Autoweek Ride in the 981

[blue2000s]

Taking a ride in the 2012 Porsche Boxster - Autoweek

This entire paragraph is very dissapointing:

"On first experience, from the passenger seat, the new Boxster clearly has moved up. Impressions are of a more mature car with a broader set of abilities, which is in line with Porsche's claims that it will appeal to a greater cross section of customers than ever before. The deft sportiness that has made the car such a favorite among enthusiast drivers since its introduction in 1996 remains well ingrained, but it now is combined with an additional layer of smoothness."

Another couple of scary lines:

"Wöhler, who also headed up development of the last Boxster, admits that the roadster's character has been altered slightly to give it added comfort."

"It's hard to say whether it improves on the outgoing model in terms of handling, but in isolation it hints at greatness."

Words like "grown up", "wider appeal", "easier to live with" and "refinement" always make me cringe.

[dennis]

It almost looks like they went back to the 986-style headlights

[blue2000s]

Another Review:

2013 Porsche Boxster Prototype First Ride

[dennis]

I cn't wait to drive one. I have an '01 and really saw little difference from my MY to present, there than a little more power and interior ammenities. This is a radical change that I don't think is for the better, but we will see.

[Pat]

Meh...that's pretty much what happens with every car now, regardless of make or model. I really hate that. I wish manufacturers would use new technology to make cars with fewer parts and lighter weight instead of the opposite. It's tempting to go buy an '80s 325 or something similar.

[Perfectlap]

Like the 991 they are making the cars more disconnected, plusher and quieter.
They want a car that appeals as a status symbol to a whole new international market of up and coming buyers who will never take their Porsches anywhere near a track or autocross.
Not that this is even the case now, but they're just making it official with the 991 and new Boxster.If you want edgy Porsche has set it up so that you pay up big for those "RS" type experiences. You aren't going to see anything edgy in the roadster world from Porsche ever again. Scoop up those new Boxster Spyders while you still can.

[Ghostrider 310]

I look at this as an opportunity, people who do not study cars like we do like the next new thing. Therefore these new models coming so soon will likely improve the used market for the last iteration in numbers available and price. The ultimate pretty cool car to total pig was the 240Z to 300zx series.

[papasmurf]

I owned both versions (84 and 90...both non turbo). The 84 was pretty tame and not a hardcore sportscar like the earlier z's but was a technology marvel for it's day. You have to look at them in the context of the era they were produced and what other cars were available at the time. The 90 was a great car and I regret selling it every single day as it was a lot more aggressive than the first gen 300zx and had some of the best styling out there. Plan on purchasing a twin turbo whenever I get the chance again.

[Ghostrider 310]

Papa, I'm not talking about the second generation units with the super hicas steering and all the tech of the day. I drove a 240z and owned a 280zx. The zx was an awesome cruiser but hardly a sports car in handling in my opinion, the second generation units were another animal. My pal had a 280Z it was far more sporting than my zx. At least Porsche claims the new units are lighter than the old design which is promising.

[pothole]

Originally Posted by dennis

It almost looks like they went back to the 986-style headlights

Umm. No. I'm afraid it really doesn't!

[pothole]

I think it's such a shame. The basic shape of the new car looks really lovely, very elegant:



But the fully undisguised production version is plastered in gaudy, fussy detailing.

[blue2000s]

If you start off with a simple, flowing, cohesive design for your car, like the original concept Boxster and you want to change it to make people think they need a new one, what can you do but add fussiness and bling.

The Countach and Esprit are prime examples of how "updates" can just clutter the original form. Dejavu all over again.

[Overdrive]

blue2000s I agree with you 100%, words like that are not a good thing when it comes to a sports car, but Porsche seems to be leaning more toward making their cars appeal to a wider audience to increase their profits instead of making a better sports car that the brand and genre faithful would pay for.

If everything they did to the 991 and 981 validated their pricetags in the form of improved handling, road feel, and yes, maybe even some improved or at least equalized efficiency by dropping weight while upping power compared to the outgoing generation in both aspects, then I'd personally have no problem paying the inevitably higher price tag that would come with all of that.

If Porsche decides to revive the GT segment with something in the spirit of the 928, they better not jack that up. They've already got the V8 it'll need.

[Overdrive]

And I again agree with you about the Countach and Esprit...though the Countach has never really looked bad to me (in its stock forms).

And I have a soft spot for the Esprit, so it's hard for me to dislike many things about it, but I did like the very simple, no frills nature of the first generation...it just didn't come with enough reliable engineering behind it being a hodge-podge-of-parts car for just about its whole life.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by papasmurf

I owned both versions (84 and 90...both non turbo). The 84 was pretty tame and not a hardcore sportscar like the earlier z's but was a technology marvel for it's day. You have to look at them in the context of the era they were produced and what other cars were available at the time. The 90 was a great car and I regret selling it every single day as it was a lot more aggressive than the first gen 300zx and had some of the best styling out there. Plan on purchasing a twin turbo whenever I get the chance again.

I have to agree with Ghostrider the 280ZX and original 300ZX were not sports cars, they were Japanese "personal coupes" as they used to say. Everything was soft, seats, responses, acceleration, suspension.

Hmm, suddenly this all sounds familiar....

I always rooted for the Rx-7 in the comparison tests.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

blue2000s I agree with you 100%, words like that are not a good thing when it comes to a sports car, but Porsche seems to be leaning more toward making their cars appeal to a wider audience to increase their profits instead of making a better sports car that the brand and genre faithful would pay for.

If everything they did to the 991 and 981 validated their pricetags in the form of improved handling, road feel, and yes, maybe even some improved or at least equalized efficiency by dropping weight while upping power compared to the outgoing generation in both aspects, then I'd personally have no problem paying the inevitably higher price tag that would come with all of that.

If Porsche decides to revive the GT segment with something in the spirit of the 928, they better not jack that up. They've already got the V8 it'll need.

Yup, just gimme a sports car. It doesn't have to do 0-60 in 4 seconds or swerve through the cones at 74MPH. It doesn't have to hold my big gulp, massage my back, or butter my toast in the morning. It certainly doesn't have to tell my neighbors how much better I am than they are. It just needs to call to me from the garage that it's time to play and play hard.

[pothole]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

the Countach has never really looked bad to me (in its stock forms).

The Anniversary model is pretty grim:



Early wide arch 5000S a la Cannonball will always be close to my heart, but LP400 blows them all away.



Then again, the orignal concept is even cleaner...



Anyway, I agree - the 986 will eventually be recognised as the purest, prettiest Boxster by far.

[Overdrive]

I'd rather have the Cobra in the background, pothole. I've actually seen a more gaudy Countach than that, obviously not stock. The anniversary one isn't terrible, as it doesn't quite have ducts upon ducts like the one I saw...I'll have to see if I can supply a picture. To me, though, I understand the changes as a matter of function and not form. The car is already very rigidly angled in everything but that line from nose to tail, but as the performance increased something needed to be done to get the thing to breathe better and stick to the ground and stop trying to kill you (as much) behind the wheel.

And yes, the concept, much like the concept that brought us the Boxster, was gorgeous.

[Perfectlap]

There's a guy near me who has a yellow Countach. Man that thing is tiny when you finally see up close.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

There's a guy near me who has a yellow Countach. Man that thing is tiny when you finally see up close.

Amazing, isn't it? It's a very small car.