Porsche Boxster Starkeslicht

It is the car that saved Porsche from bankruptcy and that brought those enthusiasts who couldn’t afford one closer to the brand.

It is the Boxster, whose name already says it all: it derives in fact from the union of the words “boxer”, the kind of opposing cylinder engine with which it is equipped, and “roadster”, the type of bodywork it adopts. It made its debut in 1996, exploiting synergies of scale with the forthcoming 996, the 911 model that would have marked a change of course in Porsche production, a revolution never fully appreciated by purists, namely water cooling instead of air cooling applied to the classic 6-cylinder boxer. The Stuttgart-based company sends the small Boxster “986” ahead, which is appreciated by the international press for its handling qualities, guaranteed by the central positioning of the engine, and for the reduced operating costs, which make it the perfect sports car for those who are not looking for anything demanding while not wanting to give up the prestige of the brand. The exterior design is also original, inspired by the classic 550 and 718 models, although it does not always meet everyone’s tastes due to the strong personality of the front headlights, jokingly defined as fried egg-shaped. The Boxster, from the first units produced, still manages to conquer the part of customers necessary to be constantly updated, with larger and more powerful engines at first, and then with new generations, with the “987” and “981” models up to today’s “982”, which has become a real test bed for Porsche’s mechanical and stylistic solutions.

Officine Amarcord has recovered a battered “986“, without engine and in need of care that could bring it back to good-as-new conditions: it is the perfect opportunity to prove the validity of converting a light and responsive architecture to electric traction, and, at the same time, to give the body an up-to-date look. A complete kit is therefore studied to be eventually mass-produced, so that it can be installed directly by those who decide to buy it. On the outside, the front lights are modified, with a return of the headlight to the typical oval shape, and the turn indicators, which now also act as LED position lights, are moved down, in the bumper, into a reshaped air intake; the taillights have smoked lenses, that combine with some details in glossy black, and the bodywork is totally wrapped in a matt gray color, to contrast with small touches of glossy blue. The interior is completely reupholstered and the graphics of the new displays in front of the driver are redesigned and dedicated to the operating modes of the electric drive unit included in the kit: Officine Amarcord’s convertible anticipates Porsche, thus becoming the first zero-emission Boxster.

Saving from the scrapeyard a car that was successful in the arduous task of reviving its own production company, updating it at the same time: the right homage in a world of cars in constant development.