Turns Out, One of Porsche’s Sports Cars Is a Photographer’s Dream for More than Its Looks

While the Boxster has always played second fiddle to the likes of the venerable 911 in Porsche’s sports car lineup, that’s not to say that the German automaker has neglected the convertible’s outward appearance.

Quite the contrary, as the model has come a long way since the first generation. When the Boxster debuted as the 986, it was little more than an egg-eyed 911 offshoot (they actually shared almost all of their body panels from the doors forward). Over time, however, it’s developed a style that’s striking and unto its own.

Now, as it turns out, Porsche’s sports car isn’t just a pretty face. It’s also a capable presence behind the camera.

Porsche

The automaker has unveiled a 718 Boxster tracking rig, and, although unexpected, it’s a transformation that makes so much sense when you appreciate the benefits of the mid-engine camera car’s design.

Flat-four follow car

The project comes from Porsche Leipzig, and it’s the product of a training exercise completed by nine apprentices back in 2017. When the previous Boxster camera rig was finally put out to pasture, they were tasked with converting a 718 S into the follow car you see before you.

Porsche

Seeing as Porsche’s up-spec roadster comes with a 350-horsepower turbocharged flat-four from the factory, the team didn’t need to upgrade the powertrain. Instead, they focused their efforts on improving the Boxster’s utility.

So, along with removing the soft-top roof and installing a robust roll bar, this meant adding a series of steel tube mounts to the front, rear and sides of the Boxster for variable camera mounting. 

Porsche

Now, being a mid-engine convertible, the 718 touts both a front and rear trunk. Accordingly, the Porsche Leipzig apprentice team ingeniously reinvented each portion of the car as a possible photo/video hide, fitting padding, harness systems and even an elevated standing platform at the rear.

That’s not all. The Boxster also benefits from an inverter to supply power and recharge equipment, as well as some internal wiring to facilitate a direct connection between the camera and a laptop. 

Porsche

Clad in some matte black paint to minimize reflections when close to the subject matter, the result is a Porsche that’s purpose-built for creating impactful automotive content. It’s no wonder that Race Service took the opportunity to get behind the wheel at its recent Tutto Bene Hill Climb.

A capable Cayenne

As cool as this Boxster follow rig is with its stealthy paint and skeletonized look, it should be noted that it’s not the only camera car to wear a Porsche badge. The Stuttgart automaker’s Cayenne SUV also plays an important role in the creative process.

Porsche

Out of all the camera cars making the rounds nowadays, the model is a favorite for cinematographer Will Roegge and his team on account of its versatility on-road and off.

According to Porsche, they’ve used the Cayenne in a variety of in-house films, including the Keanu Reeves/Alex Winter Taycan short, Pike’s Peak runs, as well as features on Patrick Dempsey and Patrick Long.

Even with a massive camera arm mounted on the roof, the SUV is capable of traversing everything from snow to gravel because of its trick adaptive air suspension.

Moreover, it’s still plenty fast on account of the 493-horsepower twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that Porsche packs under the hood.

Porsche

Be it following rally cars on the Tail of the Dragon or accelerating to 100-plus, these Porsche camera rigs aren’t just capturing content — they’re doing their own stunts, too.

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