Sorry fans, but the possible successor to the Porsche 550 of the 1950′s is going to stay in the stable for quite a while longer.

CEO Matthias Mueller of Porsche is waiting for the next generation of consumers to see if the sales numbers justify the release of such a vehicle and wont make their move until they do. If you were one of the people waiting for the mid-engine drop top Mueller announced in February of last year for a 2014 release, then you probably want to take up a hobby to pass the time. There really isn’t any telling how long this will take.

On the other hand, if you’re just Porsche-bound and eager for something that isn’t already on the market, there is still the small Cajun SUV to look forward to in the 2013 model year and the 2013 Boxster (pictured above) to fulfill that convertible craving.

GALLERY: 2013 Boxster

[Source: 4 Wheels News]

Porsche’s new Boxster may not have made an appearance at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, but the German automaker decided to grab some more attention by releasing photos of the third-generation model onto the Internet.

The latest iteration of the two-seater sports car will feature an all-new lightweight body, upgraded flat-six powerplants and a completely revamped chassis with some sleek styling changes, taking cues from Porsche’s 918 Spyder Concept. In addition, the longer wheelbase and wider track helps improve space in the Boxster. Porsche also outfitted the new Boxster with a new fully automatic hood which now dispenses with a compartment lid for the convertible top when it’s stowed away.

In the interior, Porsche updated the Boxster iso it now features a large screen and similar controls found on the Panamera and the newest 911.

Even though exact specifications weren’t released, the new Boxster’s all-aluminum body will be significantly lighter than its all-steel predecessor. The revised chassis should also be lighter than the previous generation setup.

As for engines, Porsche revised the horizontally-opposed, six-cylinder engines both featuring direct injection technology. The base Boxster will be powered by a 2.7L, flat-six with 265-hp. Despite having a smaller displacement than the outgoing 2.9L, the 2.7L produces more power and propels the standard Boxster to 60-mph in 5.4-seconds. The Boxster S on the other hand will get a revised 3.4L with 315-hp (5-hp more than the previous one) giving it a 0-60 mph time of just 4.7-seconds.

Both variants will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission available as an option.

It is also estimated that the newly revised flat-six engines will provide better gas mileage with an estimated 29.4-mpg in the US. Porsche will also offer plenty of options on their new Boxster with a Sport Chrono Package with Dynamic Transmission Mounts and the Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with a mechanical rear limited slip differential possibly some one of the more popular ones.

The 2013 Porsche Boxster will go on sale in the US starting in the summer with the base model starting at $49,500 and the Boxster S will retail for $60,900.

GALLERY: 2013 Porsche Boxster

The 2013 Porsche Boxster S is going to look more aggressive with fresh lines a new interior and bigger air scoops, but the real change is going to be how it feels on the road.

New looks are cool, but just wait until you see what the folks over in Stuttgart cooked up this time for the iconic roadster: a turbo cramming 50 extra ponies in for a grand total of 360 hp. What’s even more exciting is the fact that Porsche is doing this without it’s 3.4-liter flat-six. In fact, they’re slicing two cylinders right off in favor of a 2.4-liter flat 4, meaning a faster car that’s more forgiving at the pump.

A less potent version will also make its way into the Cayman and base Boxster models. This is great news for anyone thinking of buying a Boxster, because they know how much fun they are already with 310 ponies pushing past curvy roads. Furthermore, the car will shed some curb weight, meaning that extra power will punch even harder.

The official debut is slated for this year’s Geneva Auto Show, look for more details and pictures to come

[Source: Road & Track]

Porsche is recalling specific vehicles from the 2011 and 2012 Boxster, Cayman and 911 model ranges due to an issue with the seatbelt anchor.

The automaker claims that undersized mounting holes for the anchors could cause the seatbelt to become not ”routed optimally around the occupant.” Over time, the anchor could loosen, resulting in an increased injury risk in a crash.

Among the models targeted by NHTSA for recall include the 2011 911 Speedster, the 911 GTS RS 4.0, the 2012 Boxster (including the Boxster S and Spyder) and  Cayman (including the Cayman S and Cayman R), the 911 Carrera (including  the Carrera S, GTS, 4, 4S, and 4 GTS); 911 Targa 4/4S and the 911 Turbo and Turbo S manufactured from May 31, 2011 through June 10, 2011.

Porsche dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and made any necessary alterations free of charge.

Hit the jump for the official press release

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German sportscar maker Porsche is celebrating quite a milestone this month, as it has now exceeded the 300,000 mark for the total production number of the Boxster and Cayman models. This special occasion comes exactly 15-years to the month after production started back in 1996.

The car carrying the exclusive 300,000 build number was a platinum silver Boxster Spyder model with a red leather interior. It is intended for a customer in Germany.

The Boxster started out as a concept car back in 1993 at the Detroit Auto Show, but thanks to its overwhelmingly positive reaction, Porsche decided to put the car into production. It spent the first decade as only a convertible model, but then in 2006 was joined by the Cayman coupe. Nowadays, both these models come with a variety of engine, gearbox and trim packages to appeal to different clients.

While 300,000 units is an impressive number, it is far from the being the most populous sportscar on the market. Mazda for instance has produced over 900,000 of their MX-5 models, while Chevrolet has produced just over 1.5-million Corvettes.

Click here to read AutoGuide’s Porsche Boxster Spyder Review

Nowadays we can’t toss the term hybrid around without people thinking electric-first rather than one vehicle’s powertrain in another vehicle’s body. Back before Prii and Insights were all the rage, the term hybrids was used to describe a vehicle that received an engine transplant from another vehicle.

While these engine swaps date back to the early days of the automobile, most recently it became almost a mainstream trend for Hondas with larger B-Series or even K-Series powerplants, or in the case of the Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift, a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with a Nissan RB26 motor.

But this combination is possibly one of the most awesome marriages we’ve ever seen. Siegfried Rudolf, owner of CarMaxx out in Austria (not to be mistaken for Carmax in America), combined a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle with a 2000 Porsche Boxster convertible. The result is a slick looking car, despite its age, sporting 18-inch mesh wheels and custom fenders.

Now equipped with the mid-engined Porsche Boxster powerplant, the Beetle puts out 270-hp, making it a complete blast to drive we’re sure. It’s also dialed-in with fully adjustable suspension and even sports the complete Porsche dash on the interior. Dropping a classic Beetle shell onto a Porsche Boxster chassis? We dig it.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Bugster

[Source: Bugster via  Autoblog]

While Italian sports cars get a bad rap for being fickle, nobody has ever accused the Porsche 911 of having major reliability issues, and J.D. Power, publisher of the legendary reliability rankings, seems to confirm that, having named the 911 the most reliable sports car and Porsche as the top German manufacturer.

While some of Porsche’s newer vehicles have been afflicted with engine problems, J.D. Power still gave the brand top marks, likely since its owner survey is based on the opinions of people who forked out good money for their cars. On the other hand, a Canadian study recently showed that 97.4 percent of Porsches from the last 25 years are still on the road, a testament to their longevity and robustness. Only time will tell if a current Boxster, Cayman, Cayenne or 911 will be as resilient.

[Source: Porsche]

The next Porsche 911 is expected to shed roughly 100 pounds of weight, thanks to an aluminum intensive chassis that will be shared with the next generation Boxster and Cayman.

The news, courtesy of Motor Trend, seems to suggest that power upgrades won’t be as substantial, with the reduced weight helping to bring the majority of performance gains. With the 911 range already offering ample thrust, the news of a lighter chassis, one that is sure to positively impact all areas of driving dynamics, is promising. A wider track and longer wheelbase should also help improve the car’s handling, making it more stable while also benefiting ride quality.

Fans of the old car will still be able to buy previous generations of the Turbo and GT3 cars, as they have traditionally followed a year behind the standard cars in the product cycle.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Ever wonder what happens when you have a first generation Porsche Boxster 986 lying around surrounded by a ton of automotive-building talent? Look no further to Elite Projects out of Sweden where their talented team of designers and builders have released the cleanest widebody Porsche 986 that we’ve ever seen. We can even overlook the busy graphic design scheme on the car to appreciate just how well executed the project is.

Unfortunately we don’t know a ton of details on the project, but it looks as if Elite Projects Sweden transformed their 986 Porsche Boxster into a GT Racing machine and has even taken it out to the track. What we do know is its wheel setup, which is comprised of iForged’s Track Edition TE-14V wheels finished in a brilliant silver. Up front is a pair of 19×8.5 while the rear features a nice and wide 19×12 pairing.

Clearly the entire build is very well executed from bumper to bumper and was truly built and bred to be a track machine. We’ve love to see just how clean the car would be with just a solid shade of paint, but alas, kudos to Elite Projects for not scaring us when we saw Porsche 986 widebody in a post title.

[Source: Elite Projects Sweden via Vincent Wong]

GALLERY: Elite Projects Sweden Widebody 986 Porsche

After the launch of the Porsche Cayenne S, another hybrid model is set to bow from Germany’s most famous sports car manufacturer, though details are scant. With the 918 RSR concept car and 911 GT3R hybrid race car making waves, we’d bet that a Panamera Hybrid is on deck, as it’s the next logical step in a world that’s not quite ready for a 911 Hybrid street car.

While the 911 Black Edition, Boxster S Black Edition and 918 RSR will also be on the Porsche stand at the Geneva Auto Show, the new hybrid will undoubtedly be one of the show’s superstars, and you can find complete coverage over at AutoGuide’s Geneva Auto Show page.

Hit the jump to see the official press release

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