The tuning also increases solidity and improves spring rebound on both small and large road bumps. The electromechanical steering, whose layout is ten per cent more direct, makes control of the 718 Boxster even more agile and easier to handle both on circuit tracks and in everyday traffic. For the 718 Boxster S, Porsche is expecting lap times on the North Loop of the Nürburgring that are more than 16 seconds faster than those of the previous model.
For greater precision and lateral stability, Porsche engineers modified numerous aspects of the rear suspension. For instance, a new lateral member strengthens the rear subframe and thereby improves lateral rigidity. Dampers with larger piston and rod diameters also improve precise wheel tracking by adding rigidity. The rear wheels that are half an inch wider offer better support. Together with the newly developed tyres, this makes a significant contribution toward increased cornering stability of the new 718 Boxster.
For very ambitious drivers, Porsche is offering the PASM sport suspension as an option in the 718 Boxster S. It includes a 20-mm lower ride height and much tighter tuning in Sport mode. As before, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with a ten millimetre lower ride height is available as an option. The active suspension, which has also been retuned, offers an even broader spread between long-distance touring comfort and dynamic sporty stiffness. Porsche is implementing extended sensor technology to further increase control bandwidth. At each spring strut, a height sensor now measures spring movements. In addition, three accelerometers measure the dynamics of excitations. This enables even more precise and sensitive control of damping.
Because of the car’s greater driving performance capabilities, stronger brakes are used with 330-mm brake discs in front and 299-mm discs at the rear. The 718 Boxster now has the brake system that was previously used in the Boxster S. The 718 Boxster S, on the other hand, uses the four-piston callipers of the 911 Carrera combined with thicker brake discs. Porsche is also equipping its 718 Boxster models with the multi-collision braking system. The system can reduce the severity of a secondary collision by automatically braking the vehicle after an initial collision.
The sharpened sportiness of the roadsters carries over to the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) control system. When the car is equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package, the system offers the mode known as PSM Sport that is activated separately by pushing the PSM button on the centre console. Functionally, PSM Sport differs from the normal “PSM On” mode and can now also be activated independent of the Sport Plus mode of the Sport Chrono Package. When the PSM Sport mode is activated an indicator in the instrument cluster and the yellow “PSM Off” lamp are lit to inform the driver.
The PSM Sport mode lets ambitious drivers explore performance limits even closer – such as on a circuit track or in winter driver training on low-friction surfaces. Compared to PSM On, the new function permits much larger yaw angles and more slip at the drive wheels. This lets drivers experience the sports car’s dynamic performance even better. This makes it unnecessary for even ambitious sports car drivers to fully deactivate PSM. However, the PSM Off mode is still available, which is selected by a long activation of the PSM button. But even in the PSM Off mode and new PSM Sport mode, hard braking within the ABS control range activates the full range of stabilising assistance by PSM until the brakes are released.