2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder Review (video)

Turns out, those health nuts are on to something. Lighter is typically better where agility, energy efficiency and athleticism are concerned—and it’s much the same in the automotive world.

But in the same way a standard human being can’t realistically slash the carb-caked pretzels, pizza and pasta entirely from their diet, a standard car can’t realistically slash features like its air conditioning, cruise control and stereo system.

Boxster Spyder is cramped, rough, noisy and short on interior space. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com)

But the Porsche Boxster Spyder is no standard car. In an un-salted, organic nutshell, this particular Boxster model is an engineering exercise in high-performance lightweight construction. It effectively puts the standard Boxster, svelte as it was, on a diet that makes it the lightest Porsche currently available.

Trim, trim, trim
Aluminum doors, lightweight wheels, and a revised rear cover all trim weight, making the Boxster Spyder faster and less thirsty. Engineers also installed a smaller fuel tank, shrank the front fog lights, fitted a special lightweight battery and yanked the speed-deployable spoiler from the standard car in favour of a fixed unit.

Inside, door handles are replaced by fabric tug straps, storage cubbies are all but deleted and the standard equipment list doesn’t even include a radio, cupholders or air conditioning. Seriously hardcore stuff.

Even the one-piece, one-way-adjustable racing bucket seats are made of carbon-fibre. These are comfortable and sportily snug once settled into, and they’re also the biggest clue that drivers are about to turn the key on something very, very serious once they finagle their way into to the cockpit.

Tight and hardcore
Finagle?

Yes.

Like a race-car, there’s no graceful way into or out of the Boxster Spyder. There’s also limited at-hand storage for your stuff, limited rearward visibility, a rough ride and plenty of road and wind noise.

Part of that wind noise comes from the Spyder’s unique, lightweight roof. The heavy motorized unit has been replaced with a primitive soft top that’s erected and removed via a special dance involving tabs, clips, latches and careful folding. It’s sort of like setting up a tent.

Part of that wind noise comes from the Spyder’s unique, lightweight roof. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com)