By Robert Farago
October 9, 2006 -
The English say it's horses for courses. The French say it's horses for main courses. And the German say it's horsepower uber alles Schätze. Well, everyone except Porsche. Since ’96, Stuttgart’s parsimonious power brokers have restricted their entry level Boxster’s engine so as not to steal big brother Carrera’s thunder. Porsche’s policy stands in direct contradiction to Mercedes and BMW, who happily pump-up the volume on vehicles that need more speed like an obese caffeine addict needs a bottle of Black Beauties. That’s just mean; the Boxster deserves proper motorvation. And now, finally, it’s got it.
Don’t ask me why Porsche suddenly decided to upgrade the Boxster S’ 3.2-liter powerplant with the Cayman S’s 3.4-liter 295hp short stroke flat six. Other than its sexy fastback and slightly stiffer chassis, the Cayman’s extra 15 horses and 15 ft.-lbs. of twist provided the primary justification for stumping-up the $6k differential between the ragtop roadster and its hard-topped twin. Now, why bother? Yes, the Boxster S’ roof generates wind roar at speed. Yes, its body flexes more in the corners (not that you’d notice in any absolute sense). But once you’ve joined the Boxster S club, you won’t spend a femtosecond wishing you’d bought the more expensive whippet snapper.
You will, however, wish you had more road. Unless you’ve got regular access to 50 miles of lightly trafficed, gently policed winding mountain tarmac, you’ll run out of corners long before you run out of desire to wind out the Boxster S’ silky sonorous six. Although there was nothing wrong with the way the “old” 987 carved-up the twisties, the incrementally more powerful Boxster S turns the speed-crazed sublime into the violently ridiculous. Porsche’s roadster is, finally, quick enough to scare you. Until it doesn’t. Which is even scarier. Until it isn’t.
The new model owes much of its aggressive nature to the Cayman’s borrowed gearbox. The shorter first and second gear ratios all but eliminate the Boxster S’ pre-Variocam lag, giving the German roadster Tyson-esque punch a moment after git-go. Second gear is especially useful; in the “instantaneous and abundant thrust” sense of the word. Third gear is relentless; in the ”you’ll be sleeping in that cell over there with Bubba” sense of the word. Equally important, you can now buy your S with 19” wheels. Unless you order Porsche’s pricey Active Stability Management, the resulting ride is as stiff as a triple Stoli straight up. And twice as intoxicating.
In dry conditions, the Boxster’s mid-engine balance, masterful suspension and fat rubber make it virtually impossible to break the rear end loose— leaving you free to explore cornering limits enjoyed by drivers of stratospherically-priced cars prepared by Maranello’s satanic mechanics. If and when you over-cook it, Porsche Active Stability Management steps in and saves your bacon. Switch off the handling Nanny and overwhelming rear grip is still less likely than securing a Manhattan cab in a 3am snowstorm. Drift kings need not apply, but the new Boxster S [still] isn’t about tire smoking machismo. It’s about tripping the light fantastic.
In fact, the Boxster S’ competition better hope that the old saw about a car only being as good as its brakes is wrong. As improbable as it sounds, the new S’ brakes are even better fear reducers than the previous binders. Porsche drivers familiar with the company’s curious clutch engagement now face acclimatization to the Boxster’s initially touchy brakes. It’s worth it; once mastered, the four-piston aluminum monobloc anchors (with new vacuum brake boosters) provide infinitely variable, endlessly reliable retardation.
And one more thing: once the revs crest three grand, the Boxster S’ raspy engine note hardens into something not entirely unlike a jet turbine. It’s nowhere near as addictive as the old BMW M5’s burble and roar, but then an unquenchable penchant for Chateau Margaux is less compelling than a crack cocaine habit (if equally pricey). Now that the M's V10 sounds like a diesel delivery van/F1 racer, there's only one thing better than an allegro concerto con Boxster S: a Boxster S fitted with a MAXFLOW exhaust. Even without the decibel enhancing (kill the spare cat) mods, if you like sex and violins, the Boxster S is your car.
Now more than ever, the higher horsed Boxster S is a more entertaining machine than the 911. Porsche’s $50k and [WAY] up convertible roadster is simply a more willing and nimble dance partner than the company’s ass-engined slot car. The new engine makes the Boxster S (and its Cayman cousin) only marginally slower than a base Carrera, so the 911's diddy rear seats and snob value are its only advantage. Put another way, there's no good reason not to buy a Boxster S (kids when you're caning?) and use the difference to reduce your monthly nut.
It’s a shame that it’s taken Stuttgart a decade to fit their mid-engined marvel with an engine capable of living up to its phenomenal chassis, remarkable suspension, peerless steering and world class brakes. Oh, and for the record, it’s still not enough. I’ve driven a 400hp Cayman. In any language, that car is the very definition of horsing around. Boxster brokers: you've broken the barrier. Now bring it on.
4 / 5 Stars | Porsche Boxster S rating summary and performance review
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POWERED
October 9th, 2006 at 9:08 am
Porsche is amazing, just when critics say they are losing it they come up with performance and style to go another round. The porsche to me is the quintessinal sports car, it is proportioned correctly. Not to large for road racing ala the corvette and a neo-boat tail rear end not like the billboard rear of the modern corvettes. If all around driving fun is what you want and timeless styling, this independent builder does it best. As for price, corvette by going upmarket has lost it’s lure of bang for the bucks. Price for price, wouldn’t most people take a porsche over a vette?
October 9th, 2006 at 9:35 am
corvette gone upmarket? when did i miss that? a few options will take a boxster S up to Z06 territory (money wise) so in my opinion the vette is still clearly the bang for bucks champ. I personally prefer the porsche, but i would choose a 911 simply because of its looks. the boxster, to my eyes, is an ugly machine.
October 9th, 2006 at 9:45 am
If you like sturm und drang and you’re not a badge snob, the ‘Vette’s the way to go. It’s cheaper, faster and sounds like a proper V8. These days, it even handles well.
Where the Boxster S scores is build quality, interior quality, chassis solidity, flickability and composure over rough surfaces (extremely important for 9/10ths driving).
It’s the difference between a sledgehammer and a scalpel.
October 9th, 2006 at 10:10 am
The question still begs “Who in their right mind is going to pay the premium for the Cayman !!!”. Once the novelty value wares off ie You buy it simply because no one else has one, it just makes no sense whatsoever.
That’s why people say Porshe are loosing it. They are becoming like Lotus or TVR, launching more and more variations on the same theme, chasing ever smaller niches…
October 9th, 2006 at 10:29 am
My Corvette loves advertising its billboard ass to Porsches on the local road courses. Calling it a sledgehammer is entirely accurate in the performance sense, but that implies a total lack of precision, which is false.
Not to mention the fact that the Vette can cruise in comfort with nav, heated seats, heads up display, available magnetic select ride, tire pressure sensors, and XM radio while getting MPG’s in the upper twenties to low thirties depending on the model….it’s FAR more than a sledgehammer. I think that title is more apt on the Viper.
As far as interior quality goes…unless you pony up for all the leather bits, the basic Boxster dash is really in the same league as the Vette, while lacking things like the heads up display and tire pressure sensors that are in virtually all Corvettes since 1997.
If only the Z06 was available with the F55 magnetic select ride its lesser stablemates have enjoyed for the past 5 model years….its rough road composure and comfort would match the world class smooth road performance it already possesses.
October 9th, 2006 at 10:36 am
RF’s mentioning the Boxter’s astounding rear grip means one thing: it still doesn’t have enough power. Not having the 3.6 in the Boxster is a tragedy. Not having RUF-levels of power in every Porsche is another problem. They are becoming uncompetitive.
I’m willing to sacrifice the more inviting interior for the Corvette’s monster powerband (even though I shouldn’t have to) and, after ditching the lousy run-flat tires, show ‘em those four taillights all day.
Miatas are great low-po autocross specials…Porsche needs to pony up the goods and make something more worthy of its price. Its only a matter of time before the new boosted I-6 finds its way into the Z4.
October 9th, 2006 at 10:57 am
Jerry Weber wrote: “Not to large for road racing ala the corvette”.
I just finished my car craze hunt and got the Z06 over Porsche. Very happy! Porsche need to work their prices!
The Z06 is 10 cm longer and 12 cm wider than the Boxster. In my books having 6 cm (2.5 inches) on each side is a bonus (stability, interior space, etc)
I suggest you this exercise: just sit near the “4 missile silos at the back” (Tiff Niedell, 5th Gear, ex LeMans driver) when the Z06 engine starts.
But don’t try to hear the Z06 engine after the Pierburg exhaust valves open (3500rpm) because you’ll be too far back in your Boxster to hear it properly :-)
October 9th, 2006 at 11:08 am
Whoa, ease up their a bit Vette fans. Your champion may be mentally quick, but the Boxster S ain’t no slouch. She’ll sprint from zero to sixty in 5.4 seconds (a tenth of a second better than previous) on the way to a surprisingly stable 170mph.
As for taillights, don’t forget that the Boxster S is faster through Car & Driver’s slalom than a Ferrari Enzo. That 400hp Cayman would destroy the Vette in most any metric you could name.
But more than that, it’s not a white knuckle ride. Calling the Vette a sledgehammer may have been a bit OTT, but compared to the Boxster, it is. Like all Porsches (save the Carerra GT and GT3), an average driver can drive the Boxster S like Hell without once killling themselves. Or breaking a sweat.
And lest we forget, as our Frank Williams pointed out, Vette ownership puts you into your local Chevy dealers’ domain, which is a bit like Hell without the heat.
Oh, and the S comes with tire pressure monitors now. Anyway, either car is a hoot.
October 9th, 2006 at 11:18 am
Hmmm….0-60 in 5.4 sec….that Boxster might actually have a chance of keeping up with a 1992 LT1 Corvette. Not bad! ;-)
I am well aware of the fact that a true sports car experience is not about the numbers….but let’s face it…when a Boxster is SO far behind in the objective performance arena, that matters! A lot!
(this coming from an average driver that has yet to die behind the wheel of a Vette, even those in the pre active handling era)
I really wonder if you’ve had the pleasure of open tracking a Corvette, RF….especially a Z06. Sure that last 10/10th of performance may take a true expert to extract on the ragged edge, but at anything less than that, the car is a missile, and a precise one, at that.
Its limits are much higher than the Boxster, as are the rewards to the driver capable of exploiting them….but at 7/10ths…the Vette is unflappable, even for the newbie, esp with the active handling in competition mode.
October 9th, 2006 at 11:24 am
Robert, I value the Boxster S and even more the Cayman S for what they are worth. But they are no match for the Z06.
As for the 400 HP Cayman just check your prices and also save the ‘destroy’ part for some qualified car publication that will use the same good driver and conditions for both cars.
Any comparison should consider the price first, as we still live in a material world. The no options RUF Cayman is way more expensive than the Z06. And don’t start with other mods because it is an uphill battle, Z06 has lots of potential.
Let’s be honest…