Did we forget to wish the Boxster a happy 20th birthday? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

itsnotanova · 10-28-2016, 09:35 PM

I know technically 1997 was the first model year but it was released for sale in late 96. What day is the Boxster's birthday?

Smallblock454 · 10-29-2016, 12:50 AM

Hi itsnotanova,

well, i think you're some kind of right.

Prototype presentation was in the beginning of 1993 at the Detroit Motor Show.

Market launch in Germany was in August of 1996.

US press launch took place in Scottsdale, Arizona, on September 10th 1996.

Regards, Markus

paulofto · 10-29-2016, 07:30 AM

Surprising Porsche didn't do some kind of celebration.

itsnotanova · 10-30-2016, 06:23 AM

Thanks Markus, you're like the google of Porsche information. I think that the boxster's official birthday should be when it comes out of Porsche's womb and is available to the public. You wouldn't happen to know the date it was released in Germany?

Porsche9 · 10-30-2016, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smallblock454

Hi itsnotanova,

well, i think you're some kind of right.

Prototype presentation was in the beginning of 1993 at the Detroit Motor Show.

Market launch in Germany was in August of 1996.

US press launch took place in Scottsdale, Arizona, on September 10th 1996.

Regards, Markus

Interesting that it was launched in Scottsdale. At the time it was the only dealer in Phoenix and one of two in all of Arizona. Until very recently the Phoenix area only had one dealer. Now there are two with the opening of the Chandler dealership. Strange for a market with a population of 4 million.

The Boxster's birthday did seem to go unnoticed. Kind of a bummer considering how important it was to Porsche survival.

10/10ths · 10-30-2016, 01:09 PM

Blackcloud · 10-31-2016, 06:19 AM

20 is just a kid. My MGB just turned 50!

tomonomics · 10-31-2016, 10:39 AM

I think it was mentioned a thread earlier in the year. At the auto show in NY they referenced the launch of the 718 as being a '20th anniversary' of the Boxster. Which is funny...."Happy Birthday, here's a turbo, but we're taking away two of your cylinders!"

The first models were sold in Germany in October of 96. But not sure on customer delivery (according the book 'Porsche Boxster' by Brian Long).

As far as the US was concerned, the first press event was in AZ in 1996 as Markus said above. The first public launch was the LA auto show in January of 97, with cars appearing in US dealers a few weeks after that.

Road and Track did a good article that I think was already circulated here

A Look Back at the Car that Saved Porsche: 20 Years of the Boxster

And for nostalgia's sake, here is Motor Trends first review...

Porsche Boxster - Road Test - Motor Trend Magazine

My guess is that Porsche will do some anniversary models for it's 25th birthday, with a 6-cyl Special Edition among others.

10/10ths · 10-31-2016, 04:40 PM

...if you think Porsche will drop a six in some future Boxster. It's all about EPA and that chassis was engineered for the turbo four and the six will not just drop in for a special edition. They have to crash test and federalize the drivetrain. Not gonna happen.

flouese · 11-01-2016, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackcloud

20 is just a kid. My MGB just turned 50!

My 912 is also 50 years old. But wait, its engine is out of a 64 356!

tomonomics · 11-01-2016, 05:34 AM

10/10 - Porsche does their own EPA testing (most manufacturers do), and only needs to make sure the car meets US requirements for safety (airbags, seatbelts, etc), which they have already done for the 981.2 since it's selling here. Adding a different engine would just require them to do additional EPA tests, no different than they do with any other GT2/GT3/911 R. They do their own safety/crash testing.

From what I've read, the 981.2 / 718 is not an all-new chassis, just re-tuned from the 981. I doubt they'd need to retest the entire car because of an engine that weighs about the same as the existing turbo.

Also, they do not have to submit examples to the NHSTA for crash testing, it's not a requirement. The original 981 has still not been crash tested by the NHSTA or IIHS, because Porsche has not requested it (or paid for it). As far as I can tell, the last Boxster that was crash tested by the NHSTA was the 2006 987. The IIHS has never paid to crash test any Porsches.

This doesn't mean they will drop a six in the 25th anniversary model, but EPA and safety regulations certainly won't stop them from making an extra $50+ million by selling one.

And no, I prefer to smoke Arturo Fuentes cigars, not crack.

BIGJake111 · 11-01-2016, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomonomics

10/10 - Porsche does their own EPA testing (most manufacturers do), and only needs to make sure the car meets US requirements for safety (airbags, seatbelts, etc), which they have already done for the 981.2 since it's selling here. Adding a different engine would just require them to do additional EPA tests, no different than they do with any other GT2/GT3/911 R. They do their own safety/crash testing.

From what I've read, the 981.2 / 718 is not an all-new chassis, just re-tuned from the 981. I doubt they'd need to retest the entire car because of an engine that weighs about the same as the existing turbo.

Also, they do not have to submit examples to the NHSTA for crash testing, it's not a requirement. The original 981 has still not been crash tested by the NHSTA or IIHS, because Porsche has not requested it (or paid for it). As far as I can tell, the last Boxster that was crash tested by the NHSTA was the 2006 987. The IIHS has never paid to crash test any Porsches.

This doesn't mean they will drop a six in the 25th anniversary model, but EPA and safety regulations certainly won't stop them from making an extra $50+ million by selling one.

And no, I prefer to smoke Arturo Fuentes cigars, not crack.

Just want to correct that the 718 is considered the 982 not 981.2 if we're going by vins.

It's a small change like the 04 to 05 but still 986 to 987.

10/10ths · 11-01-2016, 02:46 PM

...but, you are dreaming.

Not. Gonna. Happen.

I wish it WOULD happen.

But, it won't.

Perfectlap · 11-01-2016, 04:44 PM

EPA testing is really not such a big deal for a small boutique brand like Porsche. The four door cars do all the heavy lifting sales wise. If the two doors fell below market standards on MPG there would be more consequences from fu fu Starbucks buyers regarding it as a gas hog than any substantial EPA penalties for the most profitable car company around. People bring up CAFE standards as if buyers aren't demanding greater fuel economy these days. Not so much because they consider gas to be expensive, certainly not if they can afford German luxury brands, but more because the educated wealthy expect more advanced engineering. And as far as the car companies themselves....Everything has become a stats game. They want to be the best at everything: power, safety, mpg, reliability, resale. Selling sports cars that only get 11 mpg is history. The car market today is very competitive. Tesla just entered the sedan market and luxury brands already feel a need to respond to their sales growth. 20 years ago they would have ignored Tesla completely.

Perfectlap · 11-01-2016, 04:54 PM

This may sound funny but I have almost no memory of the 1997 Boxster launch in NA.

The BMW Z3 seemed to have made the bigger splash after appearing in the James Bond movie. Ditto for the Audi TT a year or so later. Everyone was talking about the design of that car by 1999. Porsche was just not keeping up in that part of the 90s. And what hubbub there was about Porsche was about how the Boxster was a let down from the 1993 concept car and how FUGLY and muted people thought the 996 was. It wasn't until the sales numbers started making a dent that people started saying anything positive about Porsche after years of negative. Many forget that Porsche sold barely a thousand 993 Carreras in all of North America in a single year before the water cooled twins came on the scene.

tomonomics · 11-02-2016, 07:37 AM

The 993 numbers weren't as bad as everyone makes them out to be. Porsche sold 2600 911s in the US (not including Canada) in 1998, and that was a shortened year because the 996 rolled out in the fall, and was expected due to all the press the new 911 was getting. Before that, they averaged 6 to 7,000 per year in the US.

The real drop off was the end of the 964 models in 92-93.

In it's last full model year of production, Porsche produced ~18,000 993s worldwide. Not too far from the 996's average of 22,000 over it's production run.

Sources: Excellence Magazine / PCNA / Porsche 996 Essential Companion (Streather/Barth)

Perfectlap · 11-03-2016, 05:00 PM

Good point about shorting the production early to make way for the 996 ....but 6 to 7 thousand average for the flagship car in the make or break NA market during the greatest post war boom economy when deeep pocket people and people moving up the ladder fast were buying two of everything is downright awful for such an iconic brand. Particularly after all the investment that was put into the 964 to move the company and flagship car to the next step forward. But the Boxster and 996 sure did the trick....there's gratitude for you!