(2003 – 2004) Porsche Boxster S (V2) – Ultimate Guide
The Boxster S was revised along with its Boxster version in 2003. It brought some improvements in the engine department and a fix for the rear window.
The 2002 Boxster came on the market with new engines and new options. It also had a new face, but not that different than the first generation. And while most of the people hoped to have the IMS bearing problem fixed, it was even worse and affected 8% of the cars instead of only 1% for the Boxsters built before 2000. That was caused by the use of single-row bearings instead of double-row bearings.
From the outside, the 2002 Boxster S featured an apron with three air-intakes, one more than the non-S version. The central one was needed for an extra radiator, which was not installed for the simple Boxster. On top of that, it looked better. The small air-intakes on the rear fenders were considered enough for the new engine range. A big improvement was the introduction of a glass rear window instead of the plastic one. A double round exhaust was placed under the rear bumper, in the middle.
The 3.2-liter unit was installed in the Boxster since 2000, but after the facelift it was improved by 10 hp, reaching 258 hp. It was paired as standard with a 6-speed manual, or a 5-speed Tiptronic (automatic) as an option. As expected, the manual version was quicker and faster.