987 Boxster S Test Drive
01-23-2005, 08:13 PM
#1
Thread Starter
987 Boxster S Test Drive
I drove the brand new Boxster S today.
This car is gorgeous. 987 styling has evolved to a more aggressive form. There are no thoughts of "chick car" or "poor man's Porsche" as I walk around taking in the new looks. The front end is especially effective with the air intake shapes reminiscent of the 996 Twin Turbo. IMHO, the front view is even more striking than that of the 997. However, I don't like the optional 19" Carrera S wheels on the car. The standard 18" wheels are also pretty ugly. If I were buying, I would need to spend more on the optional 19" Carrera Classic wheels (5 thin spokes).
Opening the door and dropping into the driver's seat, it doesn't take long to notice the improvement in interior quality. Cheap plastics of Boxsters yore seem to have been banished forever. The test drive car had the optional Leather Package, with the cow hide covering the seats, door panels, and dashboard. The Boxster S now looks like a $60k car from the inside.
Starting up the motor and blipping the throttle a few times, it's immediately apparent that Porsche has beefed up the vocals. From the timbre of the exhaust/engine note, you'll believe that this is the brother of the 911 and not the little sister.
I get my first opportunity to go wide open throttle pulling onto the freeway. The motor has torque and fantastic throttle response. It's not the Corvette/Viper stump puller variety of torque, but the type of satisfying thickness of low-end and mid-range served by BMW's S52 motor. The difference is that the Porsche pulls harder than any S52 BMW at the top end. Judging by the seat of pants, this new Boxster S is pretty close to a 3.4 996 in the force of its acceleration. It feels significantly quicker than the outgoing Boxster S and our S2000.
The 6 speed manual box is not as slick shifting as the Honda box, but it has closed the gap quite a bit compared to the old Boxster. I'd like to come back and try the short shifter option, but even the standard is much improved.
I don't push the handling envelope much during the test drive, other than several laps of a clover leaf off-ramp/on-ramp combo at twice the posted limit. The speeds are still too low to judge 10/10ths understeer-oversteer tendencies. What I do learn is that the Boxster S has a steering rack of satisfying weighting and great feedback.
At a 70mph cruise, engine, wind and road noise are all at tolerable levels. This is a much quieter car than the S2000. The ride on the standard suspension is also pretty supple. I think it would make a very decent freeway mile eater.
The last thing I check out is the new top mechanism. I can't be sure how long it takes to put the top down, but it's somewhere between the sluggish old Boxster and the S2000. What's really cool is that the top can go up or down while the car is moving at speeds of up to 30mph.
Overall, I loved the Boxster S. The tactility of steering, brakes, and throttle conveys strong feeling of driver focus and quality. This is backed up by new good looks and the satisfying right foot down soundtrack. The Boxster S is now at the top of my list of cars to replace the S2000, finances allowing.
This car is gorgeous. 987 styling has evolved to a more aggressive form. There are no thoughts of "chick car" or "poor man's Porsche" as I walk around taking in the new looks. The front end is especially effective with the air intake shapes reminiscent of the 996 Twin Turbo. IMHO, the front view is even more striking than that of the 997. However, I don't like the optional 19" Carrera S wheels on the car. The standard 18" wheels are also pretty ugly. If I were buying, I would need to spend more on the optional 19" Carrera Classic wheels (5 thin spokes).
Opening the door and dropping into the driver's seat, it doesn't take long to notice the improvement in interior quality. Cheap plastics of Boxsters yore seem to have been banished forever. The test drive car had the optional Leather Package, with the cow hide covering the seats, door panels, and dashboard. The Boxster S now looks like a $60k car from the inside.
Starting up the motor and blipping the throttle a few times, it's immediately apparent that Porsche has beefed up the vocals. From the timbre of the exhaust/engine note, you'll believe that this is the brother of the 911 and not the little sister.
I get my first opportunity to go wide open throttle pulling onto the freeway. The motor has torque and fantastic throttle response. It's not the Corvette/Viper stump puller variety of torque, but the type of satisfying thickness of low-end and mid-range served by BMW's S52 motor. The difference is that the Porsche pulls harder than any S52 BMW at the top end. Judging by the seat of pants, this new Boxster S is pretty close to a 3.4 996 in the force of its acceleration. It feels significantly quicker than the outgoing Boxster S and our S2000.
The 6 speed manual box is not as slick shifting as the Honda box, but it has closed the gap quite a bit compared to the old Boxster. I'd like to come back and try the short shifter option, but even the standard is much improved.
I don't push the handling envelope much during the test drive, other than several laps of a clover leaf off-ramp/on-ramp combo at twice the posted limit. The speeds are still too low to judge 10/10ths understeer-oversteer tendencies. What I do learn is that the Boxster S has a steering rack of satisfying weighting and great feedback.
At a 70mph cruise, engine, wind and road noise are all at tolerable levels. This is a much quieter car than the S2000. The ride on the standard suspension is also pretty supple. I think it would make a very decent freeway mile eater.
The last thing I check out is the new top mechanism. I can't be sure how long it takes to put the top down, but it's somewhere between the sluggish old Boxster and the S2000. What's really cool is that the top can go up or down while the car is moving at speeds of up to 30mph.
Overall, I loved the Boxster S. The tactility of steering, brakes, and throttle conveys strong feeling of driver focus and quality. This is backed up by new good looks and the satisfying right foot down soundtrack. The Boxster S is now at the top of my list of cars to replace the S2000, finances allowing.
01-23-2005, 09:00 PM
#2
Registered User
Similar thread on the 350Z board, found by rai, comparing the base Boxster to the C51 C6: http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthread.php...threadid=107131
Similar conclusions, too:
Damn. I really need to drive one.
Steve
Similar conclusions, too:
The best way I can describe the Boxster is that it is so much more than the sum of it's parts. On the street I can't think of a more perfect car.
The Vette is a vastly different creature from the Porsche. It's immediatly noticable that you have more power in the Vette. While great on the track it actually kept the car from being fully engaging in the twisties.
The Boxster almost seems to anticipate where the Vette is just reacting.
If someone was going to give me one of these two cars I would have to say that unless absolute lap time was my goal, I would take the Porsche.
The Vette is a vastly different creature from the Porsche. It's immediatly noticable that you have more power in the Vette. While great on the track it actually kept the car from being fully engaging in the twisties.
The Boxster almost seems to anticipate where the Vette is just reacting.
If someone was going to give me one of these two cars I would have to say that unless absolute lap time was my goal, I would take the Porsche.
Steve
01-24-2005, 06:21 AM
#3
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Hmm, well either a used 996 or the new Box Coupe will be the car I replace the S2000 with. I was thinking Box Coupe all the way, but then in the latest Excellence it had the most awesome 9ff 996 3.4 GTC. Now I'm not sure what to do.
Can't wait to see the coupe, though! And I hope it has the 3.4l 300hp engine as it is rumored to have. And of course the Club Sport option, too!
Can't wait to see the coupe, though! And I hope it has the 3.4l 300hp engine as it is rumored to have. And of course the Club Sport option, too!
01-24-2005, 06:40 AM
#4
Registered User
You know I'm on the fence between the Boxster S or Boxster coupe or Z06.
The thing is, I can't imagine me keeping the S2000 in addition to a Z06 or Boxster coupe, because I don't drive my sports car all the time, so I'd be splitting driving between 3 cars. And I don't drive that much.
So the BS would be the best car to replace my S2000.
The things I'd like that the S2000 doesn't offer is, Stability control, higher quality interior with more room, larger engine larger wheels, etc.. Basically the BS is a dream car.
I drove an 02 BS before I bought my 03 S2000. At the time I don't think it was worth $53K+ but the new BS has been improved a lot and it's price is about the same factoring in more standard equipment.
Any way I don't have to decide right now, I'll probably be looking in 2 years so by that time I'll have time to digest the Z06, Boxster coupe and others.
The thing is, I can't imagine me keeping the S2000 in addition to a Z06 or Boxster coupe, because I don't drive my sports car all the time, so I'd be splitting driving between 3 cars. And I don't drive that much.
So the BS would be the best car to replace my S2000.
The things I'd like that the S2000 doesn't offer is, Stability control, higher quality interior with more room, larger engine larger wheels, etc.. Basically the BS is a dream car.
I drove an 02 BS before I bought my 03 S2000. At the time I don't think it was worth $53K+ but the new BS has been improved a lot and it's price is about the same factoring in more standard equipment.
Any way I don't have to decide right now, I'll probably be looking in 2 years so by that time I'll have time to digest the Z06, Boxster coupe and others.
01-24-2005, 06:56 AM
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Sounds like you've already decided, Rai. 2 years out, I would be very surprised if the hp on the BS wasn't nearing 300hp.
This will most likely be my last season with the S2000, but I might keep it for another year should I decide to wait for the Clubsport version of the BCoupe, which won't be out right away probably.
This will most likely be my last season with the S2000, but I might keep it for another year should I decide to wait for the Clubsport version of the BCoupe, which won't be out right away probably.
01-26-2005, 07:55 AM
#7
Thread Starter
I'm coming up on 3 years of S2000 ownership. If I can swing the money, I'll step up to a 987 Boxster S in the Fall. Moving down the price range and next on my list is a low mileage C5 Z06.
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01-26-2005, 08:17 AM
#8
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excellent write up. quickly approaching my 4th year of ownership and would like something to compliment my changing taste as i advance in years as well as my duties as a family oriented individual.
hmm.. 997S + Audi Allroad/S4 Avant -or- 987S + E500 wagon 4matic -or- 997 Turbo + Kia Rio
hmm.. 997S + Audi Allroad/S4 Avant -or- 987S + E500 wagon 4matic -or- 997 Turbo + Kia Rio
01-26-2005, 12:08 PM
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I was just checking out the pricing of the 987 on the porsche website, and I can't believe how many colors they offer! 17 altogether if I'm not mistaken, although many of them carry a price premium of $825 or $3070. Unbelievable how many choices there are compared to a Honda.
01-26-2005, 06:43 PM
#10
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Originally Posted by CBeyond,Jan 26 2005, 01:08 PM
I can't believe how many colors they offer!
Steve