Besides that, they’re easily distinguishable due to their runny-egg headlights, pronounced front quarter panels, and wide hips. There’s the old joke that the 986 Boxster’s rear-end look like its front-end, just flipped around. Who wouldn’t want a 996 911 engine in the back of their lowly, base Boxster? Spotter’s Guide
Parts interchangeability doesn’t end with body components and wheels the Porsche M96 series of engines can swap around as well, albeit with varying difficulty. One of Porsche’s early Boxster development cars was actually a 968 with a 986 drivetrain under its skin. The 986 was built in a factory that previously produced the 928/968.Īs a result of unexpected consumer demands, Porsche built a second Boxster factory Finland. The Boxster name is a combination of Boxer, a term for flat engines, and Roadster. The 986 generation actually began as a 1996 model year, but North America got it a tad later as a 1997 model year. The early 986 and 996 share quite a few body parts, including those beautiful runny eggs which were inspired by the glorious 911 GT1. Next time you see a 911 GT3 ripping around town, thank Toyota.
Toyota was brought in to advise Porsche on how to engineer and produce cars more efficiently. But that’s what we’re here for: helping you find and maintain your very own little mid-engine Teutonic beast! Pictures Though, this also means that examples of all conditions, including those with less-than-ideal mechanicals, are out there. that they’re widely available and still have a very healthy aftermarket. Luckily, the Baden-Württemberg brand sold so many Boxsters in the U.S. They’ve also been a fixture at autocross events since they debuted on dealer lots. The Boxster is beloved by enthusiasts of all walks of life, from those who want to just casually cruise around on a Sunday, to serious club racers looking for a sturdy spec race car with a sturdy amount of competition to match. It was also the beginning of Porsche’s parts-sharing engineering, so there’s some interchangeable fun between it and its faster, more muscular cousin the 996 911. Widely known as the car that saved Porsche, the 986 was well-received across the board as a fun, engaging, mid-engine, convertible sports car.