2001 Porsche Boxster S - A Justifiable Bargain
Take one of the best handling sports cars ever created, add a larger, more powerful engine, one extra gear, superior braking and what do you have? Near perfection. That said the 'base' Boxster, with its mid-mounted 2.7-litre, horizontally-opposed 6-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual gearbox is better since last year. Porsche addressed initial criticism of less than optimal power by upping output from 204 hp to a robust 217. To tell you the truth, if I had never sat behind the wheel of the new 'S' I would probably have been totally satisfied not knowing what I was missing. Well, maybe not totally satisfied. I just can't remember.
It seems my initial point of reference is forever blurred by lustful memories indelibly stamped on my weak mind. You try it! Spend a week behind the wheel of Porsche's ultimate two-seater and see if you'd be satisfied with anything less. The sonic sound of whirring cams and resonant exhaust note of the larger 3.2-litre engine results in 250 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque. That's 15% more horsepower than the standard Boxster and 17% more torque, 85% of which is available below 2000 rpm. Mix in a liquid smooth 6-speed transmission taken from the 911 parts bin (for quicker starts, higher top speed and increased fuel economy) and forward momentum goes from marvelous at 6.6 seconds to 100 km/h, to a sensational 5.9! A 5-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission is optional. What's even more impressive, the redline limiter doesn't cut power to the engine like its competitors, but more intelligently holds power at top revs until you make a shift.
Take one of the best handling sports cars ever created, add a larger, more powerful engine, one extra gear, superior braking and what do you have? Near perfection. That said the 'base' Boxster, with its mid-mounted 2.7-litre, horizontally-opposed 6-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual gearbox is better since last year. Porsche addressed initial criticism of less than optimal power by upping output from 204 hp to a robust 217. To tell you the truth, if I had never sat behind the wheel of the new 'S' I would probably have been totally satisfied not knowing what I was missing. Well, maybe not totally satisfied. I just can't remember.
It seems my initial point of reference is forever blurred by lustful memories indelibly stamped on my weak mind. You try it! Spend a week behind the wheel of Porsche's ultimate two-seater and see if you'd be satisfied with anything less. The sonic sound of whirring cams and resonant exhaust note of the larger 3.2-litre engine results in 250 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque. That's 15% more horsepower than the standard Boxster and 17% more torque, 85% of which is available below 2000 rpm. Mix in a liquid smooth 6-speed transmission taken from the 911 parts bin (for quicker starts, higher top speed and increased fuel economy) and forward momentum goes from marvelous at 6.6 seconds to 100 km/h, to a sensational 5.9! A 5-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission is optional. What's even more impressive, the redline limiter doesn't cut power to the engine like its competitors, but more intelligently holds power at top revs until you make a shift.