To answer the question we posed last week, the Porsche Boxster spied in South Africa is indeed the 981 Spyder, and not only that, but we also learned some interesting details about the powertrain.
A source told Carscoops that this Boxster Spyder tester was running the same 3.8-liter flat-six engine paired up to a six-speed manual transmission as the recently revealed Cayman GT4 sports coupe in which it churns out 380bhp or 385PS.
That would make for an intriguing combination since the Spyder will surely be lighter than the regular Boxster as well as the Cayman GT4.
However, at this point, it’s not clear whether Porsche will keep the 3.8-liter unit or if it will end up using the Boxster GTS’ softer and smaller displacement 3.4-liter flat-six with 326hp (330PS) on the production model, as some reports from Germany claim.
In one of these two exclusive photos of the South African prototype, we see that the car has the classic and simple Spyder-model canvas top hooked on a redesigned engine lid. We’re not sure though if the spyder top has been positioned over the standard Boxster’s conventional top or if Porsche just left the rear section in place to keep the prototype’s cabin enclosed. Whatever the case, the second picture of the car’s seat with the “Spyder” logo embossed on the headrest leaves no doubt about what model this is.
If it keeps true to the spirit of the previous Boxster Spyder, then it will benefit from other weight saving measures, including the elimination of comfort features, while riding on a lowered and tweaked chassis.
*Note: Exterior photos from Planet-9
Thanks to our secret reader for the pics!
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