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The Boxster has a quiet look that speaks volumes about Porsche design philosophy. There are no extraneous ducts or style-influenced bulges to be seen. Yet it's modern in the details that first made their way into the Porsche styling idiom through the high-powered Carrera GT (note the mirrors) and the latest 911.The headlamp treatment was greatly improved when the Boxster was redesigned for 2005. The revised layout separates the main driving lamp from the foglamp and turn signal cluster, which not only gives the Boxster nose a more traditional Porsche look, it also allows the foglamps to be placed further toward the car's corners for a better spread of light. The frontal area and grille openings are larger, the track is wider, and the enlarged running gear is covered by wider wheel arches, but the wind tunnel guys went to work on a solution. Their aero-science helped fashion the body panels, A-pillars, the rear spoiler and door handles, and a fully covered undertray to create a more slippery profile with less lift and increased downforce, all good things when speed needs to fight the air. The inlets up front that feed air to the pair of front radiators (and a third cooler in the S) are bigger than those on pre-2005 models, and the large ducts in the rear fenders are bigger to direct more cooling air to the bigger brake discs. Even where the eye can't see, the attention to crucial detail contributes to the durability and sportiness of the Boxster. To cite just two examples: small spoilers on the front longitudinal suspension arms that direct airflow to the front brakes to help keep them cool; and small, flexible blades attached to the undertray that steer airflow toward the transmission for the same effect. To save weight, the Boxster does not come with a spare tire; instead, an air compressor and tire sealant will have to do. We understand the advantages of this approach (it saves 22 pounds, some luggage room and a bit of cost), but we wonder about that poor driver crossing the Nevada desert whose tire sustains the kind of damage sealant can't help (sidewall punctures, for instance). The tail clearly separates the current Boxster from pre-2005 models. The seam between body and tail panels now runs above the taillight cluster, which itself has been broken into three elements with more contrast between the red and white areas. And the center high-mounted stop light is now composed of 18 LEDs for a brighter warning. Boxster S models are distinguished from 2.7-liter Boxsters by their twin oval exhaust tips.
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