986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post

Ronzi · 01-08-2006, 08:57 AM

This thread comes up every few months, but it's always fun anyway.
There certainly is a segment of the car-oriented public that perceives the Boxster as a "chick car". This perception is fostered by media references such as one of the characters in the HBO series "The Sopranos" referring to the Boxster as "... a Porsche with panties".
Having owned a 911 from the '80s, I can tell you the Box is a very different kind of car. Much more refined, smoother, more comfortable, much better ergonomics. Maybe that's what makes it a "chick car" compared to the 911. Those old 911s had heavy steering (at low speed), heavy brakes, abrupt clutches, switches and controls scattered willy-nilly about the interior, virtually worthless AC. All the compromises were made on the side of performance, and it kept the 911 from having broader appeal. That orientation was sometime called "the alloy lug-nut syndrome". It was no joke, the lug nuts were light alloy.
The Boxster and, I assume the 996/997, are much easier to live with.

01-08-2006, 08:57 AM	#5
Ronzi Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Denver CO Posts: 748	This thread comes up every few months, but it's always fun anyway. There certainly is a segment of the car-oriented public that perceives the Boxster as a "chick car". This perception is fostered by media references such as one of the characters in the HBO series "The Sopranos" referring to the Boxster as "... a Porsche with panties". Having owned a 911 from the '80s, I can tell you the Box is a very different kind of car. Much more refined, smoother, more comfortable, much better ergonomics. Maybe that's what makes it a "chick car" compared to the 911. Those old 911s had heavy steering (at low speed), heavy brakes, abrupt clutches, switches and controls scattered willy-nilly about the interior, virtually worthless AC. All the compromises were made on the side of performance, and it kept the 911 from having broader appeal. That orientation was sometime called "the alloy lug-nut syndrome". It was no joke, the lug nuts were light alloy. The Boxster and, I assume the 996/997, are much easier to live with.