autoevolution
 

Porsche Boxster Facelift Prototype Spied, Turbo Flat Four Engines Coming?

Think of the Porsche Boxster for a second. The sports car feels as fresh as the Porsche leather smell inside it, doesn’t it? Well, while we’re here enjoying Zuffenhausen’s melange of mid-engined and open-air assets, the German engineers have already kicked off testing for a facelifted incarnation of the Boxster.
Porsche Boxster Facelift 981 9 photos
Photo: Carpix
Porsche Boxster Facelift 981Porsche Boxster Facelift 981Porsche Boxster Facelift 981Porsche Boxster Facelift 981Porsche Boxster Facelift 981Porsche Boxster Facelift 981Porsche Boxster Facelift 981Porsche Boxster Facelift 981
Porsche’s mid-cycle revamps were never heavy on the visuals and the spied prototype is no exception. At least for now, the Boxster sports a bit of camo on its nose, concealing a fresh design for the LED daytime running lights, as well as what appear to be slightly restyled surfaces within the headlights.

Nonetheless, the question that sits on everybody’s lips will find its answer deep within the Porsche Boxster. At its middle to be precise: the German automotive producer has already confirmed its future flat four engines will motivate the next-gen Boxster and Cayman. However, just like in the case of the almost-baked 911 facelift, the Boxster’s refresh could see the turbocharged four-cylinder mills arrive.

We’ll have to go from the Boxster facelift’s engine compartment to the rumor mill area in order to talk Porsche flat fours after quite some years of them being away from the market.

The German carmaker is expected to bring two or three units of this kind. The meanest one will have a capacity of 2.5 liters, delivering 360 hp (365 PS) and a peak torque of 347 lb-ft (470 Nm). This will be followed by a 2.0-liter engine producing 286 hp (290 PS), with torque peaking at 295 lb-ft (400 Nm).

As for the third powerplant, this is a 1.6-liter with 210 hp (213 PS), but the unit may not arrive after all, since there may be no car to wrap around it. While such an engine would make the Boxster beautifully affordable, it would also allow the sports car to be vulnerable to attacks from many hot hatches, so the unit is believed to have been destined for the long-rumored Volkswagen Group entry-level sports car instead.

The latter won’t arrive anytime soon (everybody knows sportscars don’t make money, so don’t ask why), so we’re not holding our breath for the 1.6 mill.

If you’re into effervescent automotive stuff you’d better keep an eye on these Germans, as Porsche is currently in the midst of a rich development program that could be topped by releases such as 700 hp hybrids or even a 959 spiritual successor.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Andrei Tutu
Andrei Tutu profile photo

In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories