Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is introducing a new top version of the Porsche Boxster, a light mid-engined roadster making its world debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show in December.

Weighing just 1,275 kg or 2,811 lb, the Boxster Spyder is the lightest model throughout the entire range of Porsche cars. Clearly recognisable right from the start, this new mid-engined roadster represents the true, purist form of the Porsche sports car – light, powerful, consistently open, and very efficient.

This is precisely the formula already applied in creating Porsche’s most successful road-going sports and racing cars, ranging from the legendary 550 Spyder all the way to the RS Spyder so successful in motorsport today.

The Boxster Spyder now continues this clear-cut philosophy with full homologation for the road, thus reflecting a common wish expressed by Porsche customers. The new model is entering the market in February 2010 as the third version in the Boxster range, joining the Boxster and Boxster S.

The new member of the Boxster family stands out clearly at very first sight from the other versions of Porsche’s mid-engined roadster. Quite simply because the Boxster Spyder has been developed first and foremost for driving in the open air, the low-slung, light soft top extending far to the rear serving exclusively to protect the driver and passenger from bright sunshine, wind and weather. When closed, the soft top, together with the extra-low side windows and the two striking bulges on the single-piece rear lid, boasts a stretched and sleek silhouette reminiscent of the Carrera GT.

Significantly less weight than the Boxster S, a lower centre of gravity and an all-new sports suspension give the Boxster Spyder the right kind of driving dynamics clearly reflecting the unique look of the car.

The Boxster Spyder features a 3.4-litre six-cylinder with Direct Fuel Injection upfront of the rear axle. Maximum output is 320 bhp, 10 bhp more than in the Boxster S.

Equipped with PDK Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe and the Sports Chrono Package, the new Spyder, using Launch Control, accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Again with optional PDK, fuel consumption is a mere 9.3 litres on 100 kilometres (equal to 30.4 mpg imp) in the NEDC New European Driving Cycle. Top speed, in turn, is 267 km/h or 166 mph – with the roof open.

In terms of its fundamental concept, the entire Boxster family is the successor to the legendary 550 Spyder built back in 1953, both models sharing the same mid-engine roadster concept, low weight, back-to-the-roots lifestyle, and supreme agility combined with equally outstanding driving pleasure.

The 550 Spyder was the first sports car from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen developed specifically for racing but also homologated for the road. In the years following its production, this unique Spyder weighing only 550 kg or 1,213 lb, scored numerous victories on race circuits and in the road races so popular at the time.

The 550 Spyder was followed by other extremely successful Porsche Spyders such as the 718 RS 60 in 1960.

In 2004 and 2008 Porsche dedicated a limited edition of special Boxsters bearing the additional name Spyder to these legendary racing cars. By contrast, the new Boxster Spyder is a regular, specially developed and upgraded production model with far-reaching modifications versus the Boxster and Boxster S.

Market introduction of the new Porsche Boxster Spyder will start worldwide in February 2010. The base price in the Euro countries is 53,100 Euro. Including 19 per cent VAT and national specifications, the market price of the new Porsche Boxster Spyder is 63,404 Euro.

The Porsche Boxster model line has a new luxurious top model in addition to the sporty Boxster Spyder: The Boxster S Black Edition limited to 987 cars. With its 320 hp – ten hp more than the Boxster S – this edition offers a substantially larger range of standard equipment and exclusive special options, all at a very attractive price. The new mid-engined sports car is black all over: Black body, black hood, and black 19 inch Boxster Spyder wheels accentuate the muscular appearance of the top roadster. The Boxster S Black Edition will be launched in March 2011, and in Germany is priced at 63,404 euro including VAT and country-specific equipment.

The colour concept of the Boxster S Black Edition is consistent in every detail. The rear side air intake grilles are painted in black as is the twin tailpipe of the exhaust system. The model lettering painted in black on the rear luggage compartment lid identifies the Black Edition as much as the embossed Black Edition model designation on the side of the fabric hood. The roll-over bars are painted in black, too.

The black line of the exterior is continued in the interior. The stainless steel door entry guards feature the "Black Edition" model lettering in black. The standard Sport Design steering wheel with its double-spoke appeal has a non-slip rim of smooth-finish leather and sporty grips. The trim strips of the dashboard and of shift lever or gear selector are painted in black. The dials on the instrument cluster are black as are the partial leather seats with the Porsche emblem embossed in the headrests. Also available upon request: black leather interior. The limited edition badge on the glove compartment identifies the sports car as a model of the Black Edition.

As a standard, the Boxster S Black Edition features the otherwise optional "Comfort", "Infotainment", and "Design" equipment packages, and therefore comes at a more favourable price than a series model with comparable equipment options. The wind deflector is on board right from the factory as are the anti-dazzle interior and exterior mirrors with integrated rain sensor, cruise control and a climate control system. The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) including navigation module are also standard. In addition, the universal audio interface and mobile phone preparation are available as standard. The Sound Package Plus creates an impressive interior sound experience. The standard Bi-Xenon lights with dynamic cornering lights and LED daytime running lights ensure driving pleasure and safety on dark roads. Upon request, the Boxster S Black Edition can be individualised even further with other options of the Boxster programme. For example, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) is an option as well as the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and the adaptive sports seats with memory function.

The chassis of the Boxster S Black Edition features clear lines with a sporty appeal. A decisive contribution to improve driving dynamics of the limited edition models even further are the tyres size 235/35 ZR 19 front and 265/35 ZR 19 rear on particularly lightweight wheels in the special ten-spoke design of the Boxster Spyder. As is typical for a Boxster, the new top model of the mid-engined sports car with its low centre of gravity as a result of the flat engine reaches an even more impressive level of agility.

A 3.4-litre six-cylinder engine with direct fuel injection, mounted in front of the rear axle of the Boxster S Black Edition, supplies power to the car. Its output is 320 hp – ten hp more than in the Boxster S. The engine reaches its rated power at 7,200 rpm, the Boxster S power pack at 6,400 rpm. Torque of 370 Nm boosted by ten newton metres is availabe at 4,750 rpm.

More output and more power equal more dynamics: The Boxster S Black Edition underpins its leading position by a superior driving performance. With its standard six-speed manual transmission, it accelerates from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.2 seconds, a tenth of a second faster than the Boxster S. The top model reaches its maximum speed at 276 km/h (171.5 mph), outpacing the Boxster S by two kilometres per hour (1.2 mph). The mid-engined sports car is modest only in its thirst for fuel. During the NEDC test cycle, the Boxster S Black Edition contents itself with as much fuel as the Boxster S: 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres (28.82 mpg imp).

To raise dynamics and efficiency even further, the Boxster S Black Edition may alternatively also be fitted with the seven-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK). This will shorten acceleration times from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) to 5.1 seconds, the top speed with PDK is 274 km/h (170.3 mph). In comparison with a manual transmission, an additional speed and an intelligent shifting strategy lower fuel consumption to 9.4 litres per 100 kilometres during the NEDC complete cycle.

The next step up from the Cayman S is known as the Cayman S Black Edition: Starting in July 2011, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is bringing the mid-engine coupé to market in a special edition limited to 500 units boasting even better performance and especially lavish equipment specification. The Cayman S Black Edition is powered by a 3.4 litre six-cylinder boxer engine with power output increased by 10 hp (7 kW) to 330 hp (243 kW) at 7,400 rpm (an additional 200 rpm). The maximum torque remains unchanged at 370 Newton metres at 4,750 rpm.

The extra power feeds directly through into the performance of the all black two-seater. The acceleration times from nought to 100 km/h (62 mph) are improved by a tenth of a second to 5.1 seconds with the six-gear manual transmission and to 5.0 seconds with the optional Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) respectively. A mere 4.8 seconds are required if the Launch Control is activated on the Sport Chrono package, available as an option. The Cayman S Black Edition’s top speed is two kilometres per hour (1.24 mph) faster than that of the Cayman S – 279 km/h (173 mph) with the manual transmission and 277 km/h (172 mph) with the PDK respectively.

The Cayman S Black Edition is not just more sportily agile in terms of its longitudinal dynamics but laterally as well. Among other factors, this is attributable to the Boxster Spyder wheels in black, which with a diameter of 19 inches are not just one inch bigger than the standard Cayman S wheels but are also half an inch wider than the optional 19 inch wheels on the Cayman S. The tyre sizes fitted are 235/35 ZR 19s on the front axle and 265/35 ZR 19s on the rear axle.

With its comprehensive and particularly high-quality equipment, the Cayman S Black Edition also caters for exceedingly exacting demands. For example, Bi-Xenon headlights with dynamic cornering lights and LED daytime running lights are just as much part of the basic specification as are automatic anti-dazzle interior and exterior mirrors with integrated rain sensor. Driver and front seat passenger sit on black partial leather seats with Porsche crest on the headrests; climate control ensures a comfortable temperature. The driver pilots the Cayman Black Edition by means of a Sport Design steering wheel, the cruise control makes driving at constant speed a more comfortable and economical experience.

The colour scheme of the limited edition sports coupé is consistent to the smallest detail: the dashboard trim is black as are the gear lever/selector trim and the instrument dials in the instrument cluster. The door entry guards emblazoned with the lettering “Black Edition” are made of stainless steel; the glove compartment lid bears the badge proclaiming the limited edition status. Equipped with Sound Package Plus, the Cayman S Black Edition’s infotainment systems are controlled via Porsche Communication Management (PCM). This also includes, for example, the navigation module and universal audio interface (AUX, USB, iPod). Mobile phone integration is already enabled. In all, the Cayman S Black Edition features the Porsche Comfort, Infotainment and Design packages, offering a price reduction into the bargain.

With country-specific equipment, the Cayman S Black Edition costs 67,807 euro in Germany including VAT.