Porsche Boxster/Cayman

The Porsche Boxster and Porsche Cayman are mid-engined two-seater sports cars manufactured and marketed by German automobile manufacturer Porsche across four generations — as a 2-door, 2-passenger roadster (Boxster) and a 3-door, 2-passenger fastback coupé (Cayman).

The first generation Boxster was introduced in 1996; the second generation Boxster and the Cayman arrived in late 2005; and the third generation launched in 2012. Since the introduction of the fourth generation in 2016, the two models are marketed as the Porsche 718 Boxster and Porsche 718 Cayman.

The Boxster and Cayman have been manufactured in Stuttgart (Zuffenhausen), Germany (1996–present) as well as Uusikaupunki, Finland by Valmet (1997–2011) and Osnabrück, Germany (2012–present).

The nameplate Boxster is a portmanteau of boxer, a reference to its flat or boxer engine engine, and roadster, a reference to the body style. The nameplate Cayman is an alternative spelling of caiman, a reptile in the alligator family.

Overview

Boxster

The Porsche Boxster is a mid-engined two-seater roadster. It was Porsche's first road vehicle to be originally designed as a roadster since the 550 Spyder. The first-generation Boxster (the 986) was introduced in late 1996; it was powered by a 2.5-litre flat six-cylinderengine. The design was heavily influenced by the 1992 Boxster Concept. In 2000, the base model was upgraded to a 2.7-litre engine and the new Boxster S variant was introduced with a 3.2-litre engine. In 2003, styling and engine output was upgraded on both variants.

Production of the 986 began at the former Porsche 928 facility in Stuttgart, Germany in 1996. Valmet Automotive also manufactured Boxsters under contract to Porsche at a facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland. The Boxster was Porsche's biggest volume seller from its introduction in 1996 until the company introduced the Cayenne sport utility vehicle in 2003. As of September 2012, additional production of the 981 started at the former Karmann-factory in Osnabrück.

In 2005, Porsche debuted the second generation of Boxster, the type 987, with a more powerful engine and styling inspired by the Carrera GT. Engine output increased in 2007, when both Boxster models received the engines from their corresponding Porsche Cayman variants. In 2009, the Boxster models received several new cosmetic and mechanical upgrades, further increasing engine output and performance. The third generation Boxster (type 981) was launched at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

The Boxster's name is derived from the word "boxer", referring to the vehicle's flat or "boxer" engine, and the word "roadster", referring to the vehicle's two-seater capacity and convertible top.

Cayman

First launched in the 2006 model year, the Cayman is a coupé derived from Porsche's second and third generation Boxster roadster, styled in its first iteration by Pinky Lai.A large percentage of the Boxsters were assembled in Finland for Porsche by Valmet Automotive with others assembled in Zuffenhausen, Stuttgart. All Caymans were manufactured in Finland by Valmet Automotive. Porsche's Deputy Chairman, Holger P. Haerter said the contract with Valmet Automotive would end in 2012, and the Cayman's production was to be outsourced to Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.As Volkswagen assumed control of Porsche AG, production of Caymans and Boxsters after 2012 began in the former Karmann plant in Osnabrück, Germany, at the time owned by Volkswagen and also used for production of the 2012 Golf (Mk6) convertible.

Cayman is an alternative spelling of caiman, a reptile in the same family as the alligator. The car is not named after the Cayman Islands; rather the islands also derive their name from the caiman. When the first Caymans arrived at dealerships for sale, the automaker adopted four caimans at Stuttgart's Wilhelma Zoo.

Porsche brought an infringement lawsuit in 2009 against Crocs, the maker of the popular rubber shoes. At issue was the footwear company's clog name also called Cayman. An injunction was granted against Crocs Europe, a division of the Longmont, Colorado-based shoe company preventing their use in Germany of the Cayman name.

718

Introduced in 2016 for the 2017 model year, the Porsche Boxster and Cayman were renamed the Porsche 718 Boxster and Porsche 718 Cayman, reviving the historic 718 moniker while switching engines from naturally-aspirated flat sixes to small-displacement flat-four turbocharged units. The new 718 Cayman was also repositioned with an entry price lower than that of the 718 Boxster, in keeping with Porsche's higher pricing for roadster models.