[pierre shags]

"Today I parked my white 1998 boxster next to a similar white 2009 987...
more agressive lines, lower, so much sleeker, sexier... the 986, of course"
edbelton

Aesthetic preferences are personal, of course, but I think the word 'aggressive' could be more objectively applied to the 987. Aggressive should be applied primarily to cars that look fast.

Wider and thinner tires do look fast and increase the size of the 'shoulders' and 'hips' of the car. This makes the 987 less smooth and rounded, but more muscular - definitely more aggressive looking.

The taller, tapered side vent looks more like supercars that are really fast; the little round one of the 986 looks like a throwback to some slower time. The vent is more angular; sharp edges look more aggressive than rounded ones and this has been the design trend for the last ten years. So yes the 987 looks more modern than classic. The line of the front & rear bumpers below the plates where it turns under is smooth on the 986 but has a definite crease on the 987 - muscle car looking if you must - but aggressive.

"I must say there is not a single point of the 986 I preferred...986 headlights looking "more Porsche" I have to roll on the floor laughing." says Kurt the Quick, and for once we agree.

The first thing that distinguished the two models for me was the vent, the second was the squatty L-shaped headlights of the 986. For aesthetics the 986 lost me right there. They are - I hope strong language won't get me kicked off the list - UGLY. They mess up the beautiful clean lines of the hood and fenders typical of all new Porsches - a real mistake.