Porsche has taken the iconic Boxster and made it even better

Great British Life: Porsche Boxster GTSPorsche Boxster GTS (Image: not Archant)

It’s two decades since the Porsche Boxster made its first dramatic appearance in UK car showrooms and, since then, the mid-engined two-seater has established itself as the benchmark roadster.

Great British Life: Porsche Boxster GTSPorsche Boxster GTS (Image: not Archant)

Now Porsche hopes the recently-launched Boxster GTS will enhance the driving experience further with an up-rated engine and specific chassis tuning. The goal is to set a new standard for open-top driving enthusiasts.

Building on the Boxster virtues of light weight, responsive handling and a charismatic flat-six engine, the GTS features an optimised version of the 3.4-litre engine which has been tuned to produce an additional 15 horse power.

Porsche designers have been keen to also enhance the distinctive character of the GTS using the Sport Chrono package and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) fitted as standard. These offer the driver the opportunity to not only modify the damper stiffness, but also subtly change the throttle characteristics of the engine.

With the standard manual six-speed transmission, the GTS is the first Boxster to offer the potential to top the 174 mph (280 km/h) threshold. It is also the company’s first mid-engined roadster to be certified according to the Euro 6 emissions standard, and achieves an overall fuel consumption with PDK of 34.4 mpg (31.4 mpg with manual transmission).

The dynamic engine mounts also offered as part of the Sport Chrono package enable the Boxster GTS to offer an impressive breadth of responsiveness. Under acceleration, cornering or braking, the mountings for the engine stiffen automatically to reduce the effects of mass transfer during dynamic manoeuvres, further increasing agility.

The Boxster GTS can also be specified with a new, optional sports chassis configuration that lowers the ride height by 20 mm, underlying the fact that at the heart of every Porsche is a race car suitable for both the circuit and everyday use.

From the outside, the new Boxster GTS features subtle yet unmistakable visual clues to its identity. Purposeful black finish 20-inch diameter Carrera S alloy wheels, with 235/35 tyres at the front and 265/35 tyres at the rear, give a strong hint to the car’s intent. A distinctively-styled front spoiler and black finish Bi-Xenon headlights – with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) as standard – present a new face, and from the rear exterior lettering in silky black gloss and a re-styled lower apron complete the picture. The new Boxster GTS is available to order now priced from £52,879.