After the 911 Carrera Black Edition, Porsche today announced that it is launching a similar limited run version of the Boxster S as well. The new model will be produced in just 987 units, and aside from the upgrades in the styling and equipment departments, the Boxster S Black Edition also benefits from a small power boost. 
As one would expect, almost every part of the body is finished in black, including the model lettering, mirror housings, rollover bars, air intake grilles and twin tailpipes. Black 19-inch wheels, shod in tires size 235/35 at the front and 265/35 at the rear, complete the exterior changes.
The dark theme is continued inside, complemented by discrete metallic accents found on the doors, sill plates, air vents, steering wheel and gear selector. Other than that, black dominates the dashboard, door panels and partially leather seats.
To mark its special status, the Boxster S Black Edition comes as standard with the “Comfort”, “Infotainment” and “Design” equipment packages. That means customers don’t have to pay extra for features such as the wind deflector, anti-dazzle mirrors, cruise control, rain sensor, climate control, navigation, bi-xenon lights with cornering function and LED daytime running lights. The list of special options includes among other things, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and adaptive sports seats with memory function.
The Black Edition uses the same 3.4-liter six-cylinder boxer engine as the Boxster S, but after some minor tweaks it delivers ten more horsepower, for a total of 320HP and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) of torque.
Fitted with the 6-speed manual transmission, the Boxster S Black Edition needs just 5.2 seconds to complete the 0-to-100 km/h (62 mph) dash and can reach a top speed of 276 km/h (171.5 mph). According to the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) test cycle, average fuel consumption is 9.8 lt/100 km (24 US mpg).
Customers can also opt for Porsche’s 7-speed twin-clutch transmission, dubbed PDK, in which case the roadster is even faster and more frugal. It sprints to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.1 seconds, (0-60mph in 4.8") while the top speed is 274 km/h (170 mph). With the PDK, the Boxer returns a combined fuel consumption of 9.4 lt/100 km (25 US mpg).
The Boxster S Black Edition will go on sale in March 2011 for a base price of €63,404 in Germany, including VAT and country-specific equipment.
In the U.S. prices start at $65,200, with Porsche claiming saving of around $3,200 over a comparably equipped Boxster S.
By Csaba Daradics
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