Porsche Boxster / Cayman 987: the flat-six signature, the complete exhaust system guide
The 987 is the gateway to Porsche's mid-engined flat-six, and an excellent buy on its way to becoming a youngtimer. Its dated factory exhaust holds a lot back: replacing it transforms the car more than any other modification. For your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, this guide sets out what each choice changes: material, front section, sound, valves and fitting.
Written by RogMotorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2
From €2,290 in stainless steel, €2,790 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2 (2009-2012)
- Engine
- 255 to 320 hp · 290 to 370 Nm, depending on the version
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted manifolds with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman 2.0 turbo type 982, Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 2.5 turbo type 982, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 4.0 type 982, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS 4.0 type 982.
The Porsche flat-6: the Zuffenhausen signature, silenced by regulations
The flat-six in your Boxster / Cayman 987 has the most recognisable sound in motoring: that metallic, rasping tone unique to the flat layout. The rear or mid-mounted engine makes the exhaust short and direct: every modification can be heard immediately. Unfortunately, recent regulations have imposed filters and silencers that erase part of that signature.
The ROG exhaust restores it: the flat-6 regains its raspy timbre and presence, from idle to high revs, and the valves let you choose between factory discretion and full expression.
How the exhaust on your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2 is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencer, valves. This is where our research and development is focused, and it is what shapes the sound. On its own, it changes the character of the car.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, these are the manifolds, which collect the gases as they leave the cylinders. The factory catalytic converter is built into it: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing this part is optional: it frees up the flow, and an ECU remap is what turns that into power.
Your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2 in figures
On a modern car, an exhaust system first changes the voice, the breathing and the weight at the rear. Power, on the other hand, comes from an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures. Factory figures vary by version; Stage 2 figures published for the 320 hp version.
Our exhaust systems work perfectly with or without an ECU remap. On your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, however, we recommend one at an approved tuning centre: it is what lets the engine deliver its full potential.
To be completely transparent: the exhaust alone brings a moderate gain by reducing back pressure. On the turbocharged versions, Stage 2 with an ECU remap at an approved tuning centre unlocks a real step up in performance. On the naturally aspirated versions, most of the gain lies in response and sound, and that is already huge.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, the exhaust costs €2,290 in stainless steel and €2,790 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
€2,290
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
The benchmark for high-end exhausts: tough, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The choice of most of our customers.
Titanium
€2,790
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
Around 40% lighter than stainless steel for the same design, with a more metallic sound that turns crystal-clear at high revs. Its finish ranges from brushed to blued tints.
Over time, both hold up: 304 stainless steel stands up to winter salt and damp, and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 4: Front section: manifolds and catalytic converter
Optional: the manifolds on your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, with their catalytic converter. Sound intensity is rated on our scale of 0 to 10, valves open; the factory exhaust scores 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
The factory catalytic converter stays in place. The starting point and, for many of our customers, more than enough.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+€1,540
8/10Road use and inspection
Emissions control is still very much there, and flow improves noticeably. The choice for everyday driving.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+€1,540
9/10Inspection: depends on local rules
Half as many cells: flow comes close to a decat and the sound gains real aggression at high revs.
Decat
+€920
10/10Track use
No emissions control: maximum flow, raw sound, the sharpest revving.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat manifolds + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? A sports catalytic converter can trigger it: the oxygen sensor after the catalytic converter detects less cleaning than with the factory unit. It is not a fault. An ECU remap recalibrates the sensor, and a session with a diagnostic tool clears the fault code. With a decat, the warning light is almost certain without a remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing vehicle inspection with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2.
ROG remote
A small control unit fits in the boot. Two buttons, open and closed: the valves respond at any moment, whatever the drive mode. Simple to fit, and we stay on hand throughout the installation.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
If your vehicle is fitted with factory valves, the exhaust keeps their existing control. The drive modes decide, just as they did from the factory, with no added electronics.
On the motorway, with the valves closed, the gases pass through the silencer, designed for cruising: no drone at a steady speed. You open up when you feel like it, not when the motorway decides for you. More about exhaust drone.
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Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
The ROG sound signature on the flat-6
Our exhaust restores the Porsche signature in full: the metallic, raspy timbre of the flat-6, presence from idle, harmonics that rise with the revs, and crisp crackles on the overrun with the valves open. With the valves closed, the factory discretion is fully intact.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You choose your exhaust and enter your VIN, found in box E of your registration document or at the base of the windscreen.
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Check
We check compatibility with your VIN before manufacturing begins.
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Manufacturing
Your exhaust is made to order, for your car.
-
Delivery
Free, insured to your door, tracked from dispatch.
-
Fitting
No welding or cutting: clamps and gaskets, around two hours on a lift.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of purchase
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
What about the manufacturer's warranty on your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2? In Europe, a manufacturer cannot refuse warranty cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it has to prove that the fault comes from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2
-
Daily driving
€2,290
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves when you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
€4,330
- Titanium
- 200-cell manifolds
- ECU remap
More sound, more breathing, and a car you can still present at vehicle inspection.
View this configuration -
Track
€3,710
- Titanium
- Decat manifolds
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
And if you are still unsure, that is perfectly normal: it is exactly why we answer the phone.
Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2?
As standard, the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2 produces 255 to 320 hp and 290 to 370 Nm, depending on the version. An exhaust system on its own mainly changes the sound, the breathing and the weight; power is gained with an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures for the 320 hp version reach 357 hp and 415 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2?
For the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, the ROG exhaust costs €2,290 in stainless steel and €2,790 in titanium. 304 stainless steel is tough, rounded in tone and the most popular choice; titanium is around 40% lighter for the same design, with a more metallic sound at high revs.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2?
No. On the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2, the cat-back alone carries the valves and already transforms the sound. Replacing the manifolds is an option for going further: with a 200-cell sports catalytic converter for the road, 100-cell or decat for more radical use, with an ECU remap to turn it into power.
Will a ROG exhaust pass vehicle inspection on the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2?
With the cat-back only or the 200-cell sports catalytic converter, emissions control is retained: present the car with the valves closed. The 100-cell brings more sound and flow, and whether it is accepted at the emissions test depends on the car and local rules; the decat version is intended for track use.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2?
No welding or cutting, using clamps and gaskets. Allow two hours on average for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built for your VIN, which guarantees compatibility before it ships.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2?
From €2,290 to €4,330 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery and a 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you use your Porsche Boxster / Cayman type 987.2. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
RogMotorsport is a French brand built on one conviction: with an exhaust system, the support matters as much as the product. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
- All Porsche exhaust systems
- Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman 2.0 turbo type 982
- Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 2.5 turbo type 982
- Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 4.0 type 982
- Exhaust diameter: bigger does not mean more powerful
- Passing vehicle inspection with a sports exhaust
- Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes
- The 28 brands we cover
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