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| with Gerry Frechette | |
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PORSCHE BOXSTER
There have been a few different Porsche models, or engineering exercises in Porsche-speak, since the 911 was first introduced, oh, about a third of a century ago. The 924 and 928 were considered to be Audis and Corvettes, respectively, by Porschephiles. And the 914, well, with the mid-mounted six cylinder 911 engine, it was almost a real Porsche. It certainly handled better than the 911 of that era. So now there is another new Porsche, called the Boxster. It is mid-engined, and while said engine is a flat six, it is, gasp, water-cooled. And it has twice the cams and valves per cylinder bank. Could the Boxster really be considered a true Porsche?
Since the essence of a sports car is in its mechanical bits, let’s look at those first. The engine is all new, a 2.5 litre flat six with, yes, water cooling, DOHC and 24 valves. This is really the way Porsche is going with its engines, and you will see this technology in the new generation 911. Does it detract in any way from the driving experience? Not a bit. The sound is still there, that distinctive mechanical raspiness, minus the extra cooling fan noises, of course. If anything, the sound is even more melodious with the extra cams and valves in there. And performance is outstanding. While the 201 horsepower the engine pumps out is plenty to move 1,280 kg (2,822 lbs) of car in a very quick if not brutally fast manner, it is the way the power is delivered that is so impressive. Thanks to the “VarioCam” variable valve timing technology, the torque curve is very broad and flat for an engine this size. It’s a model of flexibility and driveability, and one of the best sporting engines anywhere. However, you can’t see it. This must be the first sports car that you can’t gather all your friends around and show off the engine. Unless the car is up on a hoist, since all maintenance on it is done from underneath. You can check on oil and water levels from above (a darned good thing!) inside the rear trunk. The driver’s environment certainly contributes to the feeling of control of the
situation. The seats are in the Porsche tradition, well shaped and firm in all the right
places. There is nothing austere about the Boxster’s appearance, though. This thing really draws the admiring glances, and most people seem to instantly recognize it as a Porsche, if I am reading lips correctly. Driving it in trendy urban areas is not for those who don’t crave attention; people just about jump in the car to get a better look. Unlike some of the wedgy and or very muscular looks of its competitors, the Boxster manages to project a lithe, athletic, somewhat retro image in keeping with the Porsche tradition. The rear part of the car, in particular, is very much like the 550; no wedginess here. The car is quite a bit longer as a result. And that has benefits in space utilization. The Boxster is the best of the latest sportsters from Germany in this regard, and, in fact, has two trunks. The smallest of them, in the rear, is comparable in size to the others’ single trunk, and there is another up front that is twice the size. They won’t take golf clubs, but several soft bags will fit easily. And the convertible top doesn’t reduce the storage space when lowered. That process is accomplished easily by electric motor, and no tonneau cover is needed as there is a metal one that swings up and mostly covers the folded top. When it is down, the interior is made more pleasant by a wind deflector behind the seats that lessens the blast of air that gets forced into the cockpit from the rear. Like Porsches before it, the Boxster is equipped with basic comfort and convenience equipment that everyone wants - a/c, power windows, etc. - but all the luxury and sporty goodies are extra. Two major packages are offered; our tester had the “Sport” package with 17-inch wheels and tires, wind deflector, upgraded audio with CD, cruise control and alarm. None of these you’d really want to be without - especially the wheels and tires - so figure on spending the $4,692 for it. The other major package is the “Technic Sport” package, which has the wheels and tires, traction control with automatic brake differential, and stiffer suspension. You’d have to be very serious about handling to want this one; the big tires work wonders, and the Boxster is about the best handling unmodified car on the road with them and the stock suspension. Everything else is optional. Metallic paint - ching ching, $1,145. Leather - $2,833. Hardtop - $3,267. Five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission (sorry Porsche, but sacrilege in this car) - $4,601. So count on spending at least $10K more than the base price of $56,600. Still, to get into a Porsche, that is about two-thirds what a base 911 costs. A lot of people are going to discover Porsche at that price, which of course, is the objective of the exercise. So is it a real Porsche? Well, judging by the admiring glances of a lot of Porsche 911 owners gathered in their car club corral at the Knox Mountain Hillclimb in Kelowna, where we showed off the Boxster for a couple of hours, to say nothing of the crowds it drew, the answer must be an emphatic “yes”. Porsche has a real winner here. For the price, it is the best pure sports car in the world.
SPECIFICATIONS Price: $56,600 (Canada), $40,745 (U.S.) |
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Unless otherwise noted Article and Photographs ©1997
Gerry Frechette. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted the INFOSTUFF! pages and their contents ©1996,
1997 ad.net international. |
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The rest of the mechanical pieces are fully
up to the standards set by the engine. As you might expect, the steering cuts like a
knife. The brakes are hugely powerful and progressive. The clutch is linear and firm. The
shifter is smooth through its entire range of motion. It’s easy to describe these
things individually, but it is how they all work together that is the main thing in
sporting driving. And that is hard to put into words. Put it this way. I have never driven
a car that was better at communicating what it was doing, and reacting to smooth inputs
near the limits of adhesion, than the Boxster. This car is telepathic. Think of what you
want it to do, and it will almost do it on its own, so well balanced and competent is it. 
And the ergonomics of the interior are very
good, even for the taller driver. Even the dashboard is all new, so there is little or
none of the unusual control placement found in the 911. Except for the ignition, which is
still to the left of the steering wheel. A little touch to make serious Porsche types feel
right at home. If there is some criticism to make, it is here in the interior, where some
of the materials and their design appear to some eyes to be a little low-rent. It
didn’t really bother me; I guess Porsche is trying to make a statement of
“back-to-basics” sportiness as in the Boxster’s spiritual ancestor, the 550
Spyder of 40 years ago. It’s an austere sort of sportiness, which, after all, is
nothing new in the world of German cars. Having said that, the fit and finish is up to
Porsche standards. 