This third-generation Boxster was unveiled at the March 2012 Geneva Motor Show, with a U.S. debut scheduled for the April New York auto show.
The basics carry over: The 2013 Boxster maintains its mid-engine layout, two-seat cabin and folding soft-top, but this is more than just a facelift. The overall intent of the redesign was to come up with a Boxster that is both more sculpted and more mature.
The 2013 Porsche Boxster features an all-aluminum body, a shift first and foremost to cut weight. While the curb weight will depend on the model you choose, the standard Boxster weighing in at 2,889 pounds, the Boxster S at 3,043 pounds, the 2013 Boxster will tip the scales about 55 pounds lighter than before. Less weight should pay off in improved handling and performance, as well as fuel economy.
That's all the more impressive considering the new 2013 Boxster is nearly two inches longer than previously, at 172.2 inches, bumper-to-tail, with most of that going into a more roomy interior. At 97.4 inches, the wheelbase has been stretched by 2.4 inches. Width and height remain the same, at 70.9 inches and 50.4 inches, respectively.
The cockpit is not only more roomy but more lavishly appointed, with the big four-door Panamera providing a clear influence.
Power for the entry-level 2013 Porsche Boxster comes from a 2.7-liter flat six that makes 265 horsepower, or 10 more than the outgoing model. That will launch you from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds, according to Porsche.
Boxster S gets a 3.4-liter boxer engine making 315 hp, a 5 horsepower improvement. Porsche said the Boxster S will tap the 60 mph mark in 4.7 seconds, the same number as the old 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera.
Porsche will offer a choice of two different gearboxes: a 6-speed manual and the 7-speed PDK, or Porsche double-clutch. If the latter performs anywhere near as well in the new Boxster as it does in the 2012 Porsche 911, the $3,200 PDK package is likely to become the option of choice. Sadly, Porsche decided not to give the new Boxster the first-of-its-kind 7-speed manual introduced on the latest-generation 911, though that could change later in the lifecycle.
In terms of fuel economy, Porsche promised a 15-percent improvement, though U.S. government ratings have yet to be released.
Officially, just about nothing has been carried over with the introduction of the 2013 Boxster, other than those updated powertrains. It is almost totally new.
Perhaps one of the most controversial decisions was to migrate from the old Boxster's highly regarded hydraulic steering system to an electro-hydraulic system, similar to what's under the hood of the new 911. However, Porsche and other manufacturers have been improving the feel of these new steering systems so we expect it will disappoint few buyers.
On the creature comfort side of the equation, the new Porsche Boxster adopts a modified soft top Porsche claims will cut noise levels in half for those who actually drive with the top up: from 75 decibels to 71 dB. The soft top will still fold down in about the time it takes for a light to change and can be operated while moving at very low speeds.
Porsche plans to have the new Boxster in U.S. showrooms by summer 2012, with the base car going for about $49,500. The Boxster S will come in at about $60,900.
