Now an official member of the Porsche Classic family, many early Boxsters have led mixed lives over the past 25-plus years. Not so for this 2.5-liter Boxster. As living proof that there are many ways to enjoy a collectible Porsche, this exceptionally original, low-mileage Boxster simultaneously lives in the spaces of excellent value and supreme collectability. Recent servicing in March of 2021 included the installation of a new water pump, a fresh battery, and a brake fluid flush. Perhaps most importantly, it serves as a museum-quality example of the original concept that saved the world’s finest producer of engaging sports cars and an unrepeatable opportunity to obtain a nostalgic reminder for those fortunate to experience a first-generation Boxster decades ago.
The first-generation Boxster is the epitome of Porsche’s commitment to lightweight, uncluttered design. Inspired by the Porsche racing Spyders and Speedsters of the 1950s, the Boxster, a portmanteau of the words “Boxer” and “Speedster,” was created as a throwback antidote to the ever-increasing weight and complexity of foreign sports cars coming to market in the late 1980s and 1990s. Nailing the nostalgic zeitgeist like no Porsche before it, the early 2.5-liter six-cylinder Boxsters were a smashing success for Porsche. Along with a revived 993-generation 911, the Boxster put Porsche back on the path to success.
Built in the first wave of early Boxster models destined for the US, this first-generation Type 986 features the classic Boxster build specification of Arctic Silver Metallic over a special order Boxster Red leather interior. Options include cruise control, alarm, and a wind deflector. Unique to this Boxster, however, is the mileage — just over 1,200 — and the unrepeatable cosmetic condition that is evident from such careful use. It is unknown why this particular Boxster gradually became a museum-quality preservation piece, but the collectible Porsche world is better for it. The high quality of this Stuttgart-built Boxster is clear, even upon initial glance. A clean driver’s kick plate, a lack of driver’s seat bolster wear, an unmodified Becker CDR-210 head unit, and original type Pirelli P-Zero Direzionale and Asimmetrico tires on optional 17-inch 996 Carrera-look twist-spoke wheels are all hallmarks of a remarkably preserved and original Boxster.