2003 Porsche Boxster Review

If iconic actor James Dean were alive, he'd probably drive a Porsche Boxster. It resembles the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder in which Dean was killed in an accident while on the way to a race in California.

The mid-engine Boxster two-seat convertible is the entry level Porsche. So was the early 1950s Porsche Speedster, which was Dean's first Porsche and the only one in which he competed on tracks.

New York-based import car baron Max Hoffman convinced Porsche to make the generally stripped Porsche Speedster to hold its price down to $2,995. It did well during races because it was light -- and thus was faster and handled better than standard, costlier Porsches.

The Speedster had side curtains instead of roll-down windows, and there were no typical Porsche complex seats and heavily padded top. But it still had bucket seats and its special lowered windshield provided a racy look. A Speedster -- featured in the Paul Newman movie "Harper''-- is a cult classic valued at $80,000 to $100,000.

The 550 Spyder -- now worth a small fortune -- was more of a race car than a sports car and wasn't designed to be driven daily on public roads, as were other Porsches. The 550 Spyder was rare, with only 63 sold in 1955. It was tricky to drive fast, and thus was succeeded by a more rigidly built version with a new rear suspension in 1956.

The Boxster has been a safe, secure car since it arrived in 1997 and has been refined since then.

The fairly new, limited production $59,900 SE version of the Boxster I tested celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 550 Spyder with such things as silver metallic paint reminiscent of 550 Spyder paint, a dash plaque commemorating the 550 Spyder's anniversary -- and a 264-horsepower version of the car's 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine. The SE also has the largest Boxster wheels and widest tires.

Move fast if you want an SE because only 1,953 SE versions will be built, Porsche spokeswoman Jody Scott said. (Prototype versions of the 550 Spyder were raced in 1953, but production models began arriving in 1954.)

The base $42,600 Boxster has a 2.7-liter engine with 225 horsepower, while the higher-line S version has a 3.2-liter 258 horsepower engine. Even the standard engine whisks the car to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, although the 3.2-liter engine allows less shifting with its greater torque rating and takes the car to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.

The SE is a bit faster, but provides an estimated 18 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway. The base Boxster is the most economical, at 20 city, 29 highway.

All engines have a compact design, with horizontally opposed pistons that face each other in the engine block, which sits low in the chassis to help give the Boxster a low center of gravity for sharper handling. When moving, the pistons move toward each other as if they are "boxing,'' instead of moving up and down like most pistons.

You can't see a Boxster engine because it's in an enclosed compartment; Porsche mechanics work on it from the bottom. Open the rear trunk lid and you see a small, nicely shaped cargo area and the engine oil dipstick. There's also a small, deep cargo compartment up front -- also best suited to soft luggage.

The power top has a rear glass window with a defroster and goes up or down in 12 seconds at the touch of a button. It folds out of sight with a body color cover, without entering the trunk area.

Wind currents aren't excessive with the top down at normal highway speeds, especially with the wind deflector in place; it's standard for the SE and a $375 option for the other two Boxster versions. A removable aluminum hard top costs $2,345.

The standard Boxster has a five-speed manual gearbox or a $3,210 five-speed automatic transmission with a good manual shift feature. The 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine can be had with a six-speed manual gearbox or the five-speed automatic.

The manual gearbox of the SE is especially easy to work because it has a shortened shift travel. But it still has the Boxster's typical long-throw, moderate-effort clutch that can be tiring in stop-and-go traffic. This is a car for the open road, not the city, with the manual transmission.

The Boxster has very quick steering with good road feel, athletic moves and incredibly powerful brakes. It's a real kick to drive, even at fairly low speeds.

Even the base model is well equipped, with such items as air conditioning with automatic climate control, the usual power accessories and an AM/FM/CD player.

Besides the more powerful engine, the S adds a sport suspension and wide tires on larger 17-inch (vs. 16-inch) wheels. The SE goes up to 18-inch wheels and lower-profile 40-series tires up front and 35-series tires in the rear. It also has heated leather sports seats and an antiskid/traction control system, which is a $1,235 option for base and S versions.

Safety options include side air bags and anti-lock disc brakes.

All Boxsters have Porsche's traditional left-side ignition switch and a large tachometer put squarely in front of the driver in the best Porsche racing tradition. The regular analog speedometer has odd 25-mph increments, going from 25 mph to 50 mph, then to 75 mph -- and so on up to 150 mph. But a small digital speedometer gives an exact speed reading. Controls are easy to reach and well-marked.

The generally good ride gets choppy on wavy pavement because of the car's short 95.1-inch wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles). Sharp bumps also can be felt.

The soft top fits snugly and looks good when erected, but there's considerable road noise when cruising with it up. That noise and the occasional jerky ride discourage long-distance trips in the Boxster, although hard-core sports car buffs probably wouldn't mind.

The seats are very supportive, but getting in and out of the low-slung car calls for extra effort. A telescopic steering wheel and power seat backrests help provide a comfortable driving position.

The anniversary Boxster SE is a lot faster and safer than Dean's 550 Spyder. It just came about 50 years too late for the unfortunate actor.

2004 PORSCHE BOXSTER

PRICES
$42,600-$59,900

LIKES
Very fast. Superb handling. Outstanding brakes. Lots of equipment. Fairly comfortable. Special 50th Anniversary Spyder version.

DISLIKES
Not a good long-distance car. Limited cargo room. Long-throw clutch.