Every Gas-Powered Porsche Boxster Ranked

Let’s get this out of the way first: there are no bad Boxsters as far as we’re concerned. But something had to fill the 23rd on spot this list, and it’s the base-model 987. More powerful and capable models would be released during the nameplate’s generation, along with others, but that doesn’t stop this Boxster from being an attractive-looking, open-top sports car that remains fun to drive.   

The most radical change that the Boxster has undergone up until now was when its name was changed with the launch of the 982 in 2016. The car is now known as the 718—a reference to the Porsche that won the Targa Florio race in 1959 and 1960—with the Boxster and Cayman names denoting the vehicle’s body style. That’s not the only change, though. The car also got a new turbocharged flat-four that makes 296 hp.

The 982 Style Edition is the car above with a fancy appearance package. The option tacks around $5,000 onto the car’s price tag, hood and door stripes, black tail pipes, and 20-inch wheels. It’s a slick-looking car, no doubt, but otherwise identical to the standard model.

It didn’t take long for the Boxster to get its first performance variant. The S, which was introduced in 2000, four years after the car’s debut, featured an upgraded 3.2-liter flat six. The extra half-liter of displacement allowed the mill to bump output up 30 hp to 247 hp, which took nearly a second off its zero-to-60-mph time and upped its top speed to 162 mph.

Sometimes the third time really is the charm. Just look at the Boxster, the purest essence of which might be the 981. When it debuted in 2012, the 981 arrived with a revised design that brought its look more in line with the 911 and 918 Spyder, a more rigid chassis, and a new 2.7-liter flat-six rated at 260 hp. It may not be the most important standard Boxster—more on that one later in this list—but the 981 is essential.

The Boxster was the rare long-running model that arrived almost fully formed. Because of this, the second generation 987, which launched in 2004, was more of a refinement than a reimagining. Just look at the step-up Boxster S model. It again featured a 3.2-liter flat-six that now makes 276 hp. That engine would be upgraded during the 2009 mid-cycle refresh to a 3.4-liter unit, which added 30 hp more to the total output (306 hp).

Its name may suggest otherwise, but the 987 Boxster “USA” GT3 RS Orange was just a design package when it came down to it. The North American-only model dressed up the second-gen Boxster or Boxster S in a bold orange paint job and added an extendable rear spoiler and exclusive badging. It was also quite rare, with just 502 examples (two more than originally intended) getting the treatment.

The 987 Boxster S Black Edition was more than just a sinister design package. The variant, which dressed up the zippy roadster in a black-out colorway, also featured a power boost. The 3.4-liter flat-six in the variant, which was limited to just 987 examples, makes 320 hp, thanks to which the car could sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds.

It’s a testament to how good the Boxster’s third generation was that it’s easy to forget the 981 S. The debut of a GTS model pushed it down the pecking order, but don’t let that make you think it’s anything other than a very good sports car. Its 3.4-liter flat-six makes 311 hp and 266 ft lbs of torque, more than enough to push it from zero to 60 in under five seconds when equipped with Porsche’s Sport Chrono Package.

The Boxster S may only be a mid-range variant, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s lacking when it comes to power. Just look at the most recent iteration, which debuted alongside the nameplate’s fourth generation in 2016. Like the base model, the 718 Boxster S trades a flat-six for a turbocharged four-pot, but that mill is still potent enough to push output all the way to 345 hp.

Porsche took the opportunity, during the last year of the Boxster’s first generation, to celebrate one of its greatest race cars, the 550. Each example of the cumbersomely named Boxster S 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary Edition was finished in GT Silver Metallic, had Cocoa Brown leather interior, and rode on a set of two-tone 18-inch Carrera wheels. It was also rare, with just 1,953 examples leaving the factory, only 500 of which were shipped to the U.S.

This Boxster S RS 60 Spyder was designed to celebrate Porsche’s 1960 win at the 12 Hours of Sebring. The 2007 variant was available in one color, GT Silver Metallic, with one interior option, Carrera Red leather, and came with 19-inch SportDesign alloy wheels. It also came with a sport exhaust that boosted output to 299 hp. Interestingly, despite its name, it wasn’t a true Boxster Spyder, as that model, which we’ll get to in a moment, wouldn’t see a release for two more years.

Here’s when the list starts to get fun. For the first 13 years of its life, the Boxster had proven itself to be a fun sports car, but with the debut of the 987 Spyder variant in 2009, it proved itself to be so much more. The second-generation range-topper was the lightest Porsche available at the time of its release. Add in a six-cylinder mill that makes 316 hp, and you have yourself a car that can really move.

The Boxster eventually won over enthusiasts—its continued availability as a stick shift helps—but even with that in mind, the 718 Boxster T is still one for the purists. Debuting in 2020, the variant is a base model with some fun add-ons, like a sport suspension, limited-shift differential, and a six-speed manual, and no filler. It’s the Boxster at its streamlined best.

Nothing at Porsche will ever have the gravitas of the 911, but the car now known as the 718 has narrowed the gap a tad over the last two generations. A broadening of the lineup has helped, especially the addition of GTS models for both the Boxster and Cayman. The fourth-generation Boxster GTS, which was sold between 2017 and 2019, may only be powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder, but it’s still a capable mill that can pump out 360 hp and 317 ft lbs of torque.

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Since its debut in 2009, the Spyder has consistently been the most hardcore Boxster available. The fourth-generation model (and third Spyder overall) is a true speed machine, combining more aggressive styling with loads of power. Unlike other versions of the 718, which traded a six-cylinder for a four-cylinder, the variant, which launched in 2020, is powered by a 4.0-liter flat-six that makes well over 400 horsepower.

Why is a second-gen Boxster S so high on this list? Because the Porsche Design Edition 2, with its white monotone livery, is the rarest version of the roadster released to the public. Only 500 examples rolled off the line in 2008, the only year the model was offered for sale.  

The Boxster has been used to pay tribute to some of Porsche’s greatest cars, but it wasn’t until 2021 that the model got a chance to celebrate itself. The 718 Boxster 25 Years was released that year to celebrate the nameplate’s first quarter century. Based on the fourth-gen GTS, the limited-edition variant features a 4.0-liter flat six that makes 394 hp and a design inspired by the Boxster concept that was first shown at the 1993 Detroit Auto Show. Of the nameplate’s many special editions, this one is the best.

The 986 Boxster isn’t the best version of the mid-engine roadster, but it is, without a doubt, the most important. Prior to the vehicle’s release in 1996, it wasn’t clear if Porsche customers wanted a more accessible sports car, since prior attempts had led to mixed results. The first-gen Boxster proved they did, as long as those savings didn’t come at the cost of quality. That’s why the car is a mainstay of the brand’s lineup nearly three decades later.

At the time of its release, in 2014, the 981 Boxster GTS was the most powerful Boxster ever. It would only hold onto this title for a year—the third-generation Spyder would beat it—but that doesn’t make the higher-performance variant any less impressive. Powered by a 3.4-liter flat-six that makes 325 hp, the Boxster’s first of three GTS models was capable of reaching a top speed of 172 mph.

It’s already been established that the fourth-gen 718 Boxster GTS is a great car, but the GTS 4.0 variant took things to another level. Launched in 2020, this version of the 982 comes with a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat six that makes 395 hp, or 35 hp more than its immediate predecessor. Thanks to the extra grunt, the car can sprint from zero to 60 in as little as four seconds flat and reach a top speed of 182 mph.

Looking for the most powerful and fastest Boxster? Look no further than the fourth-generation Spyder RS. Released in 2022, the most hardcore Boxster of them all is an elite sports car through and through. Its 4.0-liter flat-six makes a hair-raising 493 hp and 332 ft lbs of torque. Even more impressive is that the roadster can reach 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds and a top 196 mph, performance figures that would have sounded impossible back when the Boxster debuted in 1996.

It’s not the most powerful or rarest Boxster of them all, but it’s hard to argue with the 981 Spyder being the best. Debuting in 2015, the third-generation range-topper, like its predecessor, was the lightest Porsche on offer at the time of its release. That was far from all the high-performance model had going for it. Its 3.8-liter flat-six, which came mated exclusively to a six-speed manual, makes a more than respectable 370 hp and 310 ft lbs of torque. It’s also plenty fast, sprinting to 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds and able to reach a top speed of 180 mph.