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2008 Porsche Boxster
2008 Porsche Boxster
Good Genes
The Boxster is Porsche's least expensive car, but it possesses many of the characteristics that make pricier models so great.
Although often eclipsed by the larger Porsche 911, the two-seater Boxster holds a special appeal with its honed handling, willing and efficient six-cylinder engine, top-down capability, and palatable price relative to other Porsches.
The Porsche Boxster is a sports car distilled to its purest form: a sleek, seductive, and uncluttered body wrapped around a superbly balanced chassis and exciting engine. The Boxster’s mid-engine layout is considered by many enthusiasts to be the quintessential sports-car setup, allowing for ideal weight distribution and excellent handling.
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There are two Boxster models: base and higher-performance S. The base version’s 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine got a 5-hp boost in 2007, which brings its output up to 245 hp. With a relatively low curb weight of around 3,000 pounds, the base Porsche Boxster sprints to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.9 seconds with its standard five-speed manual transmission.
The Porsche Boxster S features a larger and more powerful 3.4-liter 295-hp six-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission that allows a zero-to-60-mph dash in 5.2 seconds. The base version can be optionally fitted with the six-speed manual, and both models can be equipped with a revised five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that offers manual gear selection.The Tiptronic transmission now includes user-selectable shift patterns that afford either more- or less-aggressive shifting. When ordered with the optional Sport Chrono Package, it works even more forcefully in automatic mode by shifting only at engine speeds higher than 3,000 rpm, for example; and the transmission no longer automatically shifts into a higher gear when the engine reaches the rpm redline.
The Porsche Boxster is one of the most fuel-efficient sports cars on the market. It is capable of returning more than 20 mpg in city and highway driving.
Handling is impressive, thanks to the rear-wheel-drive, mid-engine layout. The car rides on a sophisticated suspension and has variable-ratio power steering. Traction and stability control are standard — the latter can be disabled for those who like spinning the tires to slip and slide through turns — as are four-wheel antilock disc brakes with an Active Brake Differential to help modulate brakeforce.
Porsche’s Active Suspension Management System is optional and allows the driver to select suspension stiffness and ride height (variable by 10 mm). Seventeen-inch wheels and performance tires are standard, with optional sizes up to 19 inches in diameter.
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The power top is easy to use and features full sound and weather insulation and a heated glass rear window. An optional removable hardtop is available for winter driving. Two trunks — one front and one rear — provide a surprising amount of storage.
Porsche Boxsters come decently equipped with such standard features as head-curtain airbags, the power-operated top, heated washer nozzles, and a speed-dependent extendable rear spoiler. However, luxury items such as power seats, heated seats, and high-intensity discharge headlamps, which are standard on luxury sedans costing less than the Boxster, are expensive options. At least the options list is extensive and Porsche allows owners to customize exterior and interior trim with a plethora of paints, finishes, and materials.
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Porsche offers a European delivery program for buyers who wish to immerse themselves in the Porsche experience. It entails flying to Germany to pick up the new car and taking a tour of the factory, if desired, then driving through the countryside to an international port and having the car shipped overseas as you fly home.
You want a sleek and nimble two-seat roadster with true Porsche performance and heritage; you prefer balance to brute force and don’t want to sacrifice comfort for performance; fuel economy is a concern.
Two seats don’t fit your needs; you’re a horsepower junkie; you think a true Porsche must have its engine behind the rear wheels; you prefer highway cruising to sprinting along winding back roads.
After getting past the inherent difficulties of climbing into a small and low sports car, two adults will find the cabin snug but comfortable. Those over six-feet tall should thoroughly try on the Boxster for size before buying.
The Boxster debuted in 1997 as a smaller and less-costly companion to the 911 and replaced the Porsche 968 at the bottom of the lineup. Released in the midst of a ragtop renaissance, the Boxster was an instant hit, noteworthy for having its engine ahead of the rear axle, unlike the 911 with its engine behind the back wheels. While the Boxster’s performance and handling are lauded by auto enthusiasts, it also appeals to non-enthusiasts who simply want a sleek-looking sports car with Porsche cachet but who can’t afford or don’t appreciate the pricier 911.
A costlier hardtop model, called the Cayman, was spun off of the Boxster in 2006 and sits between the Boxster and 911 in both performance and price.
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