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Overdrive, I'm not criticizing your preference for the earlier 986 - they are great cars and indeed, great sports cars. Frankly, I even share your preference for the original look - including the more interesting (or at least, less generic) dash and interior design. Having said that, I'm sure you'll agree that appearance has little, if anything, to do with what makes a car a 'sports car'.
Unlike many here, and while acknowledging that I haven't driven one, I quite like the new Boxster. Sure, I find the interior design rather dull and I am not crazy about the tail light dividing, chrome-tipped spoiler. However, while it does not draw upon past elements of historic Porsches in the same way the original did (and it doesn't have to), it nevertheless is an aggressive, but clean design. Performance? There in spades - and quite frankly, the improvements in fuel economy despite the increase in size, weight and horsepower are also very impressive.
I think that Porsche is also deserving of credit for replacing various body parts that were originally steel with aluminum. Doesn't that still sound like a company that is interested in engineering sports cars? Yes, it is larger, but the increased size also allows the car to comfortably accomodate larger drivers than the original 986 and the longer wheelbase actually improves vehicle dynamics by reducing dive and squat. The electric power steering? We'll see, although I can recall similar criticisms when Porsche went from manual steering to hydraulic assist.
In the final analysis, the car is a testimonial to Porsche's improved production efficiences as it is actually cheaper, considering inflation, that the original 986. To me the foregoing all suggest that there is reason for optimism about a new entry-level, mid-engined Porsche. That a down-sized, less luxurious, lighter and more simple car produced by Porsche in this day and age could prove to be a real winner - and probably a lot closer to your idea of what makes a real sports car.
Brad
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