2004 Porsche BOXSTER S 550 Spyder

Fitted with a specially tuned 3.2-litre engine that develops 264bhp (making it the most powerful Boxster Porsche had built up to that point), every 550 Spider is finished in GT Silver, a colour previously reserved for the Carrera GT.

The 550 Spider also has Porsche’s M030 sports suspension, which means a 10mm lower ride height than the Boxster S, as well as uprated springs and dampers. It also has a 15% quicker gear shift, a sports exhaust, and 5mm wheel spacers to give it the perfect stance. The 18-inch Carrera two-tone alloy wheels hide four-pot brake calipers at the front for ultimate stopping power.

Built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original Porsche Spyder, the interior gained dark grey heated leather seats with silver painted backs (the standard colour for the leather was cocoa brown, but grey was a no-cost option), a GT Silver centre console, radio surround, handbrake lever, and roll bars, plus a BOSE audio system and CD changer.

Only 1,953 cars were ever built, and the example we are offering here has the plaque on the centre console that confirms that this is car number 822 of the series. Always garaged while it’s been in his care, the owner is reluctantly selling it because he feels the time is right to downsize his car collection.

(Please see the listing for his Porsche 911 too.)

The GT Silver coachwork is in very good condition, remaining lustrous and even, despite the passage of 14 years. The panel gaps are as tight and even as you’d expect of a Porsche and there are none of the sort of car-park dings that can plague even the most carefully curated vehicles. Sure, there is the odd minor stonechip but the car presents very well indeed, even close up.

The two-tone alloy wheels are free of scuffs, chips and corrosion and are shod with high-performance tyres. The black folding hood looks to be the original, but it still seals tightly and is free of rips, tears and other flaws.

The underside is clean and free of structural rust and other obvious problems.

The interior is as clean as the exterior and retains all of its original 550 Spider accoutrements, including the all-important centre plaque confirming that this is number 822 of the series.

With the exception of one small hole, the dark grey leather seats are free of rips, tears and scuffs, and wear only the gentlest of patinas. The hard plastic surfaces are free of scratches and the Boxster even comes with a neat, four-CD storage tray in the centre console to hold CDs for the factory fit BOSE sound system.

The mesh and glass wind deflector is in place and we can confirm that this makes a massive difference with the hood down, giving wind-in-the-hair motoring while keeping the occupants warm and unruffled even in these wintery conditions.

Porsche over-mats are fitted, and they’ve done a terrific job of protecting the carpets underneath. The rear boot area is clean and tidy, as is the front, which holds the space-saver spare wheel. In fact, with the exception of the lightly patinated seats, the interior of this Boxster looks almost like a car that’s come to us fresh from a Porsche main dealer’s showroom floor.

The Boxster comes with a full Porsche service history, including both regular brake fluid replacement and airbag checks. Recent work includes a new clutch in 2014, and new front wishbones in 2015. The chassis was aligned in 2015 too, and new coils were fitted to the engine in 2017 along with new coolant and a service that included a change of brake fluid. 

The latter work came about as a result of a full Porsche dealer inspection, with the owner having all of the recommended work done with the exception of the heated mirrors, which he was confident did, and still do, actually work. Being a conscientious chap, he would prefer potential bidders to come and check the car for themselves though, as he’s keen to make sure that he doesn’t mislead anyone, even inadvertently.

The car now drives perfectly and still feels so tight and lithe that we’d welcome potential bidders here to The Market HQ in Abingdon to take a look at the car for themselves.

The car comes with a number of old invoices and bills, along with a selection of expired MOT certificates. The current MOT certificate expires in June 2019 and is free of advisories.

It also has the driver’s manual and other Porsche handbooks in their original wallet, plus two keys and a stamped service history book.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

While the standard Porsche Boxster still has some way to go before it makes it to collectable status, the Boxster 550 Spider is already a highly desirable modern classic; the combination of high-performance, loaded specification, and limited numbers have already secured it a place in the hearts of Porsche enthusiasts worldwide.

Yet, this still hasn’t translated into the sort of big numbers we are growing used to seeing in some modern Porsches; with the price of 986 generation Boxsters on the floor, the 550 Spider attracts only a modest premium over even the best standard cars.

How modest? Well, we think this extremely well-presented example with sell for between £7,000 and £10,000, at which price point it offers stunning value and very accessible performance. Whether bought as an interesting runaround or a pampered investment, we can’t think of a nicer place to put a sub-five figure sum. After all, when was the last time you saw one?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.