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THE revamped Porsche Boxster and Boxster S were unveiled at a ceremony at Bahrain City Centre, writes Charlie Holding.
The launch by Behbehani Brothers, the German marque’s distributor in the kingdom, was attended by company officials, the media and curious shoppers who gathered to catch a glimpse of the comprehensively changed open-top two-seater.
Both variants have a new, lightweight body and a completely re-designed chassis.
Considerably lower weight, longer wheelbase, a wider track and larger wheels enhance the mid-engine sports car’s driving dynamics undermining its position as the best in its class, the company says.
George Wills, managing director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, added: “Without any doubt, the new generation Boxster represents a quantum leap in Porsche’s development of mid-engine vehicles. It combines a breathtaking design with a great day-to-day usability.
“After the fantastic feedback following the Geneva Motor Show, we look forward to introducing the two-seater in our region. This new roadster stands for pure driving pleasure through the principles of Porsche Intelligent Performance.”
The new Boxster is available in two variants, the base level 2.7-litre (265bhp) and the S, a 3.4-litre (315bhp) both of which are powered by flat six engines with direct petrol injection, enhanced by electrical system recuperation, thermal management and automatic start/stop function, as well as electro-mechanical power steering.
Both models feature a manual six-speed gearbox as standard, with the seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe gearbox - or PDK for short. This unique double-clutch gearbox was first used by Porsche in its race cars in the 80s and essentially makes the shifts faster.
The two-seater sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds while the Boxster S makes the transition in just 5.0 seconds.
These cars have also been designed to run more efficiently. The performance of both models is backed by up to 15 per cent more fuel efficiency. Depending on the model, they get by with significantly less than eight litres of fuel per 100 kilometres.
The new Porsche Boxster starts at BD20,400 and the Boxster S starts at BD22,500. For more information, contact the Porsche Centre Bahrain on 17459911.
