Porsche Boxster 986 – The Story
An Entry Level Sports Car That Became An Instant Classic
Porsche Boxster (986)
The Ultimate Model Guide
1st Generation Porsche Boxster (1997 - 2004)
The Story / Timeline / Details / Model Guides / Performance & Specs / Data & Research / Pictures & Videos / News & Updates
The Boxster was initially unveiled as a concept in 1993 at the Detroit Auto Show, before going on sale in the summer of 1996 (as a 1996 model year in the United States). The first 986-generation Boxsters to reach U.S. shores were 1997 model-year base cars, equipped with a mid-mounted 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat-six. Thanks to dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and a dry-sump lubrication system, the engine was able to make 201 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, with a redline of 6700 rpm. Sending power to the rear wheels is a five-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed Tiptronic automatic. The 0-60 sprint happens in 6.1 seconds, and top speed is 149 mph. With a curb weight just under 2800 pounds, it’s almost guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
The car received a significant update in 1999 for the 2000 model year, with a bigger base engine, tuned intake runners, and a more powerful S model. Following customer feedback, the base 2.5-liter flat-six was enlarged to 2.7 liters, resulting in an increase of 16 horsepower and 11 lb-ft of torque. The S model got a 3.2-liter naturally aspirated flat-six making 250 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque, as well as a six-speed manual gearbox, bigger cross-drilled brakes from the 996, Carrera wheels, upgraded suspension components, a third radiator up front, and a dual-exit exhaust. It has a higher 7200-rpm redline, and was able to sprint to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds when new.
In order to fend off increasing competition from the Mercedes-Benz SLK and BMW Z3, the 986 received yet another refresh from Porsche in 2003. Output from the base 2.7-liter car grew to 225 horsepower, while torque remained the same at 192 lb-ft. The S model’s engine saw a slight increase in performance as well, with gains of eight horsepower and four lb-ft of torque. For 2003, the base car got the S’s shocks and springs, while the S got bigger sway bars.
For the 986’s final model year, 2004, Porsche introduced the 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary edition Boxster, based on the S model. The most powerful first-gen Boxster produced, it made 264 horsepower from its 3.2-liter flat-six. Other upgrades include a short-throw shifter, a bespoke exhaust, a 10-millimeter lower suspension, and a five-millimeter wider track. All 50th Anniversary cars were painted in GT Silver Metallic, with a cocoa brown leather interior and brown soft top. Only 1953 examples—reflecting the year of the 550 Spyder's debut—were built, and only 500 were sold in America.
986 Porsche Boxster Basics
Type: 986 (986.1, 986.2) / Generation: First Generation / Manufacturer: Porsche AG / Production Years: 1996 - 2004 / Model Years: 1997 - 2004 / Designer: Grant Larson under Harm Lagaay / Body Style: 2-Door Roadster / Layout: Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive / Engines: 2.5 L Porsche M96.20 flat-6 (1997–1999), 2.7 L M96.22/M96.23 flat-6 (2000–2004), 3.2 L M96.21/M96.24 flat-6 (2000–2004) / Transmission: 5-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual / Date of unveil by Porsche AG: official photos in March 1996 (Geneva Motor Show) / Premiere: Journalist events from August 23, 1996 in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, public premiere October 3, 1996 Mondial de l’automobile Paris Motor Show / Market launch: November 1996 (as a 1997 model)
The First Porsche Boxster - The Story
Introduced in late 1996, the Boxster, based on the 1993 Boxster Concept, was a beautiful roadster with mid-engined layout. In base form it was powered by a 2.5-litre flat six-cylinder engine (later upgraded to a 2.7-litre engine) and was an instant hit. It was Porsche's biggest volume seller from its introduction in 1996 until the introduction of the Cayenne SUV in 2003.
Porsche Boxster Timelines & Details
This graphic breaks out the first generation Porsche Boxster in terms of timelines and how to tell all the models apart. Click on the image to see it in higher definition. Note that the was the initial Boxster 986.1 and then a mid-cycle refresh for the 2002 model year and beyond, known as the 986.2 update. There were two Boxster models, the base model which came out first, followed a few years later by the more powerful and interesting Boxster S. There was also a special edition in the final year of production.
Porsche Boxster 986 Details
The Engine
The Boxster's 2.5-liter M96 f1lat-six ushered in a new series of volume production Porsche powerplants and shared many components with the larger 3.4-liter version that powered the 996-gen 911 of 1999. It must be stated that the initial M96 engines were never intended by Porsche to be turbocharged or used for racing purposes, so some compromises were made in terms of cost savings and improved packaging.
The M96 engine used a pair of cylinder block castings (each with three cylinders) that resembled the design of the 944 block in that the free-standing cylinders were integral to the castings, with "open deck" water jackets around the tops of the cylinders. This reduced the casting costs compared to a more complex "closed deck" design while allowing better cylinder cooling. Porsche's supplier had some well-documented casting issues with early M96 engines, including porosity and cracked cylinders, but the vast majority of these failures occurred during the warranty period.
The M96 used a thoroughly modern cylinder head design with pent-roof combustion chambers and four valves per cylinder, driven by dual overhead camshafts. The M96 engine adapted the 968's VarioCam system to broaden the torque curve by varying the intake cam timing by up to 15 degrees relative to the crankshaft. Unlike the air-cooled 911 and like the 944 and 928, the M96 used a less complex and less expensive "wet sump" oiling system. However, Porsche referred to the lubrication system as an integrated dry sump": while the M96 had a traditional oil pan/sump at the bottom of the engine instead of a separate reservoir, a scavenge pump at the non-drive end of each cylinder head served to evacuate oil from the heads and return it to the sump.
The 2000 model year saw the 986 Boxster's engine displacement increase to 2.7 liters (via the 996 crankshaft with a 78 mm stroke), and the previous cable-operated throttle body was updated to an electronically-controlled enabled operation of the optional Porsche Stability Management system. The bigger change for the 2000 model year was the introduction of the more powerful Boxster S model with 252 hp, which was achieved by using the 996 crankshaft with a 93 mm bore to displace 3.2 liters.
The Transmission
For manually-shifted versions, the Boxster's engine transmitted torque via a dual-mass flywheel to an Audi-based five-speed transaxle, which saw Porsche's first use of cable-operated shifting instead of a rod linkage. The pair of shift cables provided not only better packaging but arguably better shifter feel and action than any of Porsche's previous designs.
A ZF-based five-speed Tiptronic automatic transaxle was an option from the beginning of 986 production. This was a similar concept to the previous 993 version with shifter buttons on the steering wheel. Still, the shifts were firmer and quicker, and the driver could tenmporarily over-ride the shift program in automatic mode by activating the upshift or downshift buttons.
The Boxster S featured an upgraded six-speed manual transaxle supplied by Getrag, similar to the one in the 996. This was a much beefier unit than the base five-speed, with larger gears and larger bearings for the shafts. The axle shafts and CV joints of the 986 S were also similarly up-sized to 996 specifications.
The Body
The Boxster debuted in 1996 as a 1997 model year car and, at the time, it was Porsche's first clean-sheet design in over two decades. To make the project viable to the cash-strapped Porsche of the early 1990s, the 986 Boxster and upcoming 996-gen 911 replacement had to share : many components as possible. Therefore much of the front end structure was shared between the 986 and 996, along with the doors, front trunk lid, headlights, and most of the front chassis and suspension components. The 986 featured unibody construction composed of various grades of steel. High-strength steel was used in key sections of the floor, rocker/sill areas, and frame horns, while ultra-high-strength, boron-enriched steel tubing was used in the windshield frame and rollover hoops. The result was remarkable rigidity in torsion and bending for an open-topped roadster, which was key to the 986 Boxster's refinement and handling prowess. The Boxster featured a slick, lightweight power convertible top mechanism that folded under a steel tonneau cover. A removable hardtop with a heated rear window was an option. Early 986 Boxsters had a plastic rear window, with the face-lifted 2003 models receiving a heated glass rear window. The tight packaging of the 986 left no space for a conventional engine lid or hatch--the top had to be opened into a "service position" and some insulation and a cover had to be removed to access the top of the engine.
Suspension & Brakes
The 986 used the tried-and-true MacPherson strut front suspension to maximize packaging efficiency, with each strut located by a pair of interlinked lower control arms. The mid-engine layout made it difficult to fit a multi-link suspension as used in the 993 and subsequent 996, so Porsche engineers devised a similar three-link design as used in the front of the 986. To save manufacturing costs, the same basic upright/hub carrier casting was used at all four corners, which enabled the use of the same lateral lower control arms for each corner.
The ideal weight balance and centralization of mass of the Boxster's mid-engine platform (47 percent front/53 percent rear for manual transmission models, 45/55 with Tiptronic) enhanced traction and enabled a low polar movement of inertia for quick turn-in and agile handling.
However, this increased rate of rotation could be dangerous for an unskilled driver, so Porsche designed the suspension geometry and calibrated bushing compliance to induce gentle understeer in most situations, which enabled the confidence-inspiring handling that the Boxster platform is known for today.
The 986 Boxster was the first Porsche to use monoblock brake calipers, a joint development with Italian supplier Brembo. The single casting for the brake caliper reduces weight by about six percent while providing increased caliper rigidity and better brake pedal feel. All subsequent Porsche sports car brake calipers have used this monoblock design, including the 986 S, which featured larger four-piston front and rear calipers clamping larger cross-drilled and ventilated rotors.
1st Gen Porsche Boxster Model Guides (1997 - 2004)
There were two core models of Porsche Boxster for the first generation, the base Boxster and the Boxster S. The base Boxster came first as a 1997 model year car, powered by a 2.5 liter flat 6 engine that was good for 201 hp and 181 ft lbs of torque. In 2000 the base Boxster got a more powerful engine, now a 2.7 liter unit with more power and torque to go with that sublime chassis. It was the Boxster S launch as a 2000 model year car that got people most excited. It got a bigger 3.2 liter engine and better hardware and made for a tremendous cars. The model range received a minor facelift in 2002. It includes some design updates including the plastic rear window was replaced by a smaller glass window with a heating element and the bumpers were changed slightly for a more defined, chiseled appearance, and new wheel designs were made available. The interior received some updates including an updated steering wheel. Porsche installed a reworked exhaust pipe and air intake. The 986 Boxster production ended in 2004.
1st Gen Porsche Boxster Special Models
There was only one special edition Boxster during the first generation. In 2004, the Boxster S Special Edition, also called 550 Spyder Boxster S Special Edition or S 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition was introduced with a production run of just 1,953 cars (paying homage to the 550 Spyder's year of introduction). 500 cars were made for the US Market. These were all painted in GT Silver Metallic and had unique cocoa-brown full-leather interior as standard. Several other changes including a slightly more powerful engine made this pretty rare and special.
1st Generation Porsche Boxster Specs & Performance Summary
The base Porsche Boxster didn't light the world on fire in terms of performance figures when is came out in 1997. It was a wonderful sports car but 6.7 second 0 - 60 mph was slow compared to the BMW M cars of the era. The upgrade to a 2.7 liter engine in 2000 helped a little, but it was the Boxster S with its bigger engine and better hardware that had serious performance. 0 - 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and a quarter mile in just over 14 seconds was legit. The 986.2 upgrades in 2003 gave both models some more power and that translated into better performance.
Porsche Boxster (1997-2004) Technical Specs
Forget the summary, here is every first generation Boxster broken out by model year and variant and the technical specifications for each one. Car data nerds, let us unite.
Porsche Boxster (1997-2004) Data & Research
We dig into some of the data surrounding the first generation Porsche Boxster (986), including production numbers, specifications, chassis numbers, engine numbers, transmission codes and much more.
Porsche Boxster News & Updates
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