Next Boxster Mill 4 cylinder?

[wild1poet2]

What are folks thinking about the reports that the next generation Boxster will have a twin turbo flat 2.5L four putting out approx. 350hp and a similar amount of torque?

I'm partial to the 6 cylinder but those are impressive power numbers. Maybe if there is little turbo lag?

[thstone]

My initial reaction isn't positive but I'll trust that the boys in Stuttgart know what they're doing and wouldn't offer it unless it was better in many ways to what we have now.

[Paul]

Only if it's a Subaru motor?

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by wild1poet2

What are folks thinking about the reports that the next generation Boxster will have a twin turbo flat 2.5L four putting out approx. 350hp and a similar amount of torque?

I'm partial to the 6 cylinder but those are impressive power numbers. Maybe if there is little turbo lag?

I haven't seen any report talking about that much power.

[Paul]

From Motortrend:

The 2011 STI routes 305 horsepower from the same 2.5-liter flat-4 through a 6-speed manual transmission to all four wheels, meaning a blast to 60 mph will take 4.8 seconds, and the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds at 100.6 mph, as it did in our departed long-term STI. The robust Brembo braking system, which is good for a 109-foot 60-to-0 mph stopping distance, is unchanged

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/new_york/2010/1003_2011_subaru_impreza_wrx_sti_sedan/index.html#ixzz1RIDQnKrB

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Paul

From Motortrend:

The 2011 STI routes 305 horsepower from the same 2.5-liter flat-4 through a 6-speed manual transmission to all four wheels, meaning a blast to 60 mph will take 4.8 seconds, and the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds at 100.6 mph, as it did in our departed long-term STI. The robust Brembo braking system, which is good for a 109-foot 60-to-0 mph stopping distance, is unchanged

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/new_york/2010/1003_2011_subaru_impreza_wrx_sti_sedan/index.html#ixzz1RIDQnKrB

The STi has had 305bhp from 2.5 liters since 2004. I haven't seen anything reporting that kind of power on the Boxster 4 cylinder.

[insite]

me neither. my guess would be 240HP base & 305HP S, but with a slightly lighter car.....

also, i wouldn't be surprised if they went for a single turbo I4 to save money.....

[Paul]

My point is Porsche should use Subaru's reliable motor in the "new" Boxster.

[jacabean]

how about Mitsu's 2.0 turbo , motor trend got 4.3 to 60 in the GSR 5 speed model. this car is heavy and only has 290 H.P. and smokes the
STI in handling .
I highly welcome a flat 4 turbo it will give the boxster something it never had , TORQUE ! Just think of all the tuning possibilities with the turbo motor. 3 to 4 k in an EVO gives close to 400H.P. at the wheels !

[mikefocke]

reliability reports on Subaru motors?

Numbers don't back up their cult status.

[paulv]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

reliability reports on Subaru motors?

Numbers don't back up their cult status.

Mike,

That's a true statement -- I have an '10 Forester (first Subaru) and on a Forester forum -- lots of reliability problems w/turbo'd engines -- glad mine's NA.

Regards,
paul...

[boscoe]

There is absolutely no lag in the 911 turbo. Test drove a new one last week and still grinning! It is the closest any car has come to matching the performance on my racing motorcycles! Killer technology.
Also, while shopping for a small truck in June I drove the Nissan Juke, which has a turbo. It was spritely, but a bit dull for use HP freaks. No lag there, either.
So a Boxster turbo 4 should be an interesting and exciting machine.

[Overdrive]

Just saw the post on Autoblog this morning.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/05/2016-next-next-porsche-boxster-to-get-twin-turbo-four-cayman-st/

350 out of a twin turbo four is great if you ask me, and we know their reason behind it is mainly to increase efficiency without turning the car into a glorified K-car. Ford's squeezing 30mpg out of their 300hp V6 in the Mustang (on paper), so getting equal if not better numbers both in power and fuel economy in the Boxster compared to its outgoing engine is quite alright with me. Even the Corvette has a rumor flying about that it'll end up with a 3.X OHC (finally) V-8 putting out similar if not better power than the current high displacement engines they run.

My one thing about this change is that I'm curious to see how it will sound (praying they won't go for that ugly Subaru burble). I took a co-worker for a spin in the Boxster and he turns to me and says: "...it doesn't sound like a Boxer engine." to which I pretty much said "No, see, this is how a Boxer is supposed to sound, not that Subie burble that you like." He changed his tune a bit after he heard the car really wind up.

And I really doubt it's going to have any lag issues, but we'll have to see if it runs out of breath on the high end. Porsche may be making their upcoming 911 look more like a Panamera than the other way around, but I really doubt they're going to do something that'll totally piss off their clients.

[wild1poet2]

Originally Posted by blue2000s

I haven't seen any report talking about that much power.

Wasn't sure if I could link another site here. There have been rumors for awhile of that power range. As has been pointed out the subies' are getting close to that now.

This could be a way to keep the Boxster/Cayman from overlapping into the 911 series market. I want them to take the 3.4L 6 and turbocharge it. A factory turbo charged Boxster. A hybrid assisted turbo 4 sounds interesting however.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/05/2016-next-next-porsche-boxster-to-get-twin-turbo-four-cayman-st/

Excerpt: "..... Car contends that the next major Boxster/Cayman facelift is due around 2015/2016 and a host of new drivetrains will follow suit. A bigger bore twin-turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four will replace the current 3.4-liter flat-six, developing over 350 horsepower and a similar amount of torque. A smaller, 1.6-liter version will make its way into the oft-rumored 356-inspired speedster, the nearly forgotten mid-engine Volkswagen and Audi's sub-TT. And don't be surprised if a hybrid-assist option appears in late 2016."

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

reliability reports on Subaru motors?

Numbers don't back up their cult status.

My WRX has 111,000 miles, has never needed anything more than one timing belt and regular oil changes and makes almost the same power as my S. It's my second Subaru, the first one has 135,000 miles on it and has the same story. These cars are incredibly reliable and cheap to own.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by paulv

Mike,

That's a true statement -- I have an '10 Forester (first Subaru) and on a Forester forum -- lots of reliability problems w/turbo'd engines -- glad mine's NA.

Regards,
paul...

Turbo engines have huge potential for power and for failure. A stock turbo engine is extremely reliable.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by wild1poet2

Wasn't sure if I could link another site here. There have been rumors for awhile of that power range. As has been pointed out the subies' are getting close to that now.

This could be a way to keep the Boxster/Cayman from overlapping into the 911 series market. I want them to take the 3.4L 6 and turbocharge it. A factory turbo charged Boxster. A hybrid assisted turbo 4 sounds interesting however.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/05/2016-next-next-porsche-boxster-to-get-twin-turbo-four-cayman-st/

Excerpt: "..... Car contends that the next major Boxster/Cayman facelift is due around 2015/2016 and a host of new drivetrains will follow suit. A bigger bore twin-turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four will replace the current 3.4-liter flat-six, developing over 350 horsepower and a similar amount of torque. A smaller, 1.6-liter version will make its way into the oft-rumored 356-inspired speedster, the nearly forgotten mid-engine Volkswagen and Audi's sub-TT. And don't be surprised if a hybrid-assist option appears in late 2016."

Interesting. Considering the 991 is getting 3.4 and 4.0 boxer sixes, and the 3.4 will be 350bhp, I would guess that a 350bhp 4-cylinder is not in the cards in the immediate future of the 981.

[wild1poet2]

That link is guessing for 2016 MY. So maybe by then 350hp will seem modest.

The original Boxster 6 was of 2.5L displacement.

I'm not thrilled with the idea.

[Overdrive]

2.5 for a six cylinder is really on the small side of displacement. These days you find more often that there are 4 cylinders up to that displacement, it's sort of that threshold where one can either make a big 4 or a small 6 (Mazda3s now have 2.5 fours, used to be a 2.3). I don't see anything wrong with using the same displacement with two fewer cylinders and some forced induction...so long as it sounds right.

I'm sure that for right now they're going to stick with what's there and wait until the last possible minute to introduce new style engines to meet regulations. Too much money has been invested in the engines already out there and improving upon them in what's coming up on 15 years. Since things always sort of trickle down from flagship cars, I figure the same will happen for the Boxster unless they decide to pull a little from VW here, a little from Audi there, which I'm sure is very likely for anything that's not a 911. The only thing I'm hoping they don't do is try to put an inline TSI engine from a GTI in the car and still call it a Boxster.

[ekam]

Flat 6 is naturally balanced. Won't have the smoothness nor the same song in a 4-cyl turbo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_balance