New Boxster - oh my!

[rob.kellock]

Had the pleasure of a day at the Porsche Experience Centre on Saturday.

It was a range experience day so tried various examples of the everything from manual 2.9 Cayman to Panamera.

New Boxster is absolutely brilliant, anybody who had ordered one will be VERY pleased. Anyone who says the new steering detracts is, frankly, an idiot. The new car really moves the game on, particularly the quality of the interior.

Of note, when it came to the ice hill, our group had 3 Boxsters and 3 Caymen. Each car did 6 runs. Every new Boxster made it up easily, not one (current) Cayman managed it. The electronics have clearly evolved too!

 

[jdpef356]

]New Boxster is absolutely brilliant, anybody who had ordered one will be VERY pleased. Anyone who says the new steering detracts is, frankly, an idiot. The new car really moves the game on, particularly the quality of the interior.

The Quality of the interior may be up but when I looked I thought the interior had taken on the Porsche corporate image.

IMO not so good! [&o] You have now lost the chance to colour code the Tunnell and roll bars and add other touches - not so good[]



(Edited to put the [ ] qoutes in teh right places. )

 

[rob.kellock]

To me, the colour of the roll over bar doesn't really matter. I defy you to spend an hour inside the new car and not be impressed!

 

[jdpef356]

ORIGINAL: rob.kellock

To me, the colour of the roll over bar doesn't really matter. I defy you to spend an hour inside the new car and not be impressed!

Rob - I dare not spend an hour driving one otherwise I might just surcome to temptation.


If I had an hour sitting in one whilst stationary I would get my paint brush out[]

 

[rob.kellock]

I was busy queuing up for more goes on the kick plate - no time for painting!

I was still happy enough to get back into the Spyder (with its black roll over bar but painted centre console), the roads around the Cotswolds and the weather rather suited it.

 

[lamboman]

ORIGINAL: jdpef356

You have now lost the chance to colour code the Tunnell and roll bars and add other touches - not so good[]

roll bars can be colour coded on the 981, the centre console trim can also be colour coded .. albeit a much smaller piece of colour

 

[daro911]

What can I say after my brief 30 minutes behind the wheel of a heavy spec 981 [8D]

Looks it's a hard call because the 981 looks so beefed up even next to a Spyder!

A back to back drive, although 981 was the fabulous faster smoother than ever PDK version, left me with the following conclusions

Forgetting the obvious new interior architecture and chairs which after 7 years should be a step forward and obviously are "¦. The main differences from my 30 minute drive are as follows:-

981 much quieter at 70 mph[] far less buffeting with roof down so obviously with roof up it is a no brainer which one wins (I am referring to 981 v 987)My Spyder would lose out on both accounts hands down []

At 30 mph or xxx mph there is very little difference in for want of a better word "drama" To be honest it is all so easy, so relaxing and so smooth in a 981 compared to the Spyder or even a 987. Getting back into the Spyder the car felt more alive and jiggly at 30 than the 981 ever did at far higher speeds

Spyder & 987 S = Soul character and drama was back on the menu and it helps to keep one safely below any illegal speed limits unlike the ultra smooth/quiet/luxurious and ever so planted 981 which I must say certainly gripped the tarmac like it was on rails without any twitchiness you can get from a pushed 987 and sometimes a Spyder too "¦

The PASM suspension on rough surfaces or undulations was simply stunning, never crashy or jiggly and probably in a class of its own even by Aston / Jag standards "¦ The 981 is an easy to live with long haul cruiser for sure

The 981 is a fantastic car and perhaps it does everything a little too fantastically "¦ I am sure if I borrowed one for 24 hours I would get use to the new sophistication on offer and off course yet to drive one with some drama added back by via a PSE

It was a pleasant surprise, especially as the car was a PDK v my manual box, to be able to say it didn't feel any quicker than the Spyder at any point of the drive be it slow medium or fast which giving it has 5bhp less and weigh 40kg more is how it should be []

The PDK is very good now as it will bang you up into 7th gear by 45mph, cuts the drive on a trailing throttle so revs drop back to tick over which is only noticeable from the rev counter as opposed to the feel of coasting along "¦very clever touch that "¦.

I would say if I had a 987 then the 981 is a huge step forward all round especially if you didn't want any edginess in your drives at the higher speeds ranges

For sunny weekend thrills I think I can honestly say the Spyder has the edge (literally) and looks well that's in the eyes of the beholder personally I love the looks of both versions equally "¦ rarity "¦ no contest

Final conclusion the 981 is like a 911 Turbo fast, luxurious and comfortable while the Spyder is more like a GT3 focussed and edgy at all times [8D]

I think I better not go for the 24 hour test drive just yet

 

[rob.kellock]

ORIGINAL: daro911


For sunny weekend thrills I think I can honestly say the Spyder has the edge (literally) and looks well that's in the eyes of the beholder personally I love the looks of both versions equally "¦ rarity "¦ no contest

Final conclusion the 981 is like a 911 Turbo fast, luxurious and comfortable while the Spyder is more like a GT3 focussed and edgy at all times [8D]

Nail on head.

Great summary.

 

[Dylan1]

having spent a great day in the cotswolds on sunday on the 13th cotswold rally I can certainly concur[].what lovely quiet roads and beautiful weather-preftect for top down driving-much though i like the spyder styling,(and relatively very good value)-i suspect we had as much smiles per miles in the boxster s.
cant decide whether to to go for the new boxster s,a yr old spyder or a 997gen 2 cab.next.
decisions!!

 

[rob.kellock]

Try the Spyder back to back with a gen 2 Boxster S.

Twice in the last fortnight I have driven 30 miles to Bolton OPC in the Spyder and more or less immediately jumped into their 61 plate 987S with PDK and then vice versa when I collected my car.

I don't profess to be a driving deity but the difference between the 2 cars is quite remarkable. Whilst it sounds like a truism, the Spyder feels lighter, feels quicker (I know it isn't really) and steers better, brakes better. It also bangs and crashes into pot holes and gets very noisy on the motorway.

Ridiculous as it might sound, my wife and I went out in the Boxster S in the evening as the weather was so nice and as we arrived home and pulled up on the drive I hit the button to shut the roof. My wife commented "is that it - there's no sense of occasion like with your car!"

If I was using the car every day I would get the Boxster all day long but if it's for weekends, high days and holidays, for me, the Spyder wins hands down, it's like a mini GT3 on a budget!

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: rob.kellock



If I was using the car every day I would get the Boxster all day long but if it's for weekends, high days and holidays, for me, the Spyder wins hands down, it's like a mini GT3 on a budget!

Rob is bang on the money here but unlike a pucker GT3 Spydermen can have the added drama of wind in hair and sun on their face [8D]

The rarity of a Spyder (237 UK Cars 2000 world wide) is another hidden attraction and to date I have hardly done a journey without someone giving me the thumbs up and often winding down their window to ask what model Porsche it is.

Owned Porsche's since 1978 but never owned one that has caused so many positive reactions Makes such a pleasant change to what one normally reads and hears from owners of this historic brand

 

[Dylan1]

i will certainly still try one as i DO love the looks-but mine will very much be the daily driver so it doesnt sound like it will be the right one.maybe when i am retired[]

 

[flat6]

ORIGINAL: daro911

ORIGINAL: rob.kellock



If I was using the car every day I would get the Boxster all day long but if it's for weekends, high days and holidays, for me, the Spyder wins hands down, it's like a mini GT3 on a budget!

Rob is bang on the money here but unlike a pucker GT3 Spydermen can have the added drama of wind in hair and sun on their face [8D]

The rarity of a Spyder (237 UK Cars 2000 world wide) is another hidden attraction and to date I have hardly done a journey without someone giving me the thumbs up and often winding down their window to ask what model Porsche it is.

Owned Porsche's since 1978 but never owned one that has caused so many positive reactions Makes such a pleasant change to what one normally reads and hears from owners of this historic brand

daro911. Great write up above. I've been holding out on driving a 981 simply because i've not had my Spyder very long. However, i'm now tempted to drive one just to put into perspective how a tuned sports suspension (Spyder) compares to a good all-rounder with PASM. PASM in sport mode in my previous Gen 1 Cayman S was unusable except on the track. PASM in normal mode was great, if a bit reactive. The Spyder feels so sharp and direct in comparison. Would be interested to see how PASM has moved on in the 981.

Rob Kellock. I know you were considering changing your Spyder for a 4 seater, but if you weren't, would you consider moving to a 981S. Or, after having a Spyder, would you need to wait for a hardcore version?

As daro911 said, the Spyder is so rare and attracts so much positive attention (from myself! from others is a bonus[]) as well as being great to drive. I think i'd rather have the rarer, more exotic looking car, especially as it's just as quick anyway. I'd need to get an increased shove in the back under acceleration to justify the extra spend [8D]

 

[rob.kellock]

That's a tough question!

I think that daro911 has posted on here before that there is unlikely to be a 981 Spyder, at least for quite a while.

Now the sunshine has come out, I really have fallen back in love with mine. I have had it serviced, warranty extended and cruise control retro-fitted ready for the long drive to the Le Mans classic in July. I am really looking forward to that.

 

[flat6]

ORIGINAL: dyllan

i will certainly still try one as i DO love the looks-but mine will very much be the daily driver so it doesnt sound like it will be the right one.maybe when i am retired[]

Don't be put off having the Spyder as a daily driver. Mine is my daily driver and it is great. The two main concerns I read that that people have is of course the roof but also the potential ride comfort. Whilst I couldn't say the ride is soft. It certainly isn't harsh. The combination of the reduced weight and reduced tyre pressures make for a pliant ride. It certainly is not a bone shaker.

I'm sure Rob Kellock will back me up that the top, after a few practice runs, can be put on in around 2 minutes. There really isn't much to it and the actions are mainly symmetrical, so not much to remember either.

Road and wind noise is of course a bit greater than with a conventional roof and you'll have picked the wrong car if you do a lot of motorway driving. However, i'm on the motorway for 20 mins on the commute to work and i've gotten used to it for short motorway runs. How much I enjoy the car off the motorway more than makes up for it. A short test drive will only highlight the contrast to a standard Boxster, which isn't enough time to draw a conclusion about what it's like to live with.

The roof holds up very well against bad weather. It has only let in a few drops on one occassion. After driving 200 miles in torrential rain and gale force winds to get to Boxster & Beyond, my Spyder was then parked at the event and soaked up further torrential rain for another 5 hours. Some rain did soak through where the window meets the front section of the hood. However, that was an extreme case. It's my first convertible, so I don't know how other convertible tops would hold up in such extreme conditions. When I bought the car, I drove 200 miles in heavy rain to get it home and there was no water penetration. I drive the car in rain without any concerns. The overlapping design keeps the water out.

So, I find it perfectly fine as a daily driver. Even when it's tucked up in the garage and it would be easier to take the wife's car on the drive to nip out for a quick errand, I still take the Spyder out instead. It's that good []

 

[flat6]

ORIGINAL: rob.kellock

That's a tough question!

I think that daro911 has posted on here before that there is unlikely to be a 981 Spyder, at least for quite a while.

Now the sunshine has come out, I really have fallen back in love with mine. I have had it serviced, warranty extended and cruise control retro-fitted ready for the long drive to the Le Mans classic in July. I am really looking forward to that.

I'd agree that there won't be another Spyder until perhaps the last generation of the 981. Or there is also the possibility that there might not be 981 Sopyder - Can they save much weight from the 981, which uses more aluminium? The general reaction to the roof hurt sales - will Porsche bother again. Or, if they improve the roof to say a lightweight targa, like the Carrera GT (which would take a lot more redesign than a fabric Spyder roof), then the car may just be too good for it's price point, looking like a mini 918 Spyder and out handling a 911. Maybe there'll be a 981 R, with a standard motorised roof, no significant weight saving but a revised aero kit and suspension.

I may also need rear seats when the Spyder needs to move on. I'd only change it for a hot version of the 911, or of course a 981 Spyder![]

Enjoy Le Mans. You might find more people asking you about your Spyder than your opinion on Le Mans. That's what happened to me when I went to the 981 launch event!

 

[rob.kellock]

They could always save weight by replacing the interior door handles with a strip of seatbelt material, will make all the difference!

Roof never takes 2 minutes to put up or down. With a willing helper and rain you can do it in seconds!!

 

[Dylan1]

thats very helpful folks-i must say i dont mind a firm ride at all(linda does tho!)so its only really been the roof thats put me(and others i guess(off.if thats really as easy as you say then i would definately consider one .the two on the cotswold rally looked every bit as special as the two classic speedsters(to my eyes anyway!)

cheers

 

[rob.kellock]

Thanks - the white one was mine []

You really would have to try the roof for yourself, it's not for everyone and wind noise with the roof up at motorway speeds is a live issue too.

Am back in Bolton's Boxster S PDK again today due to a very odd fault with the Spyder's fuel gauge so it's . I really like it and it's an excellent car but I look forward to getting mine back working properly!

 

[daro911]

https://plus.google.com/113483664041251715826/posts

New Boxster's out on track - oh my indeed!

This month, Porsche introduced the latest redesign of the +Porsche Boxster to nearly North American 1,000 dealer representatives, mechanics and executives. Pirelli was present to train and educate the participants on the new P Zero "" the exclusive tire for the 20" fitment.

Go behind the scenes at Barber Motorsports Park as the VIPs test and learn all about the much-anticipated two-seater before it hits North American showrooms.