Porsche 986

Porsche 986
Overview
Also called	Boxster
Production	1996–2004
Designer	Grant Larson; Harm Lagaay (1992: concept; production: 1993)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door roadster
Related	Ruf 3400S
Powertrain
Engine	2.5 L flat-6 (1996–1999) 2.7 L flat-6 (1999–2004) 3.2 L flat-6 (1999–2004)
Transmission	5-speed automatic 5-speed manual 6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	1996–2002: 95.2 in (2,418 mm) 2002–04: 95.1 in (2,416 mm)
Length	1996–2002: 171.0 in (4,343 mm) 2002–04: 170.1 in (4,321 mm)
Width	70.1 in (1,781 mm)
Height	50.8 in (1,290 mm)
Chronology
Successor	Porsche 987

The Porsche 986 is the internal designation for the first generation Boxster, a mid-engined two-seater roadster built by Porsche. Introduced in late 1996, the Boxster, based on the 1993 Boxster Concept, was Porsche's first road vehicle to be originally designed as a roadster since the 550 Spyder. Powered by a 2.5-litre flat six-cylinder engine, the base model was upgraded to a 2.7-litre engine in the year 2000 and a new Boxster S variant was introduced with a 3.2-litre engine. In 2003, styling and engine output was upgraded on both variants.

Production of the 986 began at the former Porsche 928 facility in Stuttgart, Germany in 1996. Valmet Automotive also manufactured Boxsters under contract to Porsche at a facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland. The Boxster was Porsche's biggest volume seller from its introduction in 1996 until the company introduced the Cayenne sport utility vehicle in 2003.^[1]

The Boxster's name is derived from the word "boxer", referring to the vehicle's flat or "boxer" engine, and the word "roadster", referring to the vehicle's two-seater capacity and convertible top.^[2] The Boxster was released ahead of the more expensive 911 (internal designation 996) and has the same bonnet, front wings, headlights, interior and engine architecture as that model.

Development

The 1993 Porsche Boxster concept, prior to the production model. Notice the different side air intake.

In October 1991, following a visit to the Tokyo Motor Show, Porsche began to devise solutions to succeed the poor selling 928 and incoming 968 (a heavy update of the 944). In February 1992, Porsche began development of a successor to the 928 (mildly updated for 1992) and recently released 968.^[3]

By June 1992, out of 4 proposals based on dual collaboration between 986 and 996 (993 successor) design teams, a proposal by Grant Larson and Pinky Lai inspired by the 356 Cabriolet, Speedster, and 550 Spyder was chosen by Harm Lagaay.^[1]

In August 1992, a decision was made to develop the concept into a show vehicle, in time for the 1993 North American International Auto Show. After garnering widespread acclaim from the press and public upon presentation of the Boxster Concept in January 1993, the final production 986 production exterior design by Larson was frozen in March 1993. However, by the second half of 1993, difficulties arose with fitment of some components, resulting in lengthening of the hood and requiring another design freeze by fourth quarter of that year. Prototypes in 968 bodies were built to test the mid-engine power train of the 986 by the end of 1993, with proper prototypes surfacing in 1994. Pilot production began in the second half of 1995, ahead of series production in mid-1996.^[1]

Through consultation with Toyota, Porsche began widely sharing parts among models and slashed costs.^[4][1] The car stimulated a commercial turnaround for Porsche, and it's credited with saving the company, which during the early 1990s had been suffering with an ageing product range and falling sales.^[1][3]

Engine

All 986 and 987 Boxsters use the M96, a water-cooled, horizontally opposed ("flat"), six-cylinder engine. It was Porsche's first water-cooled non-front engine. In the Boxster, it is placed mid-engine, while in the 911, rear-engine. The flat, mid-engine layout provides a low center of gravity, near-perfect weight distribution, and neutral handling. The engines had a number of failures, resulting in cracked or slipped cylinder liners, which were resolved by a minor redesign and better control of the casting process in late 1999. A failure for these early engines was a spate of porous engine blocks, as the manufacturer had difficulty in the casting process. In addition to causing problems with coolant and oil systems mingling fluids, it also resulted in Porsche's decision to repair faulty engines by boring out the cast sleeves on the cylinders where defects were noted in production and inserting new sleeves rather than scrapping the engine block. Normally, the cylinder walls are cast at the same time as the rest of the engine, this being the reason for adopting the casting technology.

Facelift

The model received a minor facelift in 2002. The plastic rear window was replaced by a smaller glass window. The interior received a glove compartment, new electro-mechanical hood and trunk release mechanism (with an electronic emergency release in the fuse box panel) and an updated steering wheel. Porsche installed a reworked exhaust pipe and air intake. In addition, the front headlight's amber indicators were replaced with clear indicators. The rear light cluster was also changed with translucent grey turn signals replacing the amber ones. The side marker lights on the front wings were changed as well from amber to clear, except on American market cars where they remained amber. The bumpers were also changed slightly for a more defined, chiseled appearance, and new wheel designs were made available.

550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition

50th Anniversary 550

In 2004, the 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition was released with a production run of just 1953 cars. These were all painted GT Silver Metallic, the same colour as the Carrera GT concept presented in 2000, and had unique cocoa-brown full-leather interior as standard with grey natural leather as a no-cost option. Each car also had special interior paintwork, a high-end BOSE sound system, two-tone grey and silver 18 inch Carrera wheels (unpainted as another zero-cost option), 5 mm (0.2 in) wheel spacers, the Boxster S sport exhaust, the M030 option sports suspension, and a plate on the center console piece commonly known as the "batwing" showing the production number. Only on the American market cars were the rear turn signals red rather than clear.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Porsche 986.