Skip to main content

Porsche Chops Weight, Luxuries for 2011 Boxster Spyder

What do you get when you strip the air conditioning, radio and even cupholders out of an already fast car, like Porsche’s Boxster S? An even faster (and somehow even more expensive) car: The 2011 Boxster Spyder.

porsche_boxster_spyder_01
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Porsche’s chop job got the Boxster Spyder down to a dainty 2,811 pounds, down 176 from the already-light Boxster S. Along the way, the flat-six engine also picked up another 10 horses for a total of 320, delivering a claimed zero to 60 time of 4.8 seconds. (If you’re feeling like dropping a little more change, Porsche says its Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission and optional sports chrono package will get that down to 4.6 seconds.)

To stylistically differentiate it from its cheaper, softer cousins, the Boxster Spyder also features a manual canvas droptop, a curvaceous deck lid, and a stripe running down each door.

porsche_boxster_spyder_02
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Boxster Spyder will begin selling February 2010 with a base price of$61,200.

porsche_boxster_spyder_04
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Editors' Recommendations

Nick Mokey
As Digital Trends’ Managing Editor, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team delivering definitive reviews, enlightening…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more