BERLIN: Another day, another batch of spyshots of the 2016 Porsche Boxster facelift – only this time round, the mule you see here has dropped most, if not all, of its camouflage to allow us an unrestricted glance. The refreshed 981-generation droptop is expected to debut later this year (early 2016, latest) before production and sales commence in the first half of 2016. The 2016 Porsche Cayman facelift is expected to follow soon after.
For those tracking the progress of the Boxster and its fixed-roof sibling, the Cayman, the shots you see here differ only marginally to the previous batch of photos in that one can see the mildly reworked front fascia of the car a tad clearer – updates remain absolutely minute with only a reworked front fascia sporting a restyled apron and updated headlight housings, within which reside LED lamps with daytime running lights.
In profile, the most obvious change to Porsche aficionados would be the addition of larger side air intakes to, understandably, help draw more air to the new turbocharged engines – more on which in a bit. Also, new door handles appear to have been included in the list of updates.
Moving on to the rear of the car, the tail lamps now possess bolder graphics within while the bumper itself has been a minor once-over, resulting in a new look for the rear diffuser. While photographs of the cabin continue to elude us, sources have hinted that the refreshed 981-gen Boxster will debut with a new infotainment system comprised of a larger touchscreen as well as a new steering wheel.
With that said, the updates beneath the sheet metal are a lot more comprehensive. The 2016 Porsche Boxster facelift (and Cayman) will likely serve to debut the marque’s all-new range of turbocharged flat-four engines. Beginning with the base Porsche Boxster, said model will reportedly arrive powered by a blown 2.0 litre flat-four mill with 240 hp while the Boxster S could be equipped with a turbocharged 2.5 litre unit.
Power figures for the larger engine include an estimated power rating between 300 to 360 hp, depending on state of tune – the GTS models are expected to boast the larger figures. For fans of the naturally-aspirated flat-six mill, fret not. Reports indicate that the atmospheric mill will soldier on, albeit tweaked, in the Boxster Spyder and Cayman GT4.
