The 2021 Porsche Boxster 25 Years is a limited-edition version of the company's entry-level sports car. As the name suggests, it celebrates 25 years since the Boxster went into production back in 1996. Limited to 1,250 units globally, the 2021 Boxster 25 Years is based on the sporty 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 and it pays tribute to the Boxster Concept, which Porsche unveiled in 1993 at the Detroit Auto Show. What sets it apart from the more regular Boxster GTS 4.0? Let's find out in the review below.

What makes the 2021 Porsche Boxster 25 Years special

The Boxster 25 Years is based on the GTS 4.0, so it looks pretty much the same on the outside. Basically a naturally aspirated version of the GTS, the GTS 4.0 boasts a handful of extra features, such as tinted headlamps and taillights, some black trim, and a twin-exhaust layout borrowed from the cool Boxster Spyder.

The 25 Years model also features tinted lights and the same exhaust configuration, but the black trim was replaced with Neodyme inserts. This copper-like brown color is a reinterpretation of the hue that Porsche used on the original Boxster concept. It adorns the front bumper wings, the side air intakes, and the rear badges. It's also part of the two-tone wheel design, which features Neodyme spokes. For an even closer resemblance to the 1993 Boxster concept, the 25 Years model also features a red fabric top and a black windscreen frame. Other extras include an aluminum-look fuel cap with "Porsche" script by Exclusive Design and matching exhaust pipes.

If you're not a fan of the GT Silver Metallic paint, you can also get the Boxster 25 Years in Deep Black Metallic or Carrara White Metallic. Both include the Neodyme accents on the body and wheels. Granted, the color palette is very limited here, but at least we know that all these colors work well with the copper brown trim.

The interior is also a tribute to the original Boxster concept, as it comes wrapped in Bordeaux leather. If dark red is too flashy for you, Porsche also offers an all-black interior (like in the standard GTS 4.0). Extras over the usual Boxster GTS 4.0 include embossed "Boxster 25" lettering, aluminum trim, 14-way adjustable sports seats, door sill trims with "Boxster 25" lettering, and a heated steering wheel. The "GTS" emblems on the rev counter and the headrests have been replaced with "25" badges.

The package includes the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system, a high-resolution seven-inch touchscreen, the Sport Chrono package, and the latest Track Precision App. The latter is based on a design used in Porsche race cars and shows performance-related data on the display, while also recording it for later analysis.

Under the hood, the Boxster 25 Years is once again a GTS 4.0. Porsche's decision to go with the naturally aspirated flat-six engine instead of the turbo-four is far from surprising, as the original Boxster was also an all-motor flat-six. There are no upgrades to talk about, but that's hardly an issue, as the 4.0-liter flat-six cranks out a solid 394 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It's basically a detuned flat-six from the Boxster Spyder with only a 20-horsepower deficit.

The Boxster 25 Years is available with a either a six-speed manual or a PDK automatic, unlike the standard GTS 4.0, offered only with the manual. Performance is identical to the regular Boxster GTS 4.0. The sprint to 60 mph takes four seconds with the PDK gearbox and 4.3 seconds with the manual transmission. It also reaches a top speed of 182 mph, only seven mph lower than the Boxster Spyder.

2021 Porsche Boxster 25 Years specifications

How much does it cost? The Boxster 25 Years starts from $98,600 in the United States and this sticker makes it the most expensive Boxster as of January 2021. Yes, the Boxster 25 Years is a bit more expensive than the 718 Boxster Spyder, which comes in at $97,300 before options. Sure, we're talking about a very small $1,300 gap, but it's still a bit surprising given that the Spyder is more special model with unique bodywork and a slightly more powerful engine. Compared to the Boxster GTS 4.0 it is based on, the 25 Years model costs an extra $9,700, a premium that makes sense given the extra features and the limited production run.

1993 Porsche Boxster concept

The story of the Boxster is a bit older than 25 years. Although the Boxster debuted as a production model in 1996, Porsche introduced the name in January 1993. That's when it unveiled the Boxster concept at the Detroit Auto Show. Designed as a smaller and more affordable alternative to the iconic 911, the Boxster concept was the company's first mid-engined road car. Its styling was inspired by Porsche convertibles from the past, including the 356 Speedster and the 550 Spyder. Before it became a concept car, the original Boxster was one of four proposals for a new sports car to replace the slow-selling 928 and 968 (the successor to the 944).

Porsche Boxster timeline

The production model arrived three years after the concept car and it was codenamed 986. The first Porsche designed exclusively as a roadster since the 914 (1969-1976), the first-gen Boxster shared many styling cues with the 996-gen 911 and initially featured a 2.5-liter flat-six engine rated at 201 horsepower. Porsche eventually introduced 2.7- and 3.2-liter engines that generated up to 258 horsepower in 2003.

The second-generation Boxster, the 987, followed in 2004. It also featured 2.7- and 3.2-liter engines, but Porsche added a larger 3.4-liter mill with 291 horsepower in 2007. In 2009, the Boxster was rated at up to 306 horses. In 2005, Porsche introduced a coupe version, the Cayman.

The latest Boxster model, the 981, is on the market since 2012. The updated roadster featured notably more powerful engines, with the 3.4-liter flat-six generating up to 326 horsepower in the GTS. In 2015, Porsche dropped the 3.8-liter flat-six in the Boxster to create the Spyder model, rated at 370 horsepower.

Porsche updated the Boxster range in 2016, calling it the 982. The Germans also renamed it the 718 Boxster and, for the first time since the nameplate was introduced in 1996, it offered four-cylinder and turbocharged engines. Because of these changes, Porsche considers the 982 a standalone generation, even though design upgrades are mild. The base model features a 2.0-liter flat-four good for 296 horsepower, while the Boxster S boasts a 2.5-liter flat-four with 345 horses. The GTS also features a turbo-four that cranks out 359 horsepower. The naturally aspirated flat-six returned to the lineup in 2019 after a three-year hiatus. As of 2019, there's a 4.0-liter flat-six that generates 414 horsepower in the 718 Boxster Spyder and 394 horses in the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 and the 25 Years edition.

Met with great enthusiasm by Porsche fans and the media, the Boxster is credited with saving the company, which during the early 1990s has been struggling with an ageing lineup and falling sales. The Boxster was Porsche's biggest volume seller from its launch in 1996 until the introduction of the Cayenne SUV in 2003. As of January 2021, Porsche sold more than 357,000 Boxsters.