1997 Porsche Boxster Review

``What does this thing cost--more than $100,000?'' asked the passenger in Porsche's stunning Boxster sports car as we accelerated briskly from a stop sign.

``Just under 40 grand,'' I said, while quickly shifting into second gear of the slinky two-seater.

``The car's a steal,'' the passenger said.

Right. The $39,980 Boxster is an all-new ``entry level'' model that Porsche spokesman Robert Carlson said has a ``six-to-eight-month buying wait.''

Porsche, a tiny German automaker, says it will sell 10,000 Boxsters in the United States this year, with sales limited only by supply.

So what's the big deal here? Well, the Boxster is sleek, fast, comfortable and a joy to drive once away from heavy traffic. It looks much like the spellbinding 1993 Porsche auto show concept car, with allowances made for practicality. Also, the base price of the next most costly Porsche is $63,750 for a 911 coupe model.

The 911 is an old car, compared with the Boxster. Indeed, the upcoming new 911 will contain a lot of Boxster parts, including an enlarged version of its engine.

Still, Porsche is very tradition-minded, and the rakish Boxster resembles legendary Porsche Spyder and RSK race cars, including the 550 Spyder in which actor James Dean was killed while driving to a race in 1955.

The heart of any car is its engine, and the Boxster has a silky smooth 201-horsepower six-cylinder located right behind the highly supportive leather front seats, for a race-style, mid-engine layout.

However, you can't see the engine because it is enclosed in a compartment. Open the rear trunk and you'll see cargo space, a dipstick and oil- and water-filling necks.

Major service must be done from beneath the car by Porsche technicians. Porsche says the tough little 2.5-liter motor is virtually maintenance-free, but it still would be nice to be able to show off the motor to interested parties.

This is Porsche's first water-cooled engine with horizontally opposed pistons, which result in a compact size. The automaker's traditional air cooling wouldn't be sufficient to cool this double-overhead-camshaft motor because it has four valves per cylinder. Also, water cooling is needed to meet stricter emissions standards.

Still, the engine sure sounds much like a traditional 911 air-cooled six-cylinder. And it emits an exotic howl when Porsche's race-style ``VarioCam'' system is activated at around 5,000 r.p.m. to make the engine very responsive at high r.p.m. levels.

The Boxster can do 0-60 m.p.h. in 6.4 seconds and reportedly tops out at 149 m.p.h. Still, you must shift the modified Audi five-speed manual transmission a lot to get the best acceleration; the high-revving engine gets lethargic if kept in too high a gear at low r.p.m.

The standard manual transmission--selected to keep costs down--is a bit notchy when rushed. It works with a clutch that is rather stiff and has a long throw. If you're tired or not paying attention to your driving, the clutch action will cause the Boxster to jerk uncomfortably.

Still, the Boxster is a red-blooded sports car and is more fun to drive with the manual than with Porsche's five-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission. That transmission offers fully automatic operation or clutchless manual shifting, but raises the car's base price to $43,130.

Fuel economy is an estimated 19 m.p.g. in the city and 27 on highways with the manual and 17 and 24 with the Tiptronic.

Boxster options also significantly boost the price. Add the $2,249 removable hard top and $3,235 Sport Package, which contains bigger wheels and a wind deflector for more comfortable top-down driving, and you're looking at more than $45,000 for the manual-transmission model.

However, even the base Boxster should be just fine for most buyers. It has a nifty power top that goes down in exactly 12 seconds and plenty of standard items, including automatic climate control with air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, power steering and windows, central locking system and an AM/FM stereo cassette.

However, the $847 traction control system is a good option for this rear-wheel-drive car.

The fairly quiet (with the top up) interior has plenty of room for tall occupants, and the front hood pops open to reveal a pretty large front cargo compartment in which you can put things that won't fit in the rear compartment.

The Boxster's ignition switch is on the left of the steering wheel, because that's where it used to be to allow race drivers to turn the engine on and shift into first gear simultaneously--after taking the traditional running start to their car at the start of a race. There's that Porsche tradition again. However, the plastic interior door handles feel cheap.

Instrumentation looks like it was yanked from a race car, with gauges clustered tightly in front of the driver and housed within a hooded binnacle. The analog speedometer is more stylish than practical, so Porsche put a digital speedometer near it. Go figure.

The steering has just the right amount of power boost, and is quick and accurate. The Boxster handles superbly, with a mid-engine layout and beautifully designed suspension.

Porsche brakes long have been exceptional. The Boxster's brakes, derived from those on the Porsche 962 race car, are simply phenomenal; push hard on the easily modulated brake pedal and the car stops as if it ran into a foam wall. The ride is supple and comfortable, despite the short 95.2-inch wheelbase and sport suspension. Still, it is on the firm side because this is a no-nonsense sports car.

The Boxster is solidly built, with no shakes or rattles despite the soft top. That's good, because most buyers will want to hold on to it for a very long time.