Boxster’s past lives. It brought Porsche back to life.

  [History of car home Cars] Today, Porsche is one of the most profitable car manufacturers in the world. However, in the 1990s, it suffered a serious crisis and almost went bankrupt. How did Porsche get out of the predicament step by step and realize its legendary revival? Among them, (|), the two-seater roadster to be discussed in this paper, plays a decisive role.

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  In the early 1990s, although Porsche owned three models, 928, 911(964) and 968, the sales situation was not satisfactory, which caused the company to fall into a terrible business crisis. In order to save the enterprise, Porsche has carried out drastic reforms. On the one hand, Toyota production mode is introduced to save costs and improve production efficiency.

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  On the other hand, adjust the product range, stop production of the expensive 928 and 968 equipped with front-mounted 4-cylinder engine, and instead develop a sports car with more attractive price that can capture the hearts of young consumers. In addition, in order to raise more funds, Porsche and Audi jointly built a high-performance station wagon RS2 and designed a sedan C88 for the China market.

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  In 1991, Porsche, which was in deep crisis of survival, tried various solutions, including a two-seat convertible concept car with a mid-engine layout-Boxster. The design of the car was inspired by the concept car Panamericana built by Ferrari Porsche on his 80th birthday. The short rear suspension and short body, the front suspension extending forward and protruding from the front axle and the exhaust tailpipe arranged in the center of the rear of the car continue the classic design of Porsche.

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  Boxer is a combination of the words "horizontally opposed engine" and "roadster". This name contains the initial setting of horizontally opposed engine, which is also a prominent technical feature shared by the 356 models launched in 1948 and the 911 models from 1963 to the present. The concept of mid-engine is derived from the predecessors 550 Spyder, 914/6 and 718 racing cars.

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  Boxster concept car is equipped with Porsche’s first mass-produced water-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, with an initial displacement of 2.5 liters and a maximum power of 204 HP. Because of the water cooling system, four valves and variable intake timing, its design meets more stringent emission standards. The car’s innovations also include a balanced weight distribution, a quick-opening movable roof, a braking system derived from racing, and the best drag coefficient (Cd=0.31) in its class.

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  The research and development work is in full swing. According to Grant Larson, the designer in charge of Boxster concept car, "We originally planned to show our concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1993. But we decided to choose Detroit in January because we didn’t want to waste any time. More importantly, our focus on sports cars was on the American market, when Porsche did not perform well in the American market. Mazda Miata and BMW Z1 have already appeared in the market. "

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  The Boxster concept car unveiled at Detroit Auto Show was very popular. "Boxster received overwhelming praise from the public and experts, which obviously had an impact on development," Grant Larson continued. "Shortly after the exhibition in Detroit, we were asked to stop the design and development of Boxster immediately, and instead, we were asked to produce it as a concept car!" Time has proved that this is a wise decision.

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  In October 1996, Porsche Boxster was officially released, which filled the gap of entry-level models below 911. It is worth mentioning that Boxster is not only manufactured in Zuwenhausen factory in Stuttgart, but also subcontracted to Valmet company in Finland, which is the first time that Porsche models have been produced outside Germany since the early Austrian factory.