Great-sounding flat-six
I'm complaining about the stereo, but of course, the best music comes when you shut it off. The 2.7-litre, horizontally-opposed 6-cylinder mill develops 245 horsepower and 201 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a 5-speed manual, the engine has an attitude; it growls, snorts and spits, which is pretty cool. It's not loud, but every time I get to the day-care or get home, I'm greeted the same way: "I heard you arrive".
100 km/h from a standstill arrives in 6.7 seconds, and as a sports car, the Boxster is easy to drive. The 5-speed gearbox works very well, and the clutch pedal isn't too stiff. I'm constantly reaching for a 6th gear, despite the fact that it doesn't really need one; force of habit I guess. A 6-speed tranny is optional nonetheless. Fuel consumption is 11.9 L/100 km on average, which is pretty good.
The Boxster handles extremely well, and doesn't scare one bit; for those who still ignore the car's mid-engine layout, it provides the Boxster with a 46/54 front/rear weight distribution. It feels well-balanced, and pushing the car through tight bends doesn't upset it one bit; the rear end hunkers down and keeps its trajectory instead of breaking loose.
Luggage space, but don't go golfing
A novel feature in the Boxster is that it actually has two trunks; one in front and one in back. Since the engine is tucked away underneath, there's room for a reasonable amount of luggage.
Yes, weekend getaways are possible with this Porsche, something you can't do in other small roadsters. The front trunk is pretty deep, but not very large, so you'll have to travel with soft bags or backpacks. The rear trunk is smaller, and according to my calculations, you can't fit a standard-sized golf bag in there. The lowered top doesn't eat up space, however.
Competition
The 2008 Porsche Boxster has a base price of $58,100, and this test car carries a list of options: 18-inch Boxster S wheels ($1,730), rain-sensing wipers ($970), bi-xenon headlights ($1,530), a Bose surround sound system ($2,330) and a windblocker ($525). Total price is $65,185.
I'm complaining about the stereo, but of course, the best music comes when you shut it off. The 2.7-litre, horizontally-opposed 6-cylinder mill develops 245 horsepower and 201 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a 5-speed manual, the engine has an attitude; it growls, snorts and spits, which is pretty cool. It's not loud, but every time I get to the day-care or get home, I'm greeted the same way: "I heard you arrive".
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| The 2.7-litre, horizontally-opposed 6-cylinder mill is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. |
100 km/h from a standstill arrives in 6.7 seconds, and as a sports car, the Boxster is easy to drive. The 5-speed gearbox works very well, and the clutch pedal isn't too stiff. I'm constantly reaching for a 6th gear, despite the fact that it doesn't really need one; force of habit I guess. A 6-speed tranny is optional nonetheless. Fuel consumption is 11.9 L/100 km on average, which is pretty good.
The Boxster handles extremely well, and doesn't scare one bit; for those who still ignore the car's mid-engine layout, it provides the Boxster with a 46/54 front/rear weight distribution. It feels well-balanced, and pushing the car through tight bends doesn't upset it one bit; the rear end hunkers down and keeps its trajectory instead of breaking loose.
Luggage space, but don't go golfing
A novel feature in the Boxster is that it actually has two trunks; one in front and one in back. Since the engine is tucked away underneath, there's room for a reasonable amount of luggage.
Yes, weekend getaways are possible with this Porsche, something you can't do in other small roadsters. The front trunk is pretty deep, but not very large, so you'll have to travel with soft bags or backpacks. The rear trunk is smaller, and according to my calculations, you can't fit a standard-sized golf bag in there. The lowered top doesn't eat up space, however.
Competition
The 2008 Porsche Boxster has a base price of $58,100, and this test car carries a list of options: 18-inch Boxster S wheels ($1,730), rain-sensing wipers ($970), bi-xenon headlights ($1,530), a Bose surround sound system ($2,330) and a windblocker ($525). Total price is $65,185.
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| A novel feature in the Boxster is that it actually has two trunks; one in front and one in back. |