Porsche – a company known for creating light and highly efficient and desirable sports cars – took the wraps off one of its most nimble and sportiest mid-engine cars ever: the 2011 Boxster Spyder at the Los Angeles Auto Show on December 2, 2009.
This new mid-engine Porsche represents the purist form of the roadster sports car, meaning it is agile, powerful, open and efficient. Weighing only 2,811 lbs. and delivering 320 horsepower, it goes on sale in February 2010 and will join the Boxster and Boxster S that made their world debut here last year.
This exciting new member of the Boxster family stands out among other versions of the company's famous roadster. Almost reluctantly, Porsche's engineers equipped it with a lightweight manual soft top meant for protection only; it is there to be deployed on those occasions when the elements absolutely demand it. This utilitarian top, when combined with extra-low side windows and two striking bulges on the single-piece rear lid, provides the Boxster Spyder with a sleek, low-slung silhouette reminiscent of the Carrera GT.
"The new Boxster Spyder looks distinctly different from its Boxster siblings," said Klaus Berning, Porsche's executive board member responsible for worldwide sales and marketing, speaking at the Los Angeles Auto Show press conference today. "Our designers borrowed from the rich history of our mid-engine sports and race cars of the '50s, but under the skin it has our most advanced technology so that its performance matches the Spyder's looks, making it the quintessential purist Porsche."
The Boxster Spyder features a 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine with Direct Fuel Injection upfront of the rear axle. Maximum output is 320 horsepower, 10 more than the Boxster S.
The combination of more horsepower, 176 lbs. less weight than the award-winning Boxster S, an all-new sport suspension that lowers the Boxster Spyder 20 mm, a lower center of gravity, a standard limited slip differential, and exclusive wheels provide the kind of driving dynamics that back up the unique look. Aluminum door skins and lightweight interior door panels from the 911 GT3 RS contribute to the weight reduction.
When equipped with Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission and the Sports Chrono Package, the new Spyder, using Launch Control, accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Top track speed is 166 mph – with the roof open.
