New Porsche Boxster S review, test drive

 Inside Porsche is a conflict that’s tearing it apart. On the one hand there’s the good old rear-engined 911, the sportscar icon; a car designed with enough space to fit a set of golf clubs in; a compromise. On the other are the more purist options, the Boxster and the Cayman; both middle-of-the-road, mid-engined sportscars with their engines in the right place. Logically, it’s the 911 that should be softer and more rounded, and the mid-engined cars that should be harder and faster. But no. Legacy and some mind-bending Porsche engineering have proved that the 911 can cut it with the best, less-than-perfect rear-engined weight distribution be damned. The original Carrera RS, the first 993 Turbo and the recent GT3 RS all have that touch of pure Porsche genius, and the fact that the 911 is simply a great driver’s car is almost impossible to ignore. Question is, how much better could the 911 have been if it had its engine in the right place? Exactly the debate that must be raging inside Porsche, engineers on one side, marketeers and Porsche traditionalists on the other.

 

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 69.38 lakh (estimated, ex-Delhi)

Engine

Fuel	Petrol
Installation	Mid, longitudnal, RWD
Type	6-cyls, horizontally opposed, 3436cc, naturally aspirated, petrol
Power	311bhp at 6700rpm
Torque	36.7kgm at 4500-5800rpm

Transmission

Gearbox

7-speed dual clutch automatic

Dimensions

Length	4374mm
Width	1801mm
Height	1281mm
Wheel base	2475mm				by autocarindia.com

New Porsche Boxster revealed

hese are the first official pictures of the third-generation Porsche Boxster, ahead of its first public airing at the Geneva motor show in March.
Porsche says the Boxster will go on sale in some global markest on April 28, flaunting a lightweight aluminium body and a roomier 911-style interior. It will have the choice of two upgraded versions of Porsche’s classic horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine, both boasting direct injection, slight power gains and impressive reductions in fuel consumption.
The most dramatic change surrounds the new Boxster’s styling, credited to designers working under Porsche design boss, Michael Mauer. The new Boxster adopts a cab forward stance. Heavily sculptured flanks feature longer doors, larger wheel houses to accommodate wheels up to 20 inches in diameter, and a rear end reminiscent of the classic 911 ducktail.
Porsche confirmed the new Boxster has a longer wheelbase and wider tracks which allow for a roomier interior, which takes its cues from the new 911. The new Boxster – codenamed 981 – comes with a fully automatic cloth hood, no longer requiring manual assistance. It stows behind the cabin in a fully exposed position, with no need for a tonneau cover.
by autocar