The first truly hot Porsche was the rare mid-engine 550 Spyder in which actor James Dean got killed while driving to a California race in 1955. The Porsche Boxster mid-engine convertible sports car is the closest modern Porsche road car that's reminiscent of that Spyder, and it's undergone considerable changes for 2003. The mid-engine Porsche Boxster arrived in 1997 at $39,980, but already is listed in collectible car guides for prices starting in the high-$20,000 area. That price should convince would-be Boxster buyers that the car is a sound investment and reflects the fact that it's a real kick to drive. More than 120,000 Boxsters have been sold, which is an impressive number because Porsche is a small--but profitable--independent automaker.
I recently tested the standard 2003 Boxster and found it had the same solid, confident, precise feel as the used 1956 Porsche I owned in college in the 1960s. That's the way it's been with Porsches since they were new to the United States in the early 1950s. As with Henry Ford, Ferdinand Porsche was a young man when cars arrived at the dawn of the last century and liked the idea of cars for common folks. Thus, Ford came up with the Model T in America in 1908 and Porsche created the Volkswagen in Germany in the 1930s. Unlike Ford, Porsche was a fan of high-performance cars, which is why he helped his son, Ferry, come up with the first Porsche model after an unwarranted two-year imprisonment in France following World War II. The first production Porsche essentially was a hot rod version of the 1940s rear-engine Volkswagen, and Porsche lived long enough to see the car begin to become a success. He died in January 1951, less than two months before the 500th German-made Porsche came off the production line. Ferry Porsche admirably carried on his father's work.
The first production Porsche had a rear-engine design, as does the current 911 model, which debuted in 1963 in Europe and in America in 1965--and has been with us in various forms ever since. But the first prototype Porsche had a mid-engine design in the late 1940s, and so does the Boxster. Mid-engineracing cars began handily beating front-engine rivals in the early 1960s, and virtually all race cars had a mid-engine design for the best handling by the end of the 1960s. Porsche stuck with the rear-engine design for its 911 because that's the way its customers like the car. But it had a chance to go to a mid-engine design when it introduced the Boxster five years ago. (A rear-engine car has its engine behind the rear axle, while a mid-engine car's motor is ahead of that axle.)
The first Boxster also gave Porsche a chance to offer a lower-priced entry-level model. While the 1997 Boxster cost just under $40,000, the next most expensive 1997 Porsche was $63,750. The price situation hasn't changed much. The regular 2003 Boxster lists at $42,600, while the higher-horsepower Boxster S goes for $51,600. Regular 911 models start at $68,600 and go to $116,200. However, the exotic 911 GT2 model is $181,700 with its 462-horsepower engine. But who would want to park a GT2 in a public area without an armed guard surrounding it? There's no such problem with the Boxster, which is a user-friendly model that doesn't cost a fortune and can be driven daily.
The regular 2003 Boxster's 2.7-liter engine has a horsepower increase from 217 to 225, while horsepower of the higher-line Boxster S 3.2-liter engine jumps from 250 to 258. At the same time, fuel economy of the base model has been improved slightly to an estimated 20 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway. Figures for the Boxster S are 18 and 26. The standard Boxster comes with either a five-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with manual-shift steering wheel controls. The Boxster S has a six-speed manual gearbox and the optional Tiptronic.
The Boxster has gone visually unchanged since its introduction, but the 2003 model has newly designed cooling air intakes that give the front a lower look while allowing more airflow. The rear end extends lower and is wrapped more solidly around the huge center-mounted tailpipe, which is said to "visually characterize'' the more powerful sound from the "boxer'' six-cylinder engine; it has Porsche's traditional horizontally opposed piston layout to let it sit low in the chassis. The Boxster got its name from the union of the boxer engine architecture and roadster body. But, alas, the engine can't be seen if you're standing alongside the car because it's enclosed in a compartment. Open the rear trunk and you'll see cargo space. Major service is done from beneath. Despite the changes, the new Boxster looks much like its predecessor and has a body that, as Porsche says, "echoes such famous mid-engine Porsche sports and racing cars as the 550 Spyder and the [slightly later] RS60.''
Other improvements are a redesigned rear spoiler that fits smoothly into the body when retracted and then lifts automatically into position at 75 mph to help keep the car stable; it retracts at 50 mph. The standard Boxster now has a heated glass window in a better looking convertible top, newly optional 17- and 18-inch wheels, Boxster S shock absorbers, body-colored air scoops, remote unlocking front and rear trunk lids and dash-mounted climate controls that have thankfully been moved from the console. There's also seat-colored leather for the steering wheel, gearshift lever, door handles and hand brake lever. Also offered is a 5.8-inch display screen with the new Porsche Communications Management system, which incorporates tuners, CD player, navigation system and trip computer.
The new Boxster S gets most of the same new items of the regular Boxster, along with such items as standard 17-inch wheels. My test car was very fast (0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds) and easily cruised at 70 mph at 2,700 rpm. But the engine often called for lots of shifting to get the best acceleration. The shifter has a tricky pattern in that it's easy to engage third gear, instead of first gear, and thus stall the engine. Moreover, the light clutch has a long throw that will cause people with short legs to move their seat close to the steering wheel. The Boxster S gets new rear stabilizer bars for surer handling and hits 60 in 5.7 seconds. This model has a revised manual transmission that calls for less shifting because its engine has a beefy torque curve that provides 85 percent of peak power at only 2,000 rpm, assuring good response even at low speeds.
Steering of my test car was remarkably quick and precise, and the brake pedal had almost a perfect feel. The ride was supple, and stopping distances were unusually short. I could see both front fenders on each side of the sloping front end from the driver's seat, which was also the case with my 1956 Porsche. In fact, the Boxster and that old Porsche had roughly the same Porsche sound, although the liquid-cooled Boxster engine is much different than the air-cooled four-cylinder in the 1956 Porsche. That's amazing. So is the Boxster's race-car-style handling, considering this is a comfortable road car with a fairly quiet interior despite its convertible top, which lowers quickly and disappears under a rear cover at the touch of a button.
Safety features include Porsche's patented crumple-zone body structure and door-mounted side air bags. A Stability Management System to prevent such things as skids is optional. Also optional is a removable aluminum hardtop. If you can't afford the Boxster S, try the regular Boxster. Or maybe that collectible 1997 model, which the Sports Car Market price guide says should have original paint and less than 40,000 miles. In any case, a Boxster owner can't help but have lots of fun with the car.
2003 PORSCHE BOXSTER
Prices:
$42,600-$51,600
Likes:
More power. Fast. Superb handling. Great brakes. Already a collectible.
Dislikes:
Marginal cargo room. Tricky manual gear shifter. Long-throw clutch. |