![]() ![]() The cars I drove were equipped with the optional dual-clutch Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) gearbox, with absolutely seamless gearshifts certainly far better than a conventional automatic for performance driving, too. Now with a 310 horsepower gasoline direct injection engine that reduces fuel consumption by 15 per cent, CO2 emissions by 16 per cent, and increases horsepower by 15 over the previous model, the S will smack 100 in five seconds and hit a 162 mph top speed. What about if you move to the conspicuously better-performing $56,700 Boxster S? It’s a problem because while the Porsche is markedly better on the track than the other cars, most owners won’t see more than the apex at the Starbuck’s drive-through lane, nearly negating its track-honed development. If you could have the Porsche’s suspension, looks from the Audi, the engine from the Mercedes, and the price of the BMW, this article would be over.Īll have distinct personalities, and illustrate the problem of the modern convertible: the Boxster, and every competitor in its class, are well-built and perform well enough to use year-round. The $46,600 base-model 2009 Boxster now with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, larger front brake discs, and slightly more horsepower (up 10 to 255) competes against a raft of cars, including the 250 horsepower Audi TT 3.2 Cabrio ($45,140), 300 horsepower Mercedes-Benz SLK350 ($51,825), and 255 horsepower BMW Z4 3.0si ($42,700). The market for sports cars is very different now. ![]() It sounded cool, it was such a new thing to the market that everyone wanted to see it, get close to it, and wave at you,” he said. But what about the sports car experience? Haywood admits that if he and Seinfeld could return to the event ten years ago, they’d likely laugh because the new car is so ahead of the old one in terms of capabilities. “My first passenger in the car was Jerry Seinfeld he and I literally both had our mouths wide open at how cool and how high its capabilities were.” “Well, we did the original Boxster’s world launch driving from Phoenix, AZ to Sedona, AZ,” said Haywood. Nearly all of his trophies are behind the wheel of mid-engined machines. Haywood is a five-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two-time winner of Sebring, has 18 Ind圜ar starts, and is an honoree of the Motorsports Hall of Fame America. To find out, I tapped someone who was at the original launch of the Boxster and is infinitely familiar with sports cars, Hurley Haywood. And with striking mid-engined proportions and only 205 horsepower, the Boxster was clearly an entry-level Porsche aimed at enthusiasts who simply wanted to enjoy their time behind the wheel.Ī little more than ten years later, however, and you’re able to get for the first time race-bred ceramic brakes that shorten stopping distances, a limited-slip differential that raises cornering speeds, a direct-injection engine that boosts horsepower and efficiency, and a dual-clutch (PDK) gearbox that shifts gears faster than humanly possible.īut despite being the technically better machine, is the latest Boxster too far removed from its roots?įastest Boxster ever: 310 horsepower, 0-60 in 4.9 secondsĪvailable with Porsche’s new PDK semi-automatic gearbox, replacing the Tiptronic option.Įquipped with PDK, the direct-injection Boxster S manages an astounding 25.5 mpg ![]() Back in 1997 at your local dealer, you had a choice of transmission, a few options, and not much else. If the original Mazda Miata is what re-ignited love for sports cars, the Porsche Boxster certainly cemented their return as capable, practical, and fun vehicles to own. ![]()
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