"baby boxster" named?

[tonycarreon]

so the current rumors are that porsche will resurrect the 550 designation for the baby boxster - 2600 lb curb weight, 1.4 liter 200hp flat-4, manually operated top, 0-6 in around 6 seconds. manual transmission only...

i am conflicted!

[The Radium King]

and 200 hp is probably just a starting point once the tuners get hold of it; there should be a lot more hp to be found in that engine than our m96 boxster engines. the deal breaker for me would be what it looks like. the 986 does have 550 styling cues; the 987 does not. most of the spy shots i've seen are of a 987-ish car; me don't like.

[d18mike]

I do not trust that Porsche's prototypes will look anything like what finally hits the road.

Remember those absolutely stunning Boxster prototypes that came out in the early/mid 1990s. It was a modern 550 with more flair. If they made that car they they'd still be trying to catch up wth demand.

[tonycarreon]

now word is the flat four will power not only the 550, but future boxster and caymans as well, leaving only the 911 with a flat-6...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=258322

[Pat]

This could be pretty crazy. Since it has a turbo, one could add a couple aftermarket goodies to make this cheapest Porsche have 400+ hp and weigh less than 3000 pounds. I like those numbers.

[funkdefino]

Much more interested in the Vw BlueSport...

[clickman]

Originally Posted by funkdefino

Much more interested in the Vw BlueSport...

Why is that?

[jacabean]

the blue sport will share it's chassis with the new porsche and audi as well. i heard it is still 3 to 4 years away.

[funkdefino]

Originally Posted by clickman

Why is that?

Because Porsche will most likely price the Baby Boxster higher than it should be, probably very close to the current price of a Boxster Base today.

Because I would rather spend my money on a platform that has proven itself. VW's TSI and TDI engines are solid and with a simple ECU flash quite peppy. Porsche has shown me with the M96 that customers come last.

Because I'd feel better about a 30K-40K Daily driver that I can lease for next to nothing drive 15K a year with full warranty and full service all included. For a few hundred $$ more I can tack on an insurance policy that protects me from lease return issues.

Don't get me wrong. I can't wait to see what Porsche has in store for the BB, but personally? I think they are convoluting the line.

I think they should simply redesign the current Boxster with a new flat four lighter more powerful engine. Make the S turbo charged and call it a day. While they are at it? Lower the price a little...

Let's get back to what the Boxster was supposed to be about. A light, fun, no frills roadster.

[l3m]

Just came across this article from 3 days ago. Rumor or reality?

Porsche to introduce a new turbocharged flat-4 engine within the next year

[Kenny Boxster]

Should be taken with a grain of salt. I remember the rumors of the 981 being a turbocharged flat four. You never know now since Porsche is owned by VW, and there have been turbocharged four bangers from Porsche before. (944 turbo)

[cas951]

Originally Posted by Kenny Boxster

Should be taken with a grain of salt. I remember the rumors of the 981 being a turbocharged flat four. You never know now since Porsche is owned by VW, and there have been turbocharged four bangers from Porsche before. (944 turbo)

If the HP/Tq figures comes close to actual production and have a weight of roughly 2600 lbs, this car will be awesome. I wonder what they will do with current Boxter/Cayman HP/TQ. Baby Boxster will outperform the current models.

Porsche made several 4 cyl turbos starting with the 924 and this was Audi based engines. They made a huge improvement with the 944 turbo in 1986. 1988 they made the turbo S (I stii own one today and still love it). They also made 968 turbo S in limited production using 3.0 Ltrs. 305HP /368 Tq . Today you'll find a lot of 944 turbos with 3.0 turbo with more than 500 HP .

A flat four baby boxster with those figures will be something and will have lots of potential.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by l3m

Just came across this article from 3 days ago. Rumor or reality?

Porsche to introduce a new turbocharged flat-4 engine within the next year

Just as soon as they get a new manufacturer for that damn IMS bearing on board.....

[southernstar]

As I read the article, the turbocharged version will be used in the Boxster and Cayman, with a non-turbo version in the 'baby' Boxster. So no, I don't expect that the 2600 lb., non turbo 2.5 to outperform the Boxster.

[Porsche Chick]

I clicked through and read the article, and the 340+ hp is only available at rpm's above 7600. How often do you reach those revs? It's pushing the red line.

(I did hit that yesterday though, I stomped it up to 60mph in second gear. Hey, if the PDK picks that gear, who am I to argue? But anyway . . . )

Sounds like cheater math, like Volkswagen is taking over, and if we ever sell our current "real" Porsches we are going to be truly sorry.

I think Porsche is diluting the brand, and this new baby Boxster is really a Miata or Scion FRS with a Porsche badge.

I would rather have my all-the-time 255hp (987.2), not the occasional 340.

[southernstar]

Porschechick, I hear you. On the other hand, even when Porsche was not owned by Volkswagen, I'm not sure that the 914 with a Volkswagen engine, the late 912 with a Volkswagen engine, the 924 with an Audi engine, diluted the brand. What is more, the 944 was a huge success (and a great car) that brought many more people to the brand. As you will recall, like this proposal it also had a 4 cylinder engine that was taken from a real Porsche engine - the 8 cylinder 928. We'll have to wait and see....

Brad

[jdiba]

Originally Posted by d18mike

Remember those absolutely stunning Boxster prototypes that came out in the early/mid 1990s. It was a modern 550 with more flair. If they made that car they they'd still be trying to catch up wth demand.

I believe this is the beast of which you speak ?

[southernstar]

Not sure what that has to do with this thread but yes, that was it. Insofar as prototypes go, it really wasn't that far removed from the eventual 986 Boxster - keeping in mind that the prototype didn't have a top (as I recall, the wrap-down metal lid in front of the rear trunk was for engine access). Yes, they changed the tailights, moved the air intakes up higher (where no doubt they will draw less water in bad conditions) and simplified the grill from the prototypes rather gaudy one. But otherwise pretty close, actually.

I must say that I disagree with the suggestion that the prototype would probably still be in production. Obviously the 550 Spyder retro look lost its appeal to many and while reviewers originally raved about the styling of the 986, in many of the recent reviews of the new 981 Boxster writers have been rather critical of look of the first Boxster. Personally, I still love the Porsche tradition behind the 986 and find it to be appealingly different than any other mid-engine sports car. While some have attacked it for being 'feminine' looking (and the Jag XKE and Ferrari Dino were not?), I love the overall balance of the design, its influences (the 550 Spyder) and the consistent use of modified 'C' shapes throughout the interior and exterior of the car: the grill shapes, the headlight and tail light shapes, the mirror shape, the door handle shape, the side window shape, side prohfile roof shape, the side intake shape, the rear center light shape, the exhaust tip shape (on the base model), the roll bar shape, the door handle shape, the shape of the top of the seats and the instrument cover. Unlike so many automotive designs that appear inconsistent, if not incoherent with respect to form, the original 986 Boxster is consistent, coherent and unified IMO. Still, the public has spoken and they prefer the more generic but 'masculine' look of the new 981 (which by the way, I also consider to be very attractive).
It will be interesting to see where Porsche goes with the design of the Baby Boxster, but I am pretty confident that it will not have a retro look!

Brad

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Timco

Just as soon as they get a new manufacturer for that damn IMS bearing on board.....

Considering they went away from an IMS altogether as of 2009/2010, I think that issue is now a non-issue for future Porsches.