The 1997 model year saw the introduction of the original Porsche Boxster (986) which was produced at the former 928 facility at the main Porsche factory in Stuttgart before production relocated to Finland the following year. Finished in Pastel Yellow, this particular example was designated as a press car for the Boxster’s North American debut and was later sent back to the factory in Germany to be fitted with a pre-production 2.7-liter test engine that would eventually be used in the updated 986.2 version for the 2000 model year. The car spent time in the Blackhawk Museum’s classic car collection and its story was featured in the March 2014 issue of Panorama magazine. A historic first-generation Boxster, this 986 is now being offered for auction by its seller out of Oklahoma while showing just over 88k miles on the odometer.
This 986 is finished in Pastel Yellow with a black convertible top and factory 17” Twist wheels. Equipment includes integrated side air intakes, a speed-activated rear spoiler, silver-colored front grilles, black roll hoops, a removable cabin wind deflector, and a center-mounted exhaust outlet. The seller notes that the car saw one day of track use according to the associated Panorama article and the exterior is preserved with paint protection film over the front end. The car rides on a set of Michelin tires showing production date codes from 2021. Some minor cosmetic imperfections are depicted in the photo gallery along with a CARFAX report showing minor damage in 2015.
The black leather interior includes electrically adjustable seats, power windows and mirrors, black floor mats with red “Boxster” logos, automatic climate control, cruise control, a central locking system, a Porsche CR-21 cassette stereo, and a leather-wrapped four-spoke steering wheel with Tiptronic shift buttons. The cabin is described to be in very good condition while showing some minor signs of wear on the driver’s seat bolster.
This Boxster’s original 2.5-liter flat-six engine is said to have been replaced with an improved 2.7-liter test engine by the Porsche factory in Stuttgart following its press tour of North America. Power is sent to the rear wheels by way of a 5-speed Tiptronic transmission while stopping power comes from fixed 4-piston brakes and ventilated discs at each corner. The seller reports that upgraded Bilstein shock absorbers have been installed and the car was diligently maintained with routine service.
This sale will include owner’s manuals, a toolkit, a spare tire, a car cover, some documentation, and a clean title.
The seller would like you to know: “Highly recommend reading the literature i added to the post. This truly is a 1 of 1 example of Porsche's history. It may not be a manual, but the driving experience with the updated engine is elevated.”
Comments (22)
As we near the final 30mins of the auction we want to thank everyone who has bid thus far. You do not want to miss out on this opportunity to own a piece of Porsche history! Happy bidding!
@Izzyblue Carfax lists 'Minor' damage reported on 10/28/2015. It does not specify the extent of damage but we suspect it was very minor. All body panel paint matches excellently.
@uscarrera Unfortunately we do not have the documents listing the specific bore and stroke specs.
Bid in the amount of $7,100
Bid in the amount of $6,750
What was the damage in 2015?
Bid in the amount of $6,500
Trying to figure out how a 996 3.4 liter bore of 96mm was reduced to 85.5 bore of a 2.7, interesting
Can you post the bore and stroke measurements?
Thanks
Bid in the amount of $2,800
Bid in the amount of $2,500
To all bidders, regarding the uncertainty surrounding the engine displacement, we will be referencing the 14 page article in the March 2014 issue of Panorama magazine (scanned copies are posted in the listing photos). The page with the car tracking at Laguna Seca (no page number) states: "One very exciting day, we got a note forwarded from an engineer at Weissach. He said yes, he remembered the car. He stated that, after dealer presentation in Scottsdale, the car was used by Porsche's engine test department for a year. The '99627021' engine number meant it was a 996-block, 2.7 liter, engine number 21. He was happy to hear the car was still running, but had no explanation for why it got out with a test engine.....My car was truly unique: 1997 Boxster fitted with a hand-built, pre-production 2.7 liter e-gas test motor for the engine introduced on the 2000 Boxster. Plus all the other things done to it. Below is a photo of the crew on hand at Porsche Redwood City when we put the car up and used bore and stroke gauges to verify that, of the '996' blocks bored out to various displacements, it actually had a 2.7 liter."
Therefore, it is safe to assume with near certainty that this Boxster has a pre-production 2.7 liter engine.
@jccaro The car is titled and registered as a 1997.
Bid in the amount of $2,000
Will have answers tomorrow to rectify the confusion in the comments. We want to make sure they are all answered correctly and accurately for any potential bidder.
A 3.4L or a 2.7L That is the question...?
I too am confused, story explains engine from an early 996 swapped in that means a 3.4 not a 2.7, details please?
Thanks
Not surprising to see this listed here after Facebook Market.
Anyways @seller as I asked on Facebook prior (and got no answer) why is this listed as a 2.7L but all other indicators show 3.4L . Can you get your mechanic to take pics of it/ verify? Not hard to do.
Pic #67 shows 3.4L on the sticker. Listing states 2.7 was swapped in. Please advise.
@EAStulsa
Beautiful pastel yellow Boxster !
I know the owner who owned this car(a good friend and PCA member) prior to your ownership.
I was wondering, since the engine swap by the factory, and now with the new Vin sticker that says MY2000 , is the original MY1997 VIN sticker that's usually on the driver's door jam still available ??
If yes, would you be kind enough to post a picture of that, as well ??
Thanks
@jccaro hey there! Great question. The car is MY1997 and registered as 1997.
Question: is the car registered and titled as a MY2000?