The brakes for base and S Boxsters are enhanced too, with 4-piston monobloc calipers, standard drilled, larger diameter
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| Porsche's improved softtop can now be lowered or raised while driving up to 50 km/h (31 mph). (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
rotors, a 17 percent gain in boost, a new vacuum pump for more consistent pressure, improved ABS, plus optimized brake cooling for quicker reaction to input and ultimately shorter stops. While it was easy to detect the improvement made when I got hard on the brake pedal, I also noticed better pedal feedback during less aggressive driving. The Boxster's slick softtop looks like it's the only component that carries forward unchanged, that is until reading the specs. Still sporting an aluminum/magnesium structure, for reduced weight and increased strength, the fabric top gets an additional fleece layer for a total of three, decreasing exterior noise while making the car feel more coupe-like when the top is raised. Porsche says the upgraded top offers improved water management, but fortunately for me I didn't get to test this particular feature out. I did, however, enjoy the fact that it can now be lowered or raised while driving up to 50 km/h (31 mph). This is especially handy when trying to drop the top at a stoplight, which previously required the parking brake to be engaged. Now, rather than holding up traffic when
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| The entry-level Boxster now can achieve a top-speed of 256 km/h (159 mph) after sprinting from zero to 100 km/h in only 6.0 seconds. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
the light goes green, just drive away with a firm finger on the console-mounted button. So how important should all these changes be to Boxster lovers? Well that depends on what matters to you most. The entry-level Boxster now can achieve a top-speed of 256 km/h (159 mph) after sprinting from zero to 100 km/h in only 6.0 seconds. The S charges from standstill to 100 km/h in only 5.3 seconds, while topping out at an impressive 268 km/h (166 mph). Most will appreciate the improved performance, which Porsche defined when lining up a 2004 and 2005 base model and S side by side on the old Nurburgring race track in Germany. All of the modifications allowed the 2005 base Boxster to strip 11 seconds off of the outgoing car, for a time of 8 minutes 31 seconds compared to 8 minutes 42. The Boxster S managed 8:18 in the 2005 to 8:27 in the 2004, a savings of 9 seconds.
