First Look: 2010 Porsche Boxster Spyder

Oh, the Porsche Boxster. As we recently reaffirmed in our latest comparison test, the little two-seat roadster from Porsche is one of our favorite topless road cars, and now there’s more to love. The much-anticipated Boxster Spyder won’t make its official debut until December 2nd at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but the details and images have already leaked out ahead of time.

This lightweight, hardcore version of the Boxster starts with the well-received 3.4-liter, direct-injection flat-six engine, though power has been increased by 10 horsepower for a new total of 320. Combined with Porsche’s PDK gearbox and Sport Chrono package, the Spyder will jaunt from a stand-still to 60 miles per hour in just 4.6 seconds and will do 166 mph flat out (with the roof off, of course). "Roof," though, is a figurative term with the Spyder, as the Boxster’s standard folding lid has been replaced with a lightweight soft top that acts as more of a sunshade than anything else.

Other modifications include a special sport suspension which lowers the ride height by twenty millimeters, a standard limited-slip differential, and exclusive wheels. Aluminum door skins and lightweight interior door panels (from the GT3 RS) aid in reducing the Spyder’s weight by 176 pounds over the standard Boxster S, and with a lower center of gravity, we’re confident in saying that this thing will be well-suited for hot laps at your local track.

Look for the Boxster Spyder to hit U.S. showrooms in February of 2010 with a starting MSRP of $61,200. Click through the post to read the official press release from Porsche.

Porsche’s newest entry will be the lightest in its line-up

ATLANTA – November 5, 2009 – Weighing in at just 2,811 lbs., the new 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder will be the lightest Porsche available – from a company known for lightweight, proficient sports cars. This new mid-engined roadster represents the true, purist form of the sports car – agile, powerful, open and efficient. This third Boxster model will join the Boxster and Boxster S and will make its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, December 2, 2009.

The newest member of the Boxster family stands out from the other versions of Porsche’s mid-engined roadster. Its low-slung, lightweight soft top – when closed – extends far to the rear to protect the driver and passenger from bright sunshine, wind and weather. This top, when combined with extra-low side windows and two striking bulges on the single-piece rear lid, provides the Boxster Spyder with a sleek silhouette reminiscent of the Carrera GT.

2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder: Light, Powerful, Purist Roadster to be Introduced at Los Angeles Auto Show

The Boxster Spyder features a 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine with Direct Fuel Injection upfront of the rear axle. Maximum output is 320 horsepower (hp), 10 hp more than the Boxster S. The combination of 10 more hp and 176 pounds less weight than the award-winning Boxster S, plus an all-new sport suspension that lowers the Boxster Spyder 20 mm, a lower center of gravity, a standard limited slip differential, and exclusive wheels provides the kind of driving dynamics that back up the unique look. Aluminum door skins and lightweight interior door panels from the 911 GT3 RS contribute to the weight reduction.

When equipped with Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission and the Sports Chrono Package, the new Spyder, using Launch Control, accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Top track speed is 166 mph – with the roof open.

Fundamentally, the entire Boxster family is the successor to the legendary 550 Spyder and RS 60 of the Fifties and Sixties, all sharing the same mid-engine roadster concept. Low weight and supreme agility combine to provide outstanding driving pleasure.

In 2004 and 2008 Porsche produced limited editions of the Boxster bearing the additional name Spyder, honoring the 550 and RS 60. In contrast, the new Boxster Spyder is a regular, but specially developed and upgraded production model as compared with the Boxster and Boxster S.

2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder: Light, Powerful, Purist Roadster to be Introduced at Los Angeles Auto Show

The 2011 Boxster Spyder goes on sale February 2010. U.S. pricing is $61,200.