PRESS RELEASE
Porsche Debuts Boxster at L.A. Auto Show
Porsche Intros Mid-Engined Boxster
First All-New Sports Car in 19 Years
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 3 -- Porsche Cars North America (PCNA)
today introduced its mid-engined, two-seat Boxster, the first all-new Porsche
sports car in 19 years, at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show.
Sharing styling and engineering cues from legendary Porsche roadsters, the
Boxster -- the name is a combination of "boxer" (for the engine's design) and
roadster (for the open, two-seat layout) -- was developed in three-and-a-half
years following its show-stopping introduction at the 1993 North American
International Automobile Show in Detroit as a styling concept.
"The public demanded we build this car," PCNA President Fred Schwab said.
"The Boxster's look captured the imagination of young and old; Porsche owners
and aspirants, as well as many who had never even considered a Porsche.
"And we had to build it to round out our sports-car lineup," he added.
"We wanted an entry-level Porsche which would complement the incomparable and
legendary Porsche 911, as well as offer pure-sports-car attributes like fun
driving, outstanding performance and solid road holding. And we have achieved
all of these goals in the 1997 Porsche Boxster."
The Boxster's sports-car specifications include a 204-horsepower,
2.5-liter engine; four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc
brakes with anti-lock. A body/chassis developed to crumple around a framed
passenger compartment, dual air bags and roll-over hoops are among the safety
features designed into every Boxster.
And creature comforts like air conditioning, power windows and mirrors,
electric-seat back adjustment, leather seating surfaces, an AM/FM/cassette
stereo system and an electrically assisted power convertible top (which raises
in 12 seconds) are all part of the basic Boxster package which has a suggested
retail price of $39,980.
"An entry-level Porsche in price, but, obviously, not in specification,"
Schwab said. "This is a true Porsche, one whose heritage is directly linked
to the great, early Porsche roadsters."
The first Porsche 356 prototype, designed in the late 40s, featured
open-air driving and a mid-engine configuration. This configuration was
repeated with the 1953 introduction of the 550 Spyder, one of the most
successful sports-racing cars of its day. The 1.5-liter racer scored class
wins in 1954 in four major events: the Mille Miglia in Italy, the 24 Hours of
LeMans and the 12 Hours of Reims in France and the Carrera Panamerica in
Mexico.
The classic styling of these earlier roadsters provides the themes for the
Boxster with appropriate updating to meet the performance, comfort,
convenience and safety requirements of today's sports car market.
Due to such features as a smooth aerodynamic under tray and functional
front air intakes, down force has been increased (to help handling and
stability) and the coefficient of drag has been reduced to .31, one of the
lowest in class. Ride stability is further enhanced by a speed-dependent rear
spoiler which extends at 75 (120 kph) miles per hour and retracts as the speed
drops below 50 mph (80 kph).
The interior styling is a combination of retro, Porsche look with modern
ergonomics. As is Porsche tradition, the ignition-key switch is located to
the left of the telescoping steering column. Also, in Porsche style, the
instruments are grouped in an arc, with three prominent gauges (speedometer,
tachometer and fuel and temperature) slightly overlapping each other.
Beneath these analog-face gauges are additional digital displays
indicating vehicle speed and oil level. An optional onboard computer displays
average speed, average fuel consumption, fuel range and outside temperature.
The seats are leather faced with electric backrest adjustment and are
designed for comfort as well as side support during spirited driving. In
addition, the driver's seat has electric height adjustment.
One button and a safety catch allows operation of the standard convertible
soft top which can be raised in 12 seconds. To reduce wind buffeting with the
top down, an optional clip-on wind deflector is available. Another option is
a 55-pound (25 kg) removable aluminum hardtop. Styled simultaneously with the
Boxster to ensure visual harmony, it was designed to be quick and easy to fit.
At the heart of the Boxster is its new engine. Although it retains the
basic layout of Porsche's famed horizontally opposed, six-cylinder "boxer"
motor, the 2.5-liter engine is new in virtually every respect. To meet future
fuel-consumption and emissions requirements, it is the first six-cylinder
Porsche production engine to be water cooled and equipped with four-valve
technology.
Design efficiency allows the 2.5-liter engine to produce 201 hp and propel
the car from 0 to 62 miles per hour (100 kph) in 6.9 seconds (with a top track
speed of 149 mph [240 kph]). Both numbers are amongst the best in the
Boxster's roadster class as is its power-to-weight ratio.
Engine power is transmitted to the rear wheels through either a five-speed
manual gearbox or the optional new Tiptronic S automatic system. The Boxter's
Tiptronic S system differs from previous Porsche Tiptronic S transmissions by
incorporation of five forward gears (instead of four), and by positioning the
manual-mode gear-selection switches exclusively on the steering wheel.
Power transmission can be further enhanced through addition of the
optional traction control and automatic-braking differential systems.
The mid-engine layout provided the 550 Spyder with superior balance and
handling and helps do the same for the Boxster. Suspension is independent at
all four corners, with design features to allow the driver to maintain control
even while braking during a turn.
The Boxster's race-inspired braking system features four internally vented
discs with the calipers having four pistons of varying diameters (to avoid
uneven brake-lining wear). This system is backed by the latest Bosch
anti-lock system (ABS 5).
The standard 6Jx16 front and 7Jx16 alloy rear wheels wear 205/55ZR16 and
225/50ZR 16 tires respectively. An even more aggressive package with 7Jxl7
front wheels with 205/50ZR 17 tires and 8.5jx17 wheels with 225/4ZR 17 tires
is available.
The mid-engine configuration, in addition to its handling benefits, allows
for more top-down storage capacity than virtually all other competitors thanks
to luggage compartments front and rear (for a total of 9.1 cubic feet). In
addition, Porsche has developed an optional Boxster roof-storage system
which is capable of holding up to 165 pounds and can be used with the top up
or down! The system can carry skis, snow boards or bicycles as well as
luggage.
The Boxster, like all Porsches, is covered by a two-year/unlimited
mileage bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, which includes
Porsche's roadside-assistance program. The galvanized body and
26-step-paint-and-anti-corrosion process enables Porsche to warrant each car
against rust perforation for 10 years/unlimited mileage. In addition, the
paint has a three-year limited warranty.
CONTACT: Bob Carlson of Porsche Cars North America, Inc., 702-348-3707 Photo available via NewsCom, 305-448-8411 or http://www.newscom.com
