With its mid-engine design, the Porsche Boxster is one of the best-balanced cars on the road today.

For 2011, Porsche is offering the Boxster Spyder, a lighter-weight, more intense version of the German convertible. And we’re glad to say it is one of the best ways to spend a sunny day.

Model Lineup
The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is more than just a limited-edition offering. It’s the third machine in the Boxster lineup, joining the base and S versions. It features a manual soft-top and a host of changes to improve the Boxster’s already impressive performance. But when it comes to creature comforts, the Spyder is a bit spare. In the name of weight savings, there is no radio or air conditioning, the door pulls are nylon instead of aluminum, and cupholders have been eliminated. However, leather-and-Alcantara sport bucket seats, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, bi-xenon headlights, cruise control, electronic brake differential, locking rear differential and lightweight 19-inch wheels are all included in the sticker price.

View Pictures:  Porsche Boxster Spyder

Standard safety features consist of dual front airbags, torso-protecting side airbags, head-protecting side airbags, fixed roll bars, a tire-pressure monitor, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, traction control and electronic stability control.

Under the Hood
The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder comes with only one engine and two transmissions. The engine is the same direct-injected 3.4-liter flat six as other Boxsters. However, it has been tuned to make 320 horsepower at 7200 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque at 4750 rpm. Maximum output comes at 950 rpm higher than in the Boxster S. That’s the same tuning as in the Cayman S and is 10 more horsepower and 7 more lb-ft of torque than in the Boxster S.

View Slideshow:  Is the Boxster Spyder a Future Classic?

The standard transmission is a 6-speed manual. A 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) automated manual transmission is optional. EPA fuel-economy ratings haven’t been announced, but they should be the same as or slightly better than the Boxster S’s 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway with the manual transmission and 20/29 mpg with the PDK.

Inner Space
The Boxster Spyder’s top is like a bra. It barely covers what it’s supposed to and is a bit awkward to remove (it takes two to three minutes to take it off or put it on). But once it’s off, you see what all the fuss was for: The Boxster Spyder is meant to be driven with the top down.

The biggest concerns are security and wind noise. The top doesn’t fully seal, and you can slip your arm between it and the side windows. On the road this leads to quite a bit of wind noise inside the cabin. In a parking lot it means the Spyder isn’t exactly secure.

If you’re in the market for a Boxster, would you consider the Spyder?

Other than that, the Spyder’s interior is mostly like that of other Boxsters. As we said earlier, air conditioning, a radio and cupholders are not standard. Removing the AC alone saves about 29 pounds. Also saving weight, about 26 pounds over those with a standard metal frame, are a pair of manual sport bucket seats with carbon-fiber frames. We found the seats to be supportive, but they may be too skinny for some larger individuals.