By John Barker February 2007



Giving the Boxster S an extra 15bhp and 15lb ft doesn’t sound hugely significant. However, besides enhancing its appeal and character, it also means that there is less reason to buy a Cayman S. The bigger 3.4-litre flat-six made its debut in the coupe and gave it a performance (and kudos) advantage over the 3.2-litre Boxster, but now coupe and roadster are equal, in pace at least.

The larger capacity engine makes itself both felt and heard. Power is lifted from 276 to 291bhp and peak torque from 236lb ft at 4700rpm to a fuller 251lb ft which arrives a few hundred rpm earlier. Right away you notice the sharper throttle response and greater urge low down, and a surprisingly vocal and resonant induction howl when the hard-working engine reaches 5000rpm.

The Boxster’s fine chassis seems unfazed by the extra urge. Certainly you can sense that it’s not as structurally solid as the Cayman, though the physical evidence is mostly the occasional bout of rear-view mirror tremors on a ruckled road rather than any wooliness and wobbliness felt through the steering wheel.

Price has risen a few hundred pounds to £39,850, but that’s still over £4000 less than the Cayman S. Makes you wonder how Porsche can justify the premium for a less complex and less versatile version.

(+) Goes and sounds even better

(-) Not much

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evoc...e_boxster.html