an easy decision for me.
if you want a Porsche you have to decide if you want:
1- a roadster
or
2- a coupe.
I don't know where its written that a car with a softop and smaller engine has to be necessarily cheaper than a car with hartop and a bigger engine. How do we know that Manufacturing a Boxer engine with a completely differen chasis is necessarly cheaper than 911?
The Boxster may in fact be the more advanced engieering design. Both in layout and Engine design. When the Boxster was first devised the designers were told that it could not be made for less than $80,000! (which is a big part of why many are not assembled in Germany). With some Japanese assembly line experts they were able to knock $20,000 off the cost. But still when you think back to the $80,000 its Allot less than the cost of producing the ages old 911. Ever wonder why a laptop computer is more expensive than a faster desktop? Just one way of looking at it...
The Boxster in my opinion is the only convertible Porsche for a purist.
The 911 Cab is a car for an old guy who never drives the car above 50 or Britney Spears. The 996 Targa is a completely new design and not really a convertible. But sort of an alternative to the Boxster
The 911 is a world class Coupe, albeit rear engine. A great option for a driving enthusiast who isn't into roadsters.
Its kind of like saying should I buy a BMW Z4 or and X5
At the NYC auto show in the Porsche area I heard an attractive woman say "I love the Boxster" and the guy she was with said "no way, its no 911"
I thought she might as well have said "I love Pizza" and he said "no way! hamburgers!!"
by the way at $77K for the bone stock 911
you have way better options in terms of performance per dollar. You are paying a
big markup for image with that standard 911 which to a peformance driving enthusiast is sort of weird.
I'd sooner drop $40K on a used Lotus Elise with a set of Toyot Proxes RA-1's
Take a spin on the track in both and tell me which makes you smile bigger.
not to mention which car will get you more looks.