Porsche Boxster - Design Review
Will the Boxster become a classic design
Oct 28, 2004 – The Boxster has been a wonderful success story for Porsche since its introduction in 1996. No fewer than 160,000 have been sold in the intervening eight years and this second generation model aims to update the car in terms of both looks and technical features. The stated aim is that the design of the Boxster, like the 911, will become a classic shape that develops through steady and consistent evolution, rather than explore major new design themes, according to Porsche.
Key changes centre around the simplified design language that eliminates the use of concave ‘flips’ that were a particular characteristic of the original Boxster concept of 1993. The biggest difference is at the front, where the headlamps are now egg-shaped and the hood features a totally enclosed shutline treatment not unlike the iconic 550 Spyder. The wheelarches are more defined than previously to cover a wider track and larger 17” or 18” wheels but the downside is that the tighter, less organic, surfaces have become slightly generic, too similar to the new 911 (997 type) or even a Toyota MR2.
At the rear, those swelling hips and buttocks remain but the bumper shutline now feeds up to the top of the taillamp in a more contemporary fashion. The exhaust exits centrally as before: a single oval pipe for the basic version, twin round pipes for the ‘S’. From the side, the elongated air intake is the most obvious distinguishing feature to spot the new model from the older one
The revised shape shares not only a lot of common themes with the new 911 but much of the front end structure too. Hang on - aren’t those doors on the new Boxster identical to the 997? And the front fenders and hood? No, the fender lip is slightly different, the inner surface around the headlamp a little narrower but the edges of the panels, the hard points, appear identical.
This is either quite clever parts sharing for a niche manufacturer or else one might accuse Porsche of compromising design to achieve tooling commonality across the two models. Likewise, the interior shares a lot of commonality with the larger 997. The basic surfaces of the instrument panel appear alike, although the Boxster uses four circular vents rather than the rectangular barrel vents of the larger car and a floating binnacle with three dials, not five.
The upper door lining shares the beautiful scroll shaped inner door release from its big brother and the centre console stack will look familiar to Cayenne or 911 owners. The overall impression is of a more grown-up and undoubtedly ‘Porsche’ interior with improved ergonomics, and only the ‘sports stopwatch’ on top of the IP on the optional Sports Chrono version appears in questionable taste.
One can’t fault the logic behind the need to share as many parts as possible for a niche independent manufacturer but isn’t there a danger that even Porsche aficionados might start to become tired with a too-familiar design formula? I hope I’m wrong.
Oct 28, 2004 – The Boxster has been a wonderful success story for Porsche since its introduction in 1996. No fewer than 160,000 have been sold in the intervening eight years and this second generation model aims to update the car in terms of both looks and technical features. The stated aim is that the design of the Boxster, like the 911, will become a classic shape that develops through steady and consistent evolution, rather than explore major new design themes, according to Porsche.
Key changes centre around the simplified design language that eliminates the use of concave ‘flips’ that were a particular characteristic of the original Boxster concept of 1993. The biggest difference is at the front, where the headlamps are now egg-shaped and the hood features a totally enclosed shutline treatment not unlike the iconic 550 Spyder. The wheelarches are more defined than previously to cover a wider track and larger 17” or 18” wheels but the downside is that the tighter, less organic, surfaces have become slightly generic, too similar to the new 911 (997 type) or even a Toyota MR2.
At the rear, those swelling hips and buttocks remain but the bumper shutline now feeds up to the top of the taillamp in a more contemporary fashion. The exhaust exits centrally as before: a single oval pipe for the basic version, twin round pipes for the ‘S’. From the side, the elongated air intake is the most obvious distinguishing feature to spot the new model from the older one
The revised shape shares not only a lot of common themes with the new 911 but much of the front end structure too. Hang on - aren’t those doors on the new Boxster identical to the 997? And the front fenders and hood? No, the fender lip is slightly different, the inner surface around the headlamp a little narrower but the edges of the panels, the hard points, appear identical.
This is either quite clever parts sharing for a niche manufacturer or else one might accuse Porsche of compromising design to achieve tooling commonality across the two models. Likewise, the interior shares a lot of commonality with the larger 997. The basic surfaces of the instrument panel appear alike, although the Boxster uses four circular vents rather than the rectangular barrel vents of the larger car and a floating binnacle with three dials, not five.
The upper door lining shares the beautiful scroll shaped inner door release from its big brother and the centre console stack will look familiar to Cayenne or 911 owners. The overall impression is of a more grown-up and undoubtedly ‘Porsche’ interior with improved ergonomics, and only the ‘sports stopwatch’ on top of the IP on the optional Sports Chrono version appears in questionable taste.
One can’t fault the logic behind the need to share as many parts as possible for a niche independent manufacturer but isn’t there a danger that even Porsche aficionados might start to become tired with a too-familiar design formula? I hope I’m wrong.
Dimensions: length 4329mm, width 1801mm, height 1295mm, wheelbase 2415mm.Oct 28, 2004 – The Boxster has been a wonderful success story for Porsche since its introduction in 1996. No fewer than 160,000 have been sold in the intervening eight years and this second generation model aims to update the car in terms of both looks and technical features. The stated aim is that the design of the Boxster, like the 911, will become a classic shape that develops through steady an
