First UK Porsche Boxster P159 EGM - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Hello In 1997 I was one of the “journalists” that drove P159EGM for Car Magazine with John Simister and Hilton Holloway. We were comparing the new Boxster to the 914. (March 1997 Car Magazine) What a day that photo shoot was 😀. I was at university at the time and I couldn’t believe my luck. I was the university press reviewer back then. I have some amazing photos of the day. (No smart phones back then). Anyway. I searched long and hard to buy back what is probably the most famous Boxster in the UK. At least it’s one of the earliest and essentially the car that saved Porsche. During my quest I found P168EGM. Which is the oldest UK car and about 6 months later a lead told me about P159EGM. So I bought them as a collection of the oldest and a representation of the Genesis of the Boxster.

Post those pics!

This is the car now, having its MOT done

It was in cover girl for TopGear and several other magazines

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A 35mm SLR selfie

Superb posts and great detective work!

Looking at its mot history looks a very well kept car, an interesting car to own

Great posts. Awesome that you managed to track the car down.

Good timing I think. They're just starting to look OK, as is the 996 now.

Love these kind of stories. Still have those magazines. Back then I was reading up as much as I could as I was about to order a brand new one. Had to wait more than a year, eventually taking delivery of a nice Guards red example in August 98. Hard to believe now that the Boxster was a rare site on British roads receiving a great deal of interest.

sennasurgeon said: This is the car now, having its MOT done Great story !! I’m sure I’ve got that Autocar mag hiding in the attic..... Got my first Boxster in 99. How many miles on her now ??

Will the mileage not be on the MOT DVLA site

Just came across the AUTO CAR article The First Drive Boxster from 4th Sept 1996 but it features a LHD S -PR 182 I have the article in mint condition if any one is interested in it ,this is reprinted copy by Porsche Reading

Loving this. Great find!

The blue one is the oldest RHD

sennasurgeon said: The blue one is the oldest RHD Excellent story, I also collect multiple examples of Porsche cars when possible.

Wow, my 968 is a late 1995 M, must be handful of months between them but night and day different in just about every way!

The reg numbers would indicate the silver one was registered before the blue one. Is this not the case or are you referring to date of manufacture?

8-P said: Wow, my 968 is a late 1995 M, must be handful of months between them but night and day different in just about every way! At least 12 months of "N" separates them. or "Late 1995" must be an N reg.

MOT check states that the blue car was registered 12 months after the silver car. something not right.

8-P said: Wow, my 968 is a late 1995 M, must be handful of months between them but night and day different in just about every way! Is it’s LHD?

10126 Torino said: MOT check states that the blue car was registered 12 months after the silver car. something not right. The Blue Chassis number is the oldest RHD example remaining

Clarkson and Tiff thrashed it too.....

sennasurgeon said: The Blue Chassis number is the oldest RHD example remaining DVLA shows the silver car registered December 1996 and the Blue one January 1997.

Fizzbomb said: sennasurgeon said: The blue one is the oldest RHD Excellent story, I also collect multiple examples of Porsche cars when possible. Great pair to own and keep nice. What will you do, mothball one and enjoy the other? Or will you run them both, or neither. Great position to be in. Fizzbomb, do you have a thread running about your collection. Would love to read it if so.

996Targa said: DVLA shows the silver car registered December 1996 and the Blue one January 1997. Yep. Registered in a different order. My Porsche certificate for the blue one states that it was manufactured in 1996:

sennasurgeon said: I've got this edition of Autocar on the shelf at home because I went out and bought a red C5 Corvette - as pictured centre right on the front cover.

Wow, thanks for sharing. I'm a big fan of the early Boxtser and perenially looking for one to add to the garage. I don't suppse you have digitised versions of those magazines to share? Where the vendors of the cars you bought aware of their historic relevance? PS: Have you've come round in the last couple of years?? sennasurgeon said: Truly awful cars. Owned one Not that fast unless you rev the nuts off it. Terrible gearbox, heavy clutch, cheap interior soft plastics on the Centre Console. Leather made of tissue paper. Old technology when it was new. The Bose stereo is rubbish. The steering wheel buttons don’t do much. No blue tooth. Crank shaft oil leaks, bore scoring, RMS problems Porsche at its worst. Cost cutting and VAG parts bin sharing. Just my opinion but 986/996/987/997 are poor quality cars relying on a previous reputation held up by the air cooled era cars. Edited by RiccardoG on Monday 3rd February 18:13

RiccardoG said: Wow, thanks for sharing. I'm a big fan of the early Boxtser and perenially looking for one to add to the garage. I don't suppse you have digitised versions of those magazines to share? Where the vendors of the cars you bought aware of their historic relevance? PS: Have you've come round in the last couple of years?? sennasurgeon said: Truly awful cars. Owned one Not that fast unless you rev the nuts off it. Terrible gearbox, heavy clutch, cheap interior soft plastics on the Centre Console. Leather made of tissue paper. Old technology when it was new. The Bose stereo is rubbish. The steering wheel buttons don’t do much. No blue tooth. Crank shaft oil leaks, bore scoring, RMS problems Porsche at its worst. Cost cutting and VAG parts bin sharing. Just my opinion but 986/996/987/997 are poor quality cars relying on a previous reputation held up by the air cooled era cars. Edited by RiccardoG on Monday 3rd February 18:13 Wow I wrote that a long time ago.... I haven’t come round at all. I think these early 2.5 Boxsters are quite well built. Probably because they needed to be. I was stung with Bore-scoring on my 997 3.8. Hence my strong beliefs

sennasurgeon said: Wow I wrote that a long time ago.... I haven’t come round at all. I think these early 2.5 Boxsters are quite well built. Probably because they needed to be. I was stung with Bore-scoring on my 997 3.8. Hence my strong beliefs Sorry to hear re the 3.8, nobody deserves that. Have one myself (3.8) and its always a concern. Still interested to hear re the 2.5s.

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It’s in a magazine again

sennasurgeon said: It’s in a magazine again Great stuff, look forward to reading it. I buy Classic Cars and Car in that pack they do in 'smiths every payday. Having bought a silver 00W 986S in May, that cover looks as if I best leave the mag lying around for Mrs PB to see. Rising prices dear, better than money in the bank . . . ;-p

I have just stumbled on this post after doing my own research on my car. I also have a very early and very basic Boxster. When I say basic, it has leather seats but no AC, and the (slightly crappy) plastic rear storage compartment. I am trying to find the build date, hence my research. It’s in Arena red and registered on the 17th of January 1997. While changing the binnacle rear illumination this week, I found a sticker quoting 1996. Therefore, I am assuming it’s a very early car. Do you have any advice on finding the actual build date and, when production actually started? If your blue car was the earliest, when was that registered? As a historian (medieval!) I am quite liking this research! With regards and hopes that this thread is still alive. Charles.

Love these early boxsters. Amazing you managed to track that car down

Charlesbanbury said: I have just stumbled on this post after doing my own research on my car. I also have a very early and very basic Boxster. When I say basic, it has leather seats but no AC, and the (slightly crappy) plastic rear storage compartment. I am trying to find the build date, hence my research. It’s in Arena red and registered on the 17th of January 1997. While changing the binnacle rear illumination this week, I found a sticker quoting 1996. Therefore, I am assuming it’s a very early car. Do you have any advice on finding the actual build date and, when production actually started? If your blue car was the earliest, when was that registered? As a historian (medieval!) I am quite liking this research! With regards and hopes that this thread is still alive. Charles. That’s very pretty in Arena Red.

sennasurgeon said: Typical ,they decided not to include the best front wheel drive sports convertible , made by Fiat.

My Boxster was first registered 28-02-1997 so I guess is a comparative youngster.

Charlesbanbury said: I have just stumbled on this post after doing my own research on my car. I also have a very early and very basic Boxster. When I say basic, it has leather seats but no AC, and the (slightly crappy) plastic rear storage compartment. I am trying to find the build date, hence my research. It’s in Arena red and registered on the 17th of January 1997. While changing the binnacle rear illumination this week, I found a sticker quoting 1996. Therefore, I am assuming it’s a very early car. Do you have any advice on finding the actual build date and, when production actually started? If your blue car was the earliest, when was that registered? As a historian (medieval!) I am quite liking this research! With regards and hopes that this thread is still alive. Charles. Just ask your local OPC. They can give you the build details and the spec list Edited by interstellar on Tuesday 27th July 12:00

Many thanks. I called Porsche UK and luckily came across a very helpful lady who has taken all the details and has offered to look on the Porsche dealer and Porsche heritage databases. Then email me a pdf of everything she can find. It was very good of them to be so helpful. Well, if anything materialises! With thanks all, Charles.

Damn now I want one of those first Boxsters again .... back to the classifieds

Amazing, I remember reading the top gear mag with this in from the time as a very young lad! Still think the silver with the red leather is its best combo today and they, like the z3, have gone past the old stage and are looking great again. Recently drove a 99 2.5 with 130k couldn’t believe how good it was! How does this one drive after all these years compared to when it was new?

Think the 986 continues to age very well,a true classic Porsche in the making for sure and a very important one which essentially helped save the company,values won't stay low forever..

Found these images of the actual photoshoot for CAR magazine

Hi, I love this kind of thing and just happened to buy P158 EGM. I have just bought it so don't have the build date details yet but looking forward to finding out. Great story!

Charlesbanbury said: Many thanks. I called Porsche UK and luckily came across a very helpful lady who has taken all the details and has offered to look on the Porsche dealer and Porsche heritage databases. Then email me a pdf of everything she can find. It was very good of them to be so helpful. Well, if anything materialises! With thanks all, Charles. Hi Charles did you find out anything?