Here's Why A Miles Works Conversion Is The Best Thing You Can Do To A Porsche 986 Boxster

Find out how this epic modern homage inspired by aftermarket Porsche tuners transforms the humble 986 Boxster into a mid-engine exotic

by Dimitar Angelov on November 28, 2024, 10:00

Porsche’s 986 Boxster was a model that until recently, did not get the recognition it deserved. It gave Porsche enthusiasts a more affordable, mid-engine sports car that offered 80 percent of the 911 performance at around half the retail price when both cars were new. The entry-level Porsche from the 1990s came with a downside though – it wasn’t the quickest. While even the base-model 986 Boxster can smoke a Mazda Miata from the same period, automatic variants were especially strangled, with 0 to 60 mph times being 7.2 seconds.

The 986’s 1990s design hasn’t aged particularly well compared to other models, giving many personalization opportunities. That is where Miles Works comes in. The owner of the U.K.-based company (also present in the U.S.) took a page from Ferdinand Porsche’s book, which has resulted in the most radical-looking Porsche 986 Boxster. The best part is that the Miles Works 986 conversion is much more affordable than an RWB or Gembala conversion.

The idea of affordable, but highly-crafted Porsche conversions

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Like many other automotive companies, Miles Works began with owner, Dominic Miles, and his vision of the perfect Porsche 996. As you can see, this creativity, eventually, trickled down to the Porsche 986 Boxster. Miles doesn’t hide that he took heavy inspiration from Gembala, RWB, and Porsche’s RSR models, which were a lot more expensive than a regular 996, so he decided to make his own iteration of these purposeful, motorsport-inspired body kits, which is a lot more accessible to the public.

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The 996 was a bit of an underdog as it was the most unloved Porsche 911 generation, owing to the one that broke tradition with water-cooling and the infamous fried-egg headlights. The subsequent IMS-bearing problems didn’t help its case either. However, Miles Works’ conversions turn the 996 into something you would see in the F.I.A. Endurance series.

Flared fenders, air guides, air ducts, and bench-style rear wings with integrated air inlets for the engine are just some of the features seen on Miles Works 996 conversions. Certainly, less divisive than a Porsche 911 LS V-8 engine swap. The idea behind the Miles Works Porsche 986 Boxster is slightly different, albeit a similar philosophy has been applied.

Speedster vibes for the 986 Boxster

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Unlike the 996, the Porsche 986 Boxster was never meant to go racing. Porsche never developed a racing program for the Boxster (unlike the Cayman models that came after). With this in mind, Miles Works’ approach with the 986 conversions was a bit different. The original Boxster design was inspired by one of the most historically significant Porsche models, the 550 Spyder, which is also the first Porsche developed specifically for racing.

The Miles Works 986 combines traits from the Carrera GT, 935 "Moby Dick”,, and even the 911 Speedster models if you get the optional humps behind the driver and passenger. There are two versions of the 986 body kit, with the main difference being in the front-apron shape and air intakes. Both versions can be had with or without the speedster humps. Both kits will set you back $6,000 or $7,500 if you get the speed humps.

One of the kits is the “ultra-wide kit” as described on the Miles Works Automotive website while the other one is slightly more restrained. In a 2023 interview with Perhat22, Dominic pointed out that, Japanese tuner, Akira Nakai, the brainchild behind RWB (Rauh-Welt Begriff) famous for his ultrawide 911s, was an especially big inspiration for the body kits, while showcasing his 996 development car.

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All kits are accompanied by in-house-developed, Miles Works Superstar wheels, which Miles says, were inspired by the Carrera GT and Ferrari F40 LM pieces. While initially developed for the 996 conversions, Dominic developed a more stylish (less motorsport-inspired) version of the same wheels, for the 986 Boxster. The rear wheels feature an obscenely deep dish and measure 14x19 inches with a minus 80 offset.

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Given the attainable price of the body kits, carbon fiber is out of the question. All Miles Works conversion kits feature fiberglass panels, but the specialists have made sure to follow a fluid design, unlike the rough edges of the GT3 RSR race cars that are seemingly rougher around the edges. The 986 Boxster conversion by Miles Works Automotive can best be described as a modern homage/ mix of RWB, Gembala, and Gunterwerks’ best design decisions, which has resulted in a wide-bodied hybrid between a 550 Spyder, 935, and Carrera GT.

What about performance?

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The 986 conversion is a relatively new offering from Miles Works Automotive, but we know that the 996 conversions benefit from a 15.4-pound lightweight flywheel, a new induction kit, and an exhaust, for the Carrera engine. I suspect a similar treatment will be available on the 986 Boxster. The best part is, costing between $6,000 and $7,500, the Miles Works body kit costs less than the average used price of a Porsche 986 Boxster, which is currently, one of the easiest ways to get behind the wheel of a Porsche sports car. Would you pull the trigger on a Miles Works 986 Boxster?

Dimitar Angelov

Dim has been an automotive journalist since 2014. Although he is interested in all things automotive, his main interests revolve around, Asian, classic, and sports cars. He is particularly fond of Porsche sports cars as well as JDM classics from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and others. Dim operates mainly from Bulgaria, but can, occasionally, be seen attending Europe's most reputable Auto shows, and events. Read full bio