Porsche Boxster Spyder
Porsche's new Boxster Spyder unveil was a minor surprise at the show as it hadn't been officially teased beforehand (although the rumour mill suspected it might be there). It largely impressed when revealed. Like its predecessor, it was all about stripped-out necessity, with accoutrements like air-con and radios strictly optional rather than standard, reducing weight and improving performance. 62mph is now dispatched in 4.5 seconds for the 375hp 3.8-litre flat six-cylinder engine, but the more crucial difference is that with this version the car's manual ragtop convertible process has been made far easier. Now, only a bit of foreknowledge and patience is required to drop the top, rather than a PHD in trigonometry and half an hour to spare. And the end result, whether top-up or top-down, is decidedly more smooth and appealing due to some rearward bulges. Prices start at £60,459 from July