The Boxster rebellion
Then there’s the beauty you see in these photographs. The 356 was Porsche’s first seriesproduction model and the Speedster (launched in 1954) is therefore its first four-cylinder roadster. This one’s a 1957 ‘1600 Super’ which we stumbled across on our photo shoot. Seriously. Its owner tossed us the keys for the day. Friend of a friend. Speedster serendipity.
But let’s not get too distracted by the red eye candy, except to say that the 356 Speedster is astonishingly easy to drive.
It only makes 44kw/110nm and takes around 14 seconds to hit 100kmh, but the flat-four engine is crisp and strong, the four-speed manual gearbox very slick and the handling hugely enjoyable, despite the Beetle-based chassis having a reputation for wayward cornering.
If there’s anything that might make you nervous about driving the car, it’s the several-hundredthousand-dollar value (356 prices vary greatly depending on provenance and specification). But driving one is a bucket-list experience for any car enthusiast.
It’s not why we’re here, though. There are some big questions to answer about the 718 Boxster. The entry 718 Boxster has a 2.0-litre turbo engine (formerly 2.7), while the flagship S version tested here has a 2.5-litre variable-geometryturbo powerplant (old model 3.4). On paper, there’s plenty to be gained: the blown 2.5-litre is 26kw more powerful and 13 per cent more thrifty than the car it replaces. There’s been some hardware trickle-down as well. The 911-derived steering is quicker, and while the entry Boxster gets the brake setup from the previous Boxster S, the new 718 Boxster S (stay with us now) gets 911 stoppers.
Suffice to say the new 718 Boxster is faster than the previous car. Our test vehicle, with the $4790 Sport Chrono package added to the PDK transmission, can rocket to 100kmh in 4.2 seconds.
But the biggest dynamic development has come from the increased torque. There’s 60Nm more than the previous Boxster S and it’s delivered incredibly low in the rev range: from 1900rpm all the way through to 4500rpm. This is both good and bad. In the previous model, you had to go looking for peak pulling power, which was part of the fun. In the new car, there’s tyre-squirming force on tap virtually as soon as you start moving.
That’s not to say you can’t enjoy the revs: the 718 Boxster S powerplant spins all the way to 7500rpm, which is impressive for a turbo unit. There’s just less of an incentive to do that when you get such a shove in the back of the neck, so much lower on the revcounter. There’s virtually no lag, thanks to the Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG)
technology borrowed from the 911 Turbo. But does it sound any good? Yes, it snaps, crackles and pops in a big way, especially in Sport mode – although the impression is that it’s more exhaust than engine with this car. Case in point: walk around the back of the car at idle and there’s a distinct flat-four warble which seems at odds with the sonorous soundtrack of the powerplant at speed.
So it’s not all gain: the opportunity-cost of immense advancement in accessibility and efficiency is a little of the engaging character of the previous car.
There are some features that feel a bit gimmicky as well. As with the new turbocharged 911 Carrera models, the Boxster S has a Sport Response Button that puts the whole powertrain in maxattack mode for 20 seconds. It’s a tip of the hat to motor racing, but a bit silly all the same.
Nonetheless, the Boxster remains a sensational driver’s car by any standard, especially with the upgraded steering, reconfigured suspension and improved brakes of this new 718 S model. Among the roadster elite, only the Mazda MX-5 comes close in terms of sports-car focus and driver involvement – albeit in a much more cheeky, less sophisticated (not to mention slower) way. In meeting its ecoobligations the Boxster is still an awesome thing, although I’m not sure about that name. Will be still be talking about this car in 60 years, like we are with the 356 Speedster and original 718?