Porsche Boxster News

It's a lightweight Boxster with more punch that gets its inspiration from the classic 550 Spyder of the 1950s. The newcomer is called the Boxster Spyder and will be revealed early next month

The car had rolled under the boomgate on the eastern side of Berowra Waters at 10.30pm on November 7. The ferry was on the other side of the creek at the time and the Porsche's owner chased his car, which has a starting price of $110,000, but couldn't stop it.Commercial diver Nathan Sherwood led the five-hour salvage operation on Monday in atrocious conditions, eventually using a barge to carry the porsche to the western-side boat ramp. "We used depth sounders that pick up all sorts of things on the bottom and once we found it, me and another diver went down there," Mr Sherwood said."It was in about eight metres of murky water and we found it on its roof. We had to rig it up to a crane on a barge so we could get it to the surface, then re-rig it so it was wheels down and we could put it on the ramp. It was a half-day operation in the pouring rain."The car was a write-off. "It came up looking pretty shiny, but it had been in that much mud," Mr Sherwood said. "I felt pretty sorry for the owner, the poor guy went through hell. After we got the car up, we went back down there to look for his valuables, but because the car had been upside down and we'd flipped it they could've got caught in the current again and ended up anywhere."Sharyn Gallaway was at Berowra Waters when the car was pulled from the deep. "It looked in pretty good nick, considering where it had been," she said. "It actually sat there in the carpark until this morning. It was a pretty expensive swimming lesson, that's for sure."

And yes, that means not just the upcoming 918 Spyder and the 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, but also upcoming versions of the Cayenne, and even the 'sacred' mid or rear-engine sports cars — the 911, Boxster, and Cayman.The Panamera S E-Hybrid, which Porsche says is the first luxury plug-in hybrid (other than the Fisker Karma) was first shown at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show and will go on sale toward the end of this year, with a sticker price of US$99,975 (AU$100,275).That system can run the vehicle on electric power alone for 35km, yet it has a combined output of 310kW and 589Nm of torque and can reach 96km/h in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 269km/h.Cayenne next... and 918 Spyder.On the way next is a version of the Cayenne, which will continue to also use the supercharged V6, and the 918 Spyder, which as we reported earlier this week will make a phenomenal 653kW and can get to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds (or a top speed of more than 340km/h).In that next-generation technology, you can expect a battery pack that's more energy dense (meaning it might have fewer package sacrifices, or more capability for electric-only operation), while the brand is also developing an inductive charging system that may be used by the time it hits the market.Next-generation plug-in hybrids, Autocar notes, will include map data, to help the systems anticipate when to use engine stop-start, when to coast, and when to use more electric assist—all for even better range and fuel-efficiency.Could it be repurposed for Bentley? According to Edmunds, the hybrid powertrain for the next-generation Porsche hybrid module would be built on the Volkswagen Group's MSB platform architecture, which will debut in the 2016 Panamera. And since Bentley will be using this same platform, its cars are fair game, too—if, that is, the system can be configured to fit the British ultra-luxury marque's strong-and-smooth driving personality.The early reports come via members of the press who were invited to a Panamera Hybrid Technology workshop.Porsche isn't the only automaker to be angling toward a far greater performance hybrid lineup in a few years. Mercedes-Benz performance division AMG also has long-term plans to offer hybrid performance models, whereas Porsche's VW Group cousin, Audi, may have some hybrid models yet plans to emphasise the performance potential of diesel technology in future sports cars.www.motorauthority.com

The price premium on Australian-delivered Porsches continues, but things are a changin'. As a result of the soaring Aussie dollar and market pressure, Porsche has now dropped the price of some models -- although we still pay nearly twice as much for a Porsche as a US buyer.Porsche Australia says it cut the prices to remain competitive. They want to double sales here by 2020, which translates into 2500 vehicles. The price cuts range from 7.5 per cent to 13 per cent on 911 sports cars, 5 per cent across the Boxster convertible and Cayman coupe ranges, and 10 per cent off every Cayenne SUV.It means $5500 off the cheapest model, the Boxster convertible (down from $107,000 to $101,500). Significantly, the price cuts equate to some $36,300 discount on the current flagship of the 911 sports-car range, the Carrera 4 Cabriolet ($280,900 to $244,600).The company has also trimmed the price of parts replaced during routine servicing by 25 per cent. Porsche price rises over the past five years have outpaced inflation. In the US, a base model Porsche Carrera 911 is $84,300. Here, the same car goes for $229,400, some of it accounted for in taxes.

Switzerland is car-making neutral ground and has little vehicle industry of its own. But its annual showcase has a reputation as the "designer" show, where the elite brands put their best ideas on display and the minor players can share the limelight.VOLVO V40Vehicle: Small premium hatch.Volvo has been treading water on vehicle development and a clear strategic direction has yet to emerge after its takeover by China's Geely two years ago. Its first new product since then still owes a lot to previous parent Ford, with parts of the V40 traceable to the Focus.But like the Mercedes A-Class, it tackles the booming segment of premium compact hatchbacks and is expected to add 100,000 sales a year. Volvo chief Stefan Jacoby says it sets new standards in the segment, with features trickling down from its larger cars. These include City Safety, a collision avoidance system that can prevent a rear-ender at up to 50km/h, and the headline feature, the world's first pedestrian airbag, which deploys from the rear edge of the bonnet.PORSCHE BOXSTERVehicle: Convertible sportscar."The car that rescued Porsche'' is not over-stating the significance of the Boxster, its little mid-engined roadster, which troubled brand purists when it appeared in the 1990s but undoubtedly brought the brand back from the financial precipice.Pictures of the heavily restyled new car have been around for a while but Porsche saved the real thing for Geneva. It shares many of its innovations with the 911, and Porsche will be rolling out variants of these two models for years to come. Lighter than before despite a longer wheelbase and wider track, two flat-six engines are offered from the outset: a 195kW 2.7-litre or 232kW 3.4-litre in the Boxster S. Its bound to better than the last one, and that's still the benchmark in this category.MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASSVehicle: Luxury hatchback.Mercedes-Benz has had mixed fortunes with small cars. Its previous A and B-Class were the Tweedledum and Tweedledee of a segment that contained cars such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.Expensive to build and mumsie in their appeal, Mercedes has torn up that approach and started from scratch. The A will be the smallest and least expensive of what will eventually be a five-car line-up in which only the practical mini-bus B is recognisable from before. The premium small car market is running hot and the A will aim to lure anyone shopping with Golf money and above. It's more macho, more premium and ready-fitted with top-shelf equipment such as collision prevention systems. It's also Mercedes biggest roll of the dice since the new M-Class SUV.FERRARI F12 BERLINETTAVehicle: Supercar.Most Ferraris sold are V8s, particularly since it added the entry-level California convertible to its range. Thanks in part to that car, last year production reached a record of 7200, and its margins are the envy of the industry.But true believers know it's the 12-cylinder cars that are really at the heart of the badge. Last year it replaced its flagship four-seater 12-cylinder and this year it rolls out its two-seater V12 coupe, the F12 Berlinetta. This replaces the six-year old 599 GTB and lifts the bar on performance even further. The F12 is the most powerful road car Ferrari has built, with a new 6.3-litre engine that develops 544kW and can rev to 8700rpm. It propels the F12 to 100km/h in 3.1 seconds and 200km/h in 8.5. Ferrari has been fast-tracking technology recently and the F12 comes with every dynamic trick Ferrari can muster.INFINITI EMERG-EVehicle: Concept supercar.Nissan's luxury division Infiniti has global ambitions after years establishing a foothold in the US. For its fifth appearance at the Geneva show it rolled out the third in a trio of concepts that demonstrate the evolution of its design thinking. The clunkily named Emerg-e pushes the boundaries on technology and performance.Its striking silver carbon-fibre body houses lithium ion batteries that power two mid-mounted electric motors. Together they pump out 300kW and can power the car to 100km/h in four seconds. Emerg-e can travel 50km on electricity before a three-cylinder petrol engine fires up and extends its range to almost 500km. Infiniti launches in Australia later this year.BENTLEY EXP 9 FVehicle: Luxury SUV.There's long been a gap in the SUV market above the most expensive Range Rovers and Porsche Cayennes that elite makers have been slow to fill. Not any more. In a few weeks, Lamborghini will unveil its extreme offroader, but Bentley has got in first with the EXP 9 F.Its first experimental, or EXP, car in a decade, the F stands for Falcon, the fastest animal on the planet. Huge and in many people's eyes not the prettiest, it's recognisably a Bentley thanks to its matrix grille, strong haunches and interior heavy with wood and leather.The showcar boasts 23-inch "turbine'' wheels, while under the bonnet is the same 6.0-litre turbo W12 engine that powers Bentley's GT line. Its goal is to set a new pinnacle for the segment, it says, and, despite any production schedule, Bentley left little doubt it was committed to the idea.BERTONE NUCCIOVehicle: Concept sportscar.Geneva is where the European tuners, aftermarket specialists and styling houses turn up to impress the industry with their skills. It's where names such as Pininfarina and Giugiaro, Ruf and EDAG strut their stuff alongside the majors.One of them, Italian design specialist Bertone, has survived to celebrate 100 years against the odds. Its showcar, named after the "master of Italian style'' Nuccio Bertone, honours that milestone and the determination of his widow to keep the company going.The car, a dramatic orange-and-grey wedge with a mid-mounted 4.3-litre V8, references famous concepts from Bertone's past, such as the Lancia Stratos Zero of 1970. You can't see out the back, so a camera feeds the view on to an LED-screen-virtual-rear-window. It's unlikely to go into production, but shows there's life in Bertone yet.LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR JVehicle: One-off supercar.What does it feel like to have the wind in your hair at 300km/h? If you're the one with more than E2 million ($2.5m) to spend on the Aventador J, then you'll find out. Only one will be built, and even by Lamborghini's extreme standards this is an uncompromising set of wheels.It starts life as the Aventador, Lamborghini's new carbon-fibre mid-engined V12 supercar, and then doubles down. It removes the roof and windscreen and you can forget about satnav or a radio. It's unlikely you'll be able to hear much, anyway, apart from the engine because the cover has gone, replaced by a carbon-fibre lattice. Underneath is the same 6.5-litre 515kW V12 that propels the Aventador, but with less weight to shift. Lamborghini doesn't say how fast it is, but it does refer to the driver as a "pilot''.LAND ROVER EVOQUE CONVERTIBLEVehicle: Convertible SUV concept car.Almost four years since it was taken over by Indian giant Tata, Jaguar Land Rover really is hitting its straps. Profits exceeded pound stg. 1 billion ($1.48bn) last year for the first time, it's pumping money into R&D and creating 4000 jobs. Plans are also afoot to expand production into India, China and Brazil.One reason: in the Evoque luxury SUV it has a phenomenal hit on its hands. Evoque's success hinges on its striking design and Land Rover takes the idea further in its Geneva showcar, which is a study for an open-top version. Officially designed to "gauge reaction'', it will certainly get made if JLR has an assembly line spare

The open-top two-seater has a completely new lightweight body and revamped chassis. Weight has been reduced which combines with with a longer wheelbase, wider track, larger wheels and new electro-mechanical power steering to take the mid-engined roadster's dynamics to an eye watering level. The new Porsche Boxster also boasts improved performance and up to 15 per cent greater fuel efficiency with less than 8.0 litres/ 100km achievable. It has a new look too with the body sporting shorter overhangs, a more forward windscreen, distinctive silhouette and expressive edges. Occupants are enclosed by the redesigned, fully electric roof which now dispenses with a convertible top compartment lid. The interior offers more space and reflects the new Porsche design language with raked centre console originating from the Carrera GT. Both Boxster and Boxster S run flat-six engines with direct petrol injection, the efficiency of which is further enhanced by electrical system recuperation, thermal management and start/stop function. The base model's new engine delivers 195 kW from a 2.7 litre displacement - up seven kilowatts over its predecessor despite a reduction in capacity. The 3.4 litre Boxster S now delivers 232 kW - up four kilowatts. Both models feature a manual six-speed gearbox as standard with the seven-speed Porsche (PDK) available as an option. Both sports cars achieve their best fuel consumption and acceleration performance with the PDK. With gear changes without interruption to the power flow, the Boxster sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, the Boxster S in 5.0 seconds. To enhance driving dynamics even further, Porsche offers the Sport Chrono Package as an optional extra, featuring dynamic transmission mounts for the first time. Also new on the roadster is Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with mechanical rear axle differential lock. The new Boxster generation goes on sale in Europe in mid April, with sales in Australia beginning a few months later. Local pricing will be announced close to then.

For the first time the Porsche Boxster looks more like a serious sports car than a softer and scaled-down 911 for people who cannot afford the real thing. The 2012 model just revealed by Porsche has had a much bigger visual makeover than the latest all-new 991-series 911 and now trumpets a look that could have been inspired by the Carrera GT. It likely points towards the final bodywork on Porsche's next all-out supercar, the 918. Mechanically, the new Boxster picks up the development work on the 911 in a trickle-down plan that will also power the next Cayman coupe in 2013. "In relative terms, the Boxster is almost a bigger change than the 911. The car has evolved and it will enjoy all the changes that have come with the 911 platform," Michael Winkler, managing director of Porsche Cars Australia, tells Carsguide. "If you remember the refinements of the 991, you can see what to expect. In the context of the class, it will be a sensational car." The new Boxster is longer and wider than the outgoing car, with two engine choices as usual to power the regular car and the S. The starter motor has shrunk to just 2.7 litres but Porsche claims more power - 195 kiloWatts - and torque with similar direct fuel injection to the 911, while the S comes with an unchanged 3.4 that is up slightly to 232 kiloWatts. The manual gearbox is a six-speed, chopped a cog from the 911, but the PDK manumatic is now a seven-speeder and Porsche says it helps the Boxster S to hit 100km/h in 5.0 seconds. Porsche also claims a 15 per cent economy improvement with consumption as low as 7.9 litres/100km. The car is lighter than the current car, has a longer wheelbase, bigger wheels and electric power steering - the one 911 change that has not been universally praised. As part of the body work, Porsche has given the cabin a total makeover and there is more space and a similar look and feel to the 911. The folding roof is fully electric and there is no top on the compartment lid in the tail. "The car is stretched and it has the same interior dimensions as the 911," says Winkler. There is a Sport Chrono package on the options' list, as well as Porsche Torque Vectoring with a mechanical differential lock Sales of the Boxster make up a quarter of Australian deliveries, and half of the sports car volume, and Winkler recognises its importance when sales begin around June. "The Cayman is a bit further down the track still, but it's safe to assme there will be one," he admits. Winkler refuses to discuss the showroom stickers, even though the strength of the Australian dollar points towards a no-change deal for 2012 or a relatively small increase from the $106,100 and $132,400 of today's Boxster and S. "We're not talking about the pricing yet," Winkler says.

Porsche's president and CEO Matthias Muller this week confirmed that it will make a small, mid-engined roadster.  The car will be heavily based on the Volkswagen Bluesport roadster and is expected to be publicly unveiled in 2012 and go on sale in 2013. It is the latest announcement of product cross-sharing between Porsche and its new owner, Volkswagen.  The Porsche baby Boxster - as yet unnamed - is in "an advanced stage of development" at Porsche's research and development centre in Weissach, says a report by Auto Express. "We have a model based on the Bluesport, but we are not yet ready to show it," says Muller.  "When we are convinced about the project, we will be ready to show it. The first time you see it, it will be as a production ready car." Muller says the baby Boxster will get a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine - likely to be turbocharged.  The engine, in a higher level of tuning, will also be available in the next generation Boxster and Cayman. Both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions of the 2.4-litre engine are being considered.  But it won't stop there. The engine could become the internal-combustion power source for a new range of Porsche hybrids, including the 911, and has potential in the next small Cayenne SUV that is based on the Audi Q5. At the same time, Porsche is rumoured to look at stretching its Panamera range with a coupe and convertible.

A widely varied field from the soft-roader Audi Q5 to the baby Volkswagen Polo is competing for the biggest prize in world motoring

Porsche engineers have carved away at the basic Boxster to slash 80kgs off the bottom line before re-inventing it as the new Boxster Spyder, the ‘purist's form of the Porsche sports car’.Weighing in at just 1275kg in its international trim the Spyder is the lightest car in the Porsche garage, an outcome which Porsche claims gives it the heart and soul of the legendary 550 Spyder — the car in which James Dean took his last ride on September 30, 1955.However, Porsche Australia will be putting back in at least 15kg in deference to the Aussie love of comfort and cool air.  "Our cars will have a considerably higher standard specification level than those in other markets," Porsche Australia's Paul Ellis explains. "Air-conditioning will be standard as will the entertainment system. Our customers expect a richer mix in their cars."Australian pricing hasn't been finalised yet with the 5 per cent tariff reduction still to be factored in to the mix before the car goes on sale next May, however it will carry an 8 per cent premium over the Boxster S and best estimates have the launch price for the 6-speed manual at around $145,000.For that car comes with a seriously focussed sports attitude, a manual soft-top roof that encourages owners to leave it stashed away in the boot and a road presence that turns heads wherever it goes. The 3.4-litre flat six engine is tuned to Cayman output with 235kW and 370Nm which, in its lightest incarnation, can get the Syder from standstill to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds utilising the 7-speed PDK gearbox and Sports Plus engine mapping.In the United States the same car — less the airconditioning, radio and a few other treats — will sell for $US61,200.  Porsche Australia expects to sell between 30 and 40 of the Spyders a year on what is conceded to be a short model run."The car is not a limited edition but, like the GT2, it is a special paying homage to the great Spyders of the past and there is no guarantee that there would be a Spyder version of the next generation of Boxster," Ellis says.