Porsche Unveils Lightweight Boxster

Lightweight Boxster

Is it me or isn't this is the type/variation of model Porsche - and quite frankly any other manufacturer who produces competition minded autos - ought to be producing all of the time. It doesn't even need the extra power so much as it could use a less-is-more approach (except for the price). Porsche should offer "stripper" boxsters and caymans in the same vein as the GT3, with less weight, less frills and a lower price tag to attract a more enthusiast crowd.

Mazda should also do this with their Miatas, and perhaps even the 3 and 8. I think there could be a significant enthusiast market for cars like this (let's face it, most of them are weekend/3rd cars anyway - save for the mainstream Mazda 3 and 8). The only options should be: beefier roll-bar/cage, racing seats, sport suspension. I'd think a stripped-down, sub or right at $20K Miata would be a winner (remember when you could buy one brand new like that? I know I do!). What they have now is too bloated, and I'm sure the same can be said of the Boxster/Cayman lineup.

Manufacturers it's time to stop catering to the fat and lazy croud and at least have an offering that gets back to what made your cars great (and attracted all the attention to them) in the first place!

Sorry for the rant, but I've felt this way for a while. Seeing the article I linked to above just sent me off!!!

I totally agree. It'd be nice to see a "club sport" type of car that doesn't cost more than the regular, option laden car.

Aiyah, that's a sexy beast. I agree completely. I'd love to see track/street versions of more cars offered, and weigh decreased across the board. Decreased weight = better performance + better mileage . You'd think it was a win/win

Agree.

That car is making me think naughty thoughts

From a business perspective though I can see why it doesn't happen: making another model of the same car in order to make less money. The bean-counters will say, "Why". Never mind what the real answer is.

Better than the S2000 CR; More money, "less" weight, same performance. I was truly disappointed when that car came out, despite the suspension refinements.

Trouble is last time Mazda tried it with the Miata they couldn't give them away. Enthusiasts want them in theory, but don't buy the in practice. I'm sure the Mazda faithfull will jump in with production #'s but the club sport was an utter failure.

Carrera 4 said: I'd think a stripped-down, sub or right at $20K Miata would be a winner

Mazda tried it in 2003 with the Miata Club Sport. 25 of them were made with a softtop, 25 with a hardtop and no softtop. The car had manual steering, the only Miata to be offered that way in the past decade. No radio, no AC but all the performance options. The weight was 2365 lbs, compared to the Mazdaspeed turbo car of the next year that hit the scales at 2525 lbs. They were offered to SCCA members exclusively for a month, then the general public. I think they only came in red or white. List price was $19,995, more than a grand less than the base model 2003. In other words, exactly what you're asking for.

They were a total sales failure. It took over a year to move those 50 cars and it took fairly massive discounts to make it happen. I think Brian Goodwin got the last one, and I seem to recall the selling price started with "16".

1) Add features and options.

2) Increase price.

3) There are no ???s

4) PROFIT!

Anything that messes with this fundamental truth just ain't likely to happen.

C'mon guys. GRMers aren't your average "car guys". For most of us, "Grassroots Motorsports" is a nicer way of saying "Cheap Bastards Motorsports". How many of us buy new cars in the first place? If you told the average car buyer that you'd take off all the luxury stuff and only save 5 percent on the purchase price, they'd laugh in your face. Instead, the dealers say "You want those Brembos? Sure thing. They come with the upgraded trim package. It's only another $3k!"

Keith wrote:

Carrera 4 said: I'd think a stripped-down, sub or right at $20K Miata would be a winner

Mazda tried it in 2003 with the Miata Club Sport. 25 of them were made with a softtop, 25 with a hardtop and no softtop. . .

I remember the club sport well. I also remember lusting after one, but thought 3 things:

a) why are they only being offered to a limitted audience? Guess that means I can't have one. b) with a limited production run they would be unobtanium. c) why didn't I wait to buy my 2000 Miata?!! I still owe $$$$ on this thing!!!

I imagine if regular enthusiasts realized they could just walk onto the lot and buy/order one, it might have been a different story. I would have bought one if it was offered in 2000. By then I could not get one without A/C, PS, PW, etc. If that car was $21K and change at the time, I totally would have bought a stripped down $17-18K model if it existed.

Good points. Look at the last Mazda RX-7. "We want a hard-core sports car, Mazda!" Okay, out it came..... and how many sold? Everyone "wants one" yet everyone has an excuse why they don't put their money down - can't run a car business that way.

It's the exact same thing with kit car companies. People say they want one yet no one puts the money down, hence so many kit car company failures.

Good points. Look at the last Mazda RX-7. "We want a hard-core sports car, Mazda!" Okay, out it came..... and how many sold? Everyone "wants one" yet everyone has an excuse why they don't put their money down - can't run a car business that way.

It's the exact same thing with kit car companies. People say they want one yet no one puts the money down, hence so many kit car company failures.

Mazda tried it in 2003 with the Miata Club Sport. 25 of them were made with a softtop, 25 with a hardtop and no softtop. The car had manual steering, the only Miata to be offered that way in the past decade. No radio, no AC but all the performance options. The weight was 2365 lbs, compared to the Mazdaspeed turbo car of the next year that hit the scales at 2525 lbs. They were offered to SCCA members exclusively for a month, then the general public. I think they only came in red or white. List price was $19,995, more than a grand less than the base model 2003. In other words, exactly what you're asking for. They were a total sales failure. It took over a year to move those 50 cars and it took fairly massive discounts to make it happen. I think Brian Goodwin got the last one, and I seem to recall the selling price started with

Wow, I was unaware of this. I know Mitsubishi made a stripped out Evo RS with similar options for a few years, but I don't know how many of those were sold. How would one go about tracking down these 50 lightweight Miatae...if one wanted to?

Is it wrong that I think the Spyder is just TOO damn quiet?

The Honda S2000 CR without radio or A/C is right there but the price was higher.

Carrera4 wrote: a) why are they only being offered to a limitted audience? Guess that means I can't have one. b) with a limited production run they would be unobtanium. c) why didn't I wait to buy my 2000 Miata?!! I still owe $$$$ on this thing!!! I imagine if regular enthusiasts realized they could just walk onto the lot and buy/order one, it might have been a different story. I would have bought one if it was offered in 2000. By then I could not get one without A/C, PS, PW, etc. If that car was $21K and change at the time, I totally would have bought a stripped down $17-18K model if it existed.

The SCCA exclusive was only for a month. The press releases said that after that month they'd go on regular sale, but nobody really expected any to be left so it probably didn't get mentioned much. Oops

You could get a Miata without PS in 1999. I've never actually seen one, but they were on the books. Not popular...

It can be hard to tell a Club Sport from a normal 2003 Miata, as most of them have been modified. I've had my hands on a very high percentage of them actually In fact, I seem to recall stripping one apart that only had 80 miles on it - we invalidated the warranty in just about every way possible.

The manual rack is probably the biggest giveaway, as most have radios installed by now and I know of AC in a couple. A very high proportion are sporting forced induction. Just search for Miata Club Sport and you might come across one. Or just get a normal 2003 Miata, swap in a manual rack sourced from Mazda and pull the radio.

the problem with the last gen RX7 was it was a steaming pile of manure when it was first released. The car had major teething problems, I remember dealers discounting them from $35k MSRP to $22k and they still couldn't sell them. If you leaned against the car, you dented it. They constantly overheated, etc, etc. One guy had a 10 page list of stuff that had gone wrong with his in something like 6 months of ownership.

Keith wrote: It can be hard to tell a Club Sport from a normal 2003 Miata, as most of them have been modified. I've had my hands on a very high percentage of them actually In fact, I seem to recall stripping one apart that only had 80 miles on it - we invalidated the warranty in just about every way possible. The manual rack is probably the biggest giveaway, as most have radios installed by now and I know of AC in a couple. A very high proportion are sporting forced induction. Just search for Miata Club Sport and you might come across one. Or just get a normal 2003 Miata, swap in a manual rack sourced from Mazda and pull the radio.

There's a Club Sport sitting on a dealer lot in Bothell, WA should anyone desire to pick one up:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/1447164078.html

Oh, and regarding the Boxster Spyder: WANT

I like it, but I don't $61,000 like it.

I still contend that if someone can sell a stripped down, lightweight, RWD car for $15k (very doable considering both the Accent and Versa sticker right at $10k), they will SLAUGHTER the market.

Autoblog said: Overall, Porsche's engineers have pared off about 176 pounds from the Spyder, bringing it down to 2,811 pounds.

oh, dear.

In reply to ReverendDexter:

Dodge could've done that with their "Razor" concept from 2002.

And all of a sudden my username makes more sense...

A 914 with a 3.6 swap would be cheaper, lighter and faster.