a drop in the centre of gravity, promising a drive to match the looks. Helping achieve that weight loss is the removal of niceties like audio equipment and air conditioning, the addition of lightweight bucket seats and the loss of 11kg thanks to the simpler roof mechanism.
Special yes, so costly?
It's not cheap at just over £60,000, which is about £7,000 more than the really rather brilliant Boxster GTS. This time round though the Spyder is less of a compromise, as the roof fits properly and all that weight-reducing equipment off-loading can be popped back on the specification easily enough. Porsche isn't limiting numbers for production, but with demand certain to outstrip supply it'll only be available from canny early buyers willing to let it go for a premium.
Kyle Fortune - 1 Apr 2015