It's hard to imagine that the Porsche Boxster is already 25 years old this year. On his show, Jay Leno's Garage, the talk show presenter and host takes a look at the new limited edition version of the Boxster.

In the video, Jay states that he was present at the 1993 Detroit Auto Show when the Boxster concept was originally presented to the public. He went on to add that he had never driven one before filming this edition of his popular show.

Do you have any idea why? Jay claims that when he inquired at the Porsche booth if he could see the engine, he was told that he couldn't since the car was mid-engined. As a result, Leno has been unconcerned about the Boxster line since. Until now that is. 

History of the Boxter

Let's take a look at how the Boxter came to be. Porsche was having trouble in the early 1990s as a result of its dependency on 911. Porsche sales in the U.S. reached just 3,713 units in 1993, the same year the Boxster concept was first introduced.

Fortunately, the Boxster concept was a smash hit, and Porsche realized it needed to get production up and going as quickly as possible.

Following that, the funds were used to develop Porsche's major cash cow, the Cayenne SUV.

Design

Typical of Porsche Design, Jay is surprised by how beautifully the Boxster has evolved. He still considers the older car quite modern to look at. While I initially disagreed with him because of the runny egg headlights and chromed wheels, the more I looked at it, the more I began to like it.

Grant Larson, a Porsche veteran, created both the Boxster concept and the original Boxster, as well as the current 718 Boxster 25. Larson is still responsible for the design of Porsche's special models, which explains his participation in the Boxter 25 anniversary edition.

It was presented at the start of the year and was built specifically for the North American market, featuring design elements that are based on the original Boxster concept from 1993.

The front and side air intakes are painted in Neodyme copper, the body is GT Metallic Silver, and the wheels are two-tone, five-spoke alloys, all of which are reminiscent of that concept car.

Performance

The Boxster may not have the same appeal as the Porsche 911, but it is probably more balanced than its rear-engined sibling because it is mid-engined. }

Despite their similar size and appearance, the first-generation is far less powerful. Early models were powered by a 2.5-liter flat-six engine that produced only 201 horsepower, which is less than half the power of the present model.

The new model is driven by the same 4.0-liter naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine that powers the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 and produces 394 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque.

This engine is available with a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with rear-wheel drive. The car can hit 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.8 seconds when equipped with a PDK.

Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 specifications

Engine

4.0-liter flat-six

Horsepower

394 Hp

Torque

309 LB-FT

0 to 60 mph

4.0 seconds (PDK)/ 4.3 seconds (manual)

Top Speed

182 mph


In Conclusion

When Jay eventually gets on the road with the Boxter, his impressions of the car are forever changed. Even though it isn't a 911, he regards this mid-engined Porsche as a superb sports car in its own right and appears to be won over by it. Jay, who adores his 911s, is generous in his praise.

We should tell you that Porsche will only make 1250 copies of this limited edition model for the global market, so if you want one, you'll want to get in line as soon as possible.

If you're sold on the notion of a brand-new Porsche Boxster that appears as it came off the assembly line in the 90s? So, here's the terrible news. The special edition starts at $98,600, excluding $1,350 for destination. However, this car's value may increase over time, as Porsches, in general, retain their value well, and limited-edition Porsches perform even better.