Trademark: Porsche Boxster Configuration

First Used: 1997

First Registered: 2008

Current Owner: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AG [1]

Trademark Type: non-traditional trademark; trade dress; configuration mark

Primarily Associated With: automobiles [2]

Brief (and likely incomplete) History [3]:

In the early 1990s, the PORSCHE® brand was running on fumes. The US economy was faltering and Porsche’s bloated product process drove prices higher and higher. Porsche’s annual sales dropped from over 50,000 a year in the 1980s to less than 15,000 units (and only 3,000 in the US). Porsche became so cash strapped that it even became a takeover target for large car manufacturers.

Porsche needed more than a tune-up. It needed a lifeline. The solution was not another high-priced halo car, but an affordable, all-new sports car that could sell in meaningful volume. Looking at the runaway success of Mazda’s Miata, Porsche realized there was still a strong global appetite for lightweight, two-seat roadsters, but with a distinctly Porsche twist. Leadership embraced a mid-engine design inspired by the legendary 550 Spyder and paired it with a drastically more efficient “just-in-time” production philosophy borrowed from Toyota. The result arrived in 1996 (as a 1997 model) as the Porsche Boxster, a modern, agile roadster priced below the 911 (with its iconic Porsche 911 Configuration) and aimed at a younger audience. In hindsight, it wasn’t just a new model. It was the car that pulled Porsche back from the brink.

Since its release, there have been four generations of Boxster cars: the 986 first generation (1997-2004), the 987 second generation (2005-2012), the 981 third generation (2013-2016), and the 982 fourth generation (2017-present):

986 First Generation (1997-2004)

The original 986 Boxster was Porsche’s first all-new model since the 928 and the brand’s first mid-engine road car since the 550 Spyder. Designed around the 1993 Boxster Concept, it carried over the concept’s clean proportions, side air intakes, and low-slung roadster stance while sharing a significant number of components with the 996-generation 911 to reduce costs. Power came from a 2.5-liter flat-six producing 201 hp, later upgraded to 2.7 liters and joined by a more powerful Boxster S with a 3.2-liter engine. The 986 also debuted Porsche’s first water-cooled flat-six architecture.

987 Second Generation (2005-2012)

The 987 refined the Boxster with sharper styling, higher-quality interiors, and more powerful engines while retaining the mid-engine layout that made the original a standout. Horsepower increased across the lineup, now starting at 240 hp in the base model and 280 hp in the Boxster S, with significant performance improvements arriving mid-cycle in 2009 via direct-injection engines (255 hp and 310 hp). The 987 also introduced Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), the Sport Chrono Package, and the option of the lightning-quick dual-clutch PDK transmission (beginning in 2009).

981 Third Generation (2013-2016)

With the 981 generation, the Boxster made a dramatic leap in design and dynamics. Longer, wider, and lighter thanks to more aluminum in the structure, the 981 adopted styling cues from the Carrera GT, including sculpted side panels and more aggressive front and rear fascias. The interior saw a major redesign with the sloping center console found in the Panamera and 911. Power came from revised flat-sixes (265 hp in the Boxster and 315 hp in the S), and the chassis benefitted from a new electro-mechanical steering system and a longer wheelbase. The 981 GTS and limited-run Spyder pushed the platform even further, with the Spyder using a 3.8-liter flat-six. Many enthusiasts consider the 981 the high-water mark for naturally aspirated Boxster cars.

982 Fourth Generation (2017-Present)

The fourth-generation Boxster brought a major philosophical shift: turbocharged flat-fours replaced the beloved flat-sixes in most models. Renamed the “718 Boxster” in homage to Porsche’s four-cylinder racers of the 1950s, the new engines delivered more torque and efficiency, with outputs ranging from 300 hp in the base car to 350 hp in the S. The chassis and steering were further sharpened, and the styling evolved with wider air intakes, slimmer headlights, and a more muscular stance. Responding to enthusiast demand, Porsche later reintroduced naturally aspirated flat-sixes in the GTS 4.0 and flagship 718 Spyder, making the 982 lineup one of the most diverse in Boxster history. With a mix of turbocharged punch and high-revving purity, the 718 generation continues to balance modern expectations with classic Porsche character.

Today, Porsche owns a few trademark registrations protecting its Boxster brand. The BOXSTER® word mark is a registered trademark for both automobiles [4] and toy model cars [5]. And the overall vehicle design is protected as the Porsche Boxster configuration mark, non-traditional trademark registration [6].