Posted: Monday, January 30, 2006. (09:25 PM HST)

2006 Porsche Boxster: Boxster V.2

By Ed Kemper
Honolulu, Hawaii
Courtesy of Porsche of Honolulu

With the price of the Porsche 911 and its spin-offs and spin-ups ever increasing, this German sports car maker decided in 1997 to build a less expensive Porsche for the masses (who still had to have more than a few bucks in the bank).

After a very successful concept car and based on its look, the Boxster was presented for sale. With a price substantially less than its 911 brethren, yet retaining the Porsche look and characteristics, the Boxster was a hit. Essentially, this two seat sports car had a mid engine flat 6 cylinder engine with excellent handling and good, but not earth shattering, performance (the latter being reserved for its more costly stable mate).

Flash forward to the present and Porsche has introduced Boxster v.2—with about 80 percent new from the engine bay to the body..

Both the front and rear lights have been revised, the wheel arches are larger with more aggressive flaring to accommodate larger wheels (up to 19 inches), and various air intakes have been expanded. But for the sports car enthusiast, maybe the more important revisions deal with the powertrain and suspension. As in the past there are two models, the regular Boxster and the S, each with their own powerplant. With some engine fine-tuning and modifications, the standard 2.7-liter unit has gained 15 hp for a total of 240 and the 3.2-liter motor has 22 added for total of 280.

To handle the power, three different transmissions seek to do the job—a 5-speed and 6-speed stick and the 5-speed Tiptronic. The latter is a manual with an automatic function and no manual clutch. In effect, the driver can leave the Tiptronic gear lever in the auto mode, and the transmission will shift itself or if control is needed either with the use of the lever or buttons on the steering wheel gear control is back in the hands of the driver.

Suspension work was also performed with this redo including making standard on the S and optional on the regular model the Porsche Active Suspension Management system. Without being too technical, when activated, the system, among other things, adjusts the shock absorbers dampers setting based on perceived need from driver actions and/or reactions.

Even with all these changes and the new Boxster’s track being a touch wider, the weight gain is less than 50 pounds.

Porsche Power
To wipe a few corners in Honolulu, a regular Boxster with a 5-speed stick was the Wheels test vehicle. Starting at a base price of $43,800, the total sticker price topped out at $50,905 with such options as metallic paint ($825), Bose sound system with windstop ($1,900), heated seats ($480), 18 inch wheels ($1,235), sport chrono package ($920), and remote 6 CD player ($650), among other items.

Even though the flat boxer 6 cylinder engine is water cooled and right back and below the driver (instead of all the way back in the 911 Porsches), the resonance of the engine still rings of the Porsche—not a deep, guttural sound but a higher pitched, "I am ready to rev" sound.

All the sports car attributes are in the forefront. Steering is quick, direct, and to the point. Cough and the car will change direction. The seats are super supportive with not only a high back but with high bolstered but narrow seats bottoms and sides. Those with large butts need not apply.

Suspension is taught and is designed for point and shoot cornering and with this a true engine in the middle layout any corner is easily conquered. But large potholes and such can be a distraction, although convertible body is rock solid with essentially no cowl shake.

Even with the engine in the middle of the car, the gear selection is direct, without hesitation and with short throws. Clutch take up is good, but not as light and engaging as some others.

Acceleration is typical Porsche—just pour on the revs and it keeps going and going and going like the Eveready Bunny. In a word, it is linear rather than low-end torque found in larger powerplants, but is always there when needed. Gas mileage in the Kailua to town commutes averaged about 22 mpg or about 2 over the city EPA rating.

With the multi-layered top in the up position, the Boxster feels very coupe like with no water or air intrusion. Although not as simple as others, which are essentially fully automatic, the up/down power top is easy to use. Push a large button in the single central lever, pull the handle, push the power button on the center console and in seconds the metal cover lifts and the top goes up or down as needed. Porsche says that this operation can be performed going up to 30 mph.

With the engine in the middle, Porsche has decent storage areas for a true sports car since there are two trunks—one front and one rear opened by the remote or levers in the interior. Admittedly, neither can accommodate big suitcases, but both are relatively deep and wide.

Porsche Accommodations
As is in Porsche tradition, the dash pod has the tach in the center and the ignition key puka on the left side of the steering wheel. Fortunately, in a break with the older Porsches, the black on black interior has gone by the wayside. Instead, a fair amount of faux metal is found on the door panels, around the gauges and air vents, on the dash, and center console which generally brighten up the interior. Various real metal and wood interior options are available.

An information center below the tach can provide data on mileage and other statistics with use of a steering wheel stalk.

Both the stereo and automatic climate systems are easy enough to manage and operate, but there are lots of relatively small buttons to pick through in the process.

Below those systems are two additional buttons for the manually raising and lowering of the rear spoiler (which is quite small and pretty ugly) and to operate a sport setting for the suspension. A small armrest and storage chamber rounds out the interior center console.

The optional sport chrono package results in a large ornate stopwatch, which is both digital and analog, set in the center top of the dash. It looks pretty and is entertaining, but one wonders why is it needed.

Porsche Speedster
Although some might argue that this redo of the Boxster is like gilding a lily since the original Boxster was already pretty good, there are clearly a number of improvements over the first edition. Power is up in the S and the standard model, the interior looks and feels much better, and the exterior still says Boxster perhaps in better way. And since the price is about $20,000 less than the 911 model (by whatever name), owning a true Porsche is possible for a lot more Porsche fans.

Q&A
Q: Many people have a perception of where a vehicle is assembled. In case of the Boxster you would think it is Germany, but it is not. Where is it put together (hint: its cold with a lot of cell phones)?

A: The land of reindeers-Finland, in the lovely town of Uusikaupunki. Try to pronounce that name!

High Beams
• A true sports car with command of the road.
• A pretty and functional interior.
• Power top is easy and quick in operation up to 30 mph.

Low Beams
• Stiff ride on tough surfaces.

– Ed Kemper is the auto columnist for the Honolulu Star Bulletin and MidWeek, the Weekend. He also hosts Wheels Hawaii TV on Oceanic Cable-Channel 16 in Hawaii, which is shown on Wednesday at 12:30 PM, Thursday at 1:00 PM and 5 PM, Friday at 10:30 PM and 9:30 PM, and Saturday at 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM.

TOP