CHECKLIST

BACKGROUND

When launched in 1996, the final Boxster design was remarkably close to the much praised 1993 concept and this contributed to its appeal. Once more Porsche was offering an entry level model, but unlike the previous transaxle range, it was bang up to date, and clearly the best handling sports car in its class. Not even Tiff Needell managing to snap the Boxster’s cable gearshift on Top Gear could dent the waiting lists. Over 20 years the Boxster has never lost its early momentum, reaching parts of the market other Porsches could not and improving with each generation.

WHERE IS IT?

Cridfords is well known in the Porsche retail firmament. Jonathan Leach started trading in Weybridge then moved to Ripley, before settling in 2014 in Ewhurst deep in rural Surrey. “I particularly liked this site because it had not only a traditional car showroom on the main street, but also a workshop,” says Jonathan. Cridfords regards itself as one step down from an Porsche Centre and its pricing tends to reflect this. The workshop is comprehensive with four hoists and an MOT bay together with the latest geometry alignment rig. Cridfords services around 25 cars a week, and rebuilds both water and air-cooled engines. The stock of 30/40 Porsches sells at the rate of five or six per week. cridfords.co.uk

FOR

FSH and evidence of light use; unmarked body and quality interior, lively tweaked 3.4.

AGAINST

Plenty of cheaper gen 2 3.4s

VERDICT

You can pay less and there is no shortage of choice, but this RS 60 is just different enough from standard issue to make it feel special.