Porsche Boxter
- Porsche Boxter Features And Where It Is
Built
The Porsche Boxster and Porsche Boxster S are fast, powerful
cars and most of all the best-handling production roadsters on the
planet. Introduced in 1996, it remained essentially unchanged,
other than moderate horsepower and interior-options tweaks. That’s
what Porsche usually does with the successful models: it retains
car look and configuration for ages.
A more powerful
second-generation Porsche Boxster was introduced in 2005 and it
keeps Porsche’s conservative evolutionary path. Like its precedent,
it is a mid-engine, six-cylinder two-seater that looks like Porsche
Spyder. Still, over half of Porsche Boxster's structure and
electronics are borrowed from the 911 Carrera.
The 2005 Porsche Boxster looks sprightlier than its 2004
equivalent, thanks to the revision of the torque and the 15 added
hp and the extra power coming on strongly between 2000rpm and 4000
rpm. The 2005 Porsche Boxster S virtually equals the acceleration
and top-speed performance of Porsche's expensive 911 Carrera. The
Porsche Boxster exhaust has been tuned to play a distinctive
tromboning wail like no other car. This is a amazing thing thinking
that both engines are smaller versions of the six-cylinder in the
Carrera.
The transmission for base Porsche Boxters is five-speed manual
but the optional variant offers a six-speed. Both models can
also be fitted with a five-speed Tiptronic, the superb
Porsche-designed automatic transmission that began the trend toward
manually shifted automatics.
The bodywork and the interior of the Boxster are of high
quality, but considering that there’s noting tricky or purely
decorative, we can definitely say that these are not opulent cars.
Still, the interior has been improved since the old car was often
criticized for being to cheap-looking. The center console has been
upgraded with revised switch-gear and titanium look paneling. The
seats are more supportive and body-shaped in the new version,
making them look absolutely superb. Unlike other roadsters, the
Boxster has no problem swallowing luggage for a long trip: it has
two trunks, a small one in the rear and an amply deep one under the
front hood.
One of The Porsche Boxster`s best qualities is the powered
convertible top, very quick to retract or re-erect. In the new
Boxster, the top can be operated at speeds up to 30 mph. The
triple-layer padded cloth tops (with a heated-glass rear window) is
as weather-tight and quiet as most metal roofs.
The Porsche Boxster is called a mid engine-car. The reason is
that the sweet six-cylinder engine is mounted behind the seats,
just fore of the rear axle. So if you want to see what’s under the
hood once in while, well…you can’t do that with The Boxster.
The only way to see the engine is from underneath or by
meticulously removing body panels, which mechanics must do to
service the engine. But, the good news is that having the engine
mounted closer to the center of the car makes for better weight
distribution. And that’s what makes the car handle so
well.
Porsche Boxter built in Valmet
In 1998, Porsche realized that if they wanted to sell more
Boxsters, they needed to produce more cars. To do so, they
contracted with a plant in Finland called Valmet because the plant
in Zuffenhausen couldn’t handle the increased production.
The initial plan was for Porsche Boxster to be produced in
Finland for only two years. Everybody thought that by that time the
demand in Zuffenhausen would decrease so that plant could handle
all production. But the Boxster demand remains high, and so does
the one for 996, so against all expectations the plant will remain
busy for the foreseeable future. Zuffenhausen can assemble 30,000
cars per year, so the only way the Porsche Boxster would be moved
entirely to Finland is if Porsche could sell the better part of
that many 996s. In the short term, that isn’t likely to happen
though. Most of the cars destined for North America are built
in Valmet.
Now it became impossible to specify where a car was built. Even
ordering Tourist Delivery doesn't force a Stuttgart build.
Apparently some cars are shipped from Finland to Stuttgart for
Tourist Delivery.
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