2012 Geneva Motor Show: 2013 Porsche Boxster

The all-new 2013 Porsche Boxster has arrived at the Geneva Motor Show, and pure driving enthusiasts will be more than pleased to know that the German automaker has avoided the temptation to take the compact roadster upmarket. Instead, the new Porsche Boxster has stayed true to its original mission of providing lightweight performance and supernatural handling, while keeping sheet metal styling changes to an evolutionary minimum.

It's unusual in the modern era for a next-generation model to actually lose weight compared to the vehicle it replaces but that is the case with the 2013 Porsche Boxster, which drops 55 lbs (77 for the Boxster S) thanks to its aluminum body structure that is shorter at the front and the rear in order to reduce the vehicle's overhangs. The Boxster, which weighs just under 2,900 lbs when ordered in base form, also features a longer wheelbase and larger wheels which provide greater stability, as well as an electric power steering system. Handling is further enhanced via the availability of Porsche Torque Vectoring, which makes use of a locking rear differential as part of a system that can actively manage the engine torque sent to each of the Boxster's drive wheels.

The 2013 Porsche Boxster is powered by a 2.7-liter, 265 horsepower flat-six that represents a 10 horsepower upgrade over the 2012 model (on top of the 15 percent greater fuel efficiency that it also provides). The latter is accomplished through the inclusion of direct fuel injection as well as an engine automatic start / stop feature that reduces idling. The entry-level Boxster can be had with either a traditional six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission, and it offers a 5.4 second sprint to 60-mph from a standing start. For those who want to lop off nearly a second from that marker, the 2013 Porsche Boxster S makes available a 3.4-liter, 315 horsepower six-cylinder engine. Additional performance goodies are accessible through the Boxster's Sport Chrono package.

Although the exterior of the 2013 Porsche Boxster doesn't scream out any of its year-to-year differences, the vehicle's passenger compartment has been significantly upgraded, giving it more of a high end feel modeled after the changes seen on the most recent edition of the Porsche 911. The 911, in turn, gained its overall interior styling cues from the Porsche Panamera sedan, meaning that these three members of the Porsche family now share more than a passing resemblance from behind the wheel.

The 2013 Porsche Boxster is slated for sale towards the end of the second quarter of this year. MSRP for the two-seat convertible is expected to start at $49,500.