Much like my Pick of the Day from last week, the Porsche 986 Boxster represents a ton of sports car for the money. In the Boxster, you get a traditional boxer six-cylinder, an amazing chassis helped by the mid-engine design, and a car that is as good at track days as it is for long road trips or just day-to-day driving. Dynamically, it is a better-handling and better-driving car than the 996-era 911, and I say that after having owned both. No, it is not a 911 but rather a more advanced design. Our Pick of the Day is one of the more special 986s out there, a 2004 Porsche Boxster S 550 Edition listed on ClassicCars.com by a seller in Wittmann, Arizona.
And what a design it is! Penned by Grant Larson as somewhat a modern take on the 550 Spyder, the Boxter was an immediate hit with journalists as well as buyers thanks to the 550 design cues yet still a modern-driving car. It also was an incredibly important car for Porsche as it was the first true, entry-level model Porsche had built in years, bringing new owners to the brand. It was also the first all-Porsche-DNA entry-level model since the 912.
Behind the wheel, the Boxster feels like a complete driver’s car, with everything you want as a driver and nothing you don’t. It has comforts such as good air conditioning, comfortable seats, and a decent stereo, but foregoes a lot of the things you see in many modern-day cars. It is also very analog in its driving experience, with incredibly communicative steering, a great gearbox, and an engine that is not only very capable, but one that also sounds amazing.
In 2004, Porsche created its first special-edition Boxster with the 550 edition. This version was only available as a Boxster S and included options that you could not get on any other Boxster: upgraded 266-horsepower engine (the highest output of any 986 Boxster), Carrera GT Silver paint (the same color that had been used only on the Carrera GT), special double, overlapping exhaust pipes, cocoa brown full-leather interior (with grey natural leather as a no-cost option), unique interior paintwork, special aluminum shift knob, factory short-shifter kit, high-end Bose sound system, two-tone gray and silver 18-inch Carrera wheels (available unpainted as another zero-cost option), 5mm wheel spacers, Boxster S sport exhaust, M030 option sports suspension, and a limited-edition plaque on the center console that shows the car’s number out of the 1953 built.
The sellers description is a bit low on content, but it does include some important information. First, this is #1709 of the 1953 cars built. According to the seller, this Boxster has had a complete mechanical overhaul including the IMS bearing. It is stated that the engine has received a full tear-down with all new seals, rings, gaskets, water pump cooler and air separator, new flywheel, and new clutch. It also has a brand-new set of four Michelin Pilot sport tires. The seller adds that this amounted to $10,000 worth of labor and parts, and that all receipts will be included.
This Boxster has covered a total of 75,000 from new, but this sounds like an example of a car that has literally had everything done that might need to be done. Of all the first-generation Boxsters, the 550 edition is my favorite due to the exclusive paint and interior options plus the added horsepower. It is also likely the least-expensive special-edition Porsche you can find, with this one available for the asking price of $20,000. That to me represents a great deal, especially with the service history of this example.
This 2004 Boxster S 550 Edition might not be quite as fast as a modern 718 Boxster, but what I love about these first-generation Boxsters is that they are still powered by a six-cylinder engine, sound unmistakably like a Porsche, and represented the start of something new for Porsche as a company. The fact that this vehicle is at the end of the run for the 986 makes it even more interesting and special. Don’t forget what Joel Goodson said in Risky Business: “Porsche: there is no substitute.”
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
