Strange Porsche 986 Is the Boxster You Never Knew Existed, Costs a Small Fortune

Earlier this year, I reviewed the classic Need for Speed: Porsche videogame, and I once again went through the Evolution mode, for a few weeks. You get to a certain point towards the last part of the game where you gain access to the Porsche Boxster.

Although the German manufacturer introduced the 986 Concept in 1993, the first unit left the Stuttgart factory floor in 1996. Introduced as a rather affordable variant and inspired by the 356 Cabriolet, Speedster, and 550 Spyder, the Boxster was a huge hit for Porsche.

Between 1996 and 2004, the Boxster was built in both Germany and Finland. Reportedly, almost 165,000 units were sold in total, providing Porsche with a significant financial boost for years to come. Today, if you're thinking about buying a Porsche, the 986 Boxster is one of the most affordable options.

Getting one for less than $10,000 is not unrealistic, although you might have to spend more to have it looking and working properly. If you're set on having a Boxster, but can afford to spend as much as $50,000, then you should have a look at the Boxster S Special Edition.

The company built 1,953 units in total, 500 of which were destined for the US market. But you know what they say: "there's always a bigger fish". And it just so happens that someone decided to build what has to be the world's most insane 986 Boxster.

This track prototype wasn't meant for public roads, and you don't have to be an engineer to be able to notice that. Seeing this car for the first time instantly reminded me of the Ferrari F40 Barchetta, although that thing is in a league of its own.

Based on a completely stripped Boxster, this 986 uses a 3.6-liter bi-turbo flat-six engine. That gives you access to a whopping 625-hp and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm), which should be a lot of fun seeing that the car only weighs 2,160 lbs (980 kg).

That's what you get when you lose all the unnecessary bits and pieces and use kevlar and carbon fiber. With a top speed of just over 200 mph (321 kph), this 986 Prototype should be capable of going from 0 to 124 mph (200 kph) in 9.8 seconds.

The driving experience should be special, to say the least, considering the design, but at least it's not likely that your engine will ever overheat on the track. This one-of-a-kind Boxster is located in Belgium, and currently has an asking price of €149,900 ($163,016). That's almost what you'd spend on a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo!