2013 Porsche Boxster will be the Next Big Debut – New Car Reviews

The latest Porsche 911 has been revealed, and the 2013 Porsche Boxster will be Porsche’s next big debut. The 2013 Porsche Boxster is a close sibling to the iconic 911, although Porsche has certainly learned to hide the connection a bit better than with the pre-2002 996 911 and the first-gen Boxster; those cars had interchangeable front fascias. As you can see from these completely undisguised photos, the 981, as the future Porsche Boxster is called internally, will differ significantly from the current 987 model; enough to call the 2013 Porsche Boxster all new.

Lighter and more fuel-efficient, faster and more agile – with an all-new lightweight design body and completely revamped chassis, the 2013 Porsche Boxster is setting new top scores for Porsche Intelligent Performance. The new sports car generation makes its debut in the classic Porsche pairing of Boxster and the 2013 Porsche Boxster S. The 2013 Porsche Boxster specs benefits from a refined chassis and a new, lightweight aluminum body that sits on a longer wheelbase with a wider track.

A new all-aluminum body reduces weight by 55 pounds across the model range, meaning the new base Boxster tips the scales at a scant 2,889 pounds, while the more powerful 2013 Porsche Boxster S weighs in at 3,043 pounds. There is less “overhang” in front of the front wheels and behind the rear wheels, with this larger track providing a more stable footing for improved handling. The 2013 Porsche Boxster interior architecture has been completely redesigned but is familiar to any Porsche driver in its basic functions.

The result is a sophisticated new 2013 Porsche Boxster interior design, with clean lines influenced by the Carrera GT super sports car. The extensive range of the 2013 Porsche Boxster interior options offers many different ways to individualise the new Boxster models to one’s own personal taste.  Power in the 2013 Porsche Boxster will continue to come from Porsche’s horizontally opposed engines.

The six-cylinders will add engine stop-start technology, and power will slightly increase to around 270 hp for the Boxster and 320 hp for the 2013 Porsche Boxster S seen here; gains of 10 and five horses versus the 2012 Porsche Boxster models, respectively. A transaxle version of the 991′s seven-speed manual could be offered, but retaining the wonderful six-speed would be the simpler while the ZF-sourced seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will remain optional in the 2013 Porsche Boxster.

The base Boxster with dual-clutch PDK gearbox is estimated to hit 60 miles per hour in just 5.4 seconds and the 2013 Porsche Boxster S will do that same jaunt in just 4.7. Opt for the 2013 Porsche Boxster Sport and Sport Chrono packs which will surely knock a few tenths off of those numbers.

2013 Porsche Boxster Review

Competitors 2013 Porsche Boxster

The upgrades come with a price, as the base MSRP is $1,400 higher than the 2012 Porsche Boxster while the 2013 Porsche Boxster S starts $2,300 higher than the current production model S. The base model Boxster and the 2013 Porsche Boxster S are the only two models currently planned but based on past generations, we can expect to see a higher performance, the 2013 Porsche Boxster Spyder and some limited edition models in the next few years.

Porsche will produce the 2013 Porsche Boxster at the VW plant in Osnabrück, Germany, that was formerly owned by Karmann; that’s fitting as most VW-Porsche 914s—the Boxster’s spiritual predecessor—were built there. Meanwhile, the obvious competition for the 2013 Porsche Boxster are the other German sports roadsters, like the BMW Z4, the Audi TT, and the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class; Nissan’s 370Z might also be in the same conversation.