For all the endless discussion about how SUVs transformed Porsche, there’s another vehicle in its product portfolio that deserves special mention. Recall that in the early 1990s, Porsche was in fiscal disarray as sales of its two front-engine GTs, the 928 and the 944-derived 968, seriously flagged. The immediate decision was to create a sports car that strongly recalled Porsche’s origins as an enthusiast car that used available mechanicals to keep prices within reach. The first result of that initiative was the Porsche Boxster, one of the sweetest-handling sporting pieces you can buy anywhere, at any price. The Boxster, officially Porsche Type 718, has been produced in four generations, and soon spawned a coupe-body sibling, the Cayman. The Boxster was an instant success, swiftly becoming Porsche’s biggest-selling vehicle, and helped it keep the wildebeests at bay until the mega-profitable Cayenne SUV arrived in 2003.
Predictably, Porsche is marking this important milestone with a 25th anniversary edition of the Boxster. Powered by Porsche’s 4.0-liter flat-six, the anniversary Boxster is its use of Neodyme, a metallic brown, as the contrast color for components such as its wheels. Three overall colors will be offered, offset by a red convertible top, Bordeaux leather interior with a heated multifunction steering wheel, and “Boxster 25” accents. It’s available for ordering now with deliver beginning at the end of March. If past Porsche experiences with special editions are any clue, these will be snapped up in a hurry, but take heart: More than 357,000 copies of the Boxster have been produced over its lifespan, and enthusiasts prize good used ones as serious drivers cars that can be had for short money.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 