Excellence article
 

Does anyone have a copy of the article from Excellence magazine that compares the Boxster to the S? If so, would you be willing to email, fax or mail it to me? I think its from sometime in 2001. Thanks. John

Think of it in domestic terms. The boxster is a c5 vette and the S is the Zo6 version. Both good though, one just has more muscle. plus brakes, plus another gear, Thats about it.

Use this link from a Canadian Magazine. It's real good.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/boxstervss.htm

Yes I have that article. I can mail you a copy. Basically it says:

1) The Boxster S gearing isn't good- the base Boxster has better gears/shifting for city driving:

"And with the base car's slightly longer gear spacing, you're less likely to
shift up to third while driving from light to light - which makes it a bit
easier to drive around town. So in an urban environment, the
base car may be a better pick than the Boxster S, ..."


2) The base Boxster is a better buy than the Boxster S. This to me means the measly 33HP gain of the S is essentially negated by its greater weight (to the tune of about 100 lbs) and it's essentially a toss up in terms of performance. A driver who's had some DEs in a base Boxster is going to beat your average Boxster S driver 0 - 60. The performance figures are that close. It's neglibible.

Bottom line conclusion of Excellence magazine: base Boxster is a better car for city.

Excellence Article
 

Another S in S, thanks for responding to my post. I found the Excellence magazine last summer and bought it. I purchased a 2001 Boxster base model in February 2004 and couldn't be happier. Johnlink

Here are the facts:

Gearing for both Boxsters:
Boxster S Ratio:
13.1408
7.568
5.2288
4.1968
3.5088
2.8896

2.7L Base Ratio:
12.46
7.5472
5.0908
3.8804
2.9904

Notice that 2nd and 3rd gears are essentially identical for both cars. So how can that Excellence article claim that the Base has higher gearing to eliminate the shift from 2nd to 3rd (vs. the S)? Simple. They're clueless.

Also notice that the "6th" gear is not one gear taller than the Base's 5th gear. This is the biggest misconception of the S' 6 speed gearbox. The difference is 4th gear. The Base's 4th gear is equivalent to the S' 5th gear, with the Base slightly taller. Same goes for the Base's 5th gear being equivalent to the S' 6th gear, again with the base slightly taller. Taller gears with a weaker motor is not what you want.

There is too big a gap between 3rd and 4th on the Base model. If anything, the Base would perform much better having the S' 6 speed gearbox. I can drive around and shift from 3rd to 5th in my S and it would be just like a Base owner shifting from 3rd to 4th (gearing-wise).

The hp difference between the 2 cars is not the only performance factor. There is a 36lb/ft of torque difference between the 3.2L motor and the 2.7L motor. This is huge and more than enough to offset the 100lbs of weight difference. Even if you can get the 2.7L to have identical hp as the S, the superior torque of the S will always make it faster to about 100mph. This is just simple physics. If you want a shocker, look up the 0-100mph times for the S and the Base. ;)

Last but not least, the S makes 90% of it's torque at 2K rpms and has a much wider powerband than the Base model. Coupled to the shorter gearing, there is a big difference between the cars. Just look at any magazine...0-60 and 1/4 mile times prove it. The S does the 1/4 in 13.8 seconds. The Base does it in 14.6 seconds. That's the equivalent of 8 carlengths at the finish. I hate to bench race but the difference is more than just a little.

I have nothing against the Base model. But there really is more to the S than just 33hp.

Lux-

I think you loose your time, Another S is S is PRO "Base" and ANTI "S", it is a well known fact by now :-)
But thanks for the facts :-)

J

I have owned and driven both many times. Both have their points and this really is in the eye of the beholder, that is, what do you value most! I don't experience the issue of gear spacing as referenced about the S. I can always find the right gear in either car!

I think the real answer here is for a buyer to drive both and then choose their experience vs. the money expended. On a used S, the diff in purchase price is muted somewhat.

Let the good times role!

That's another thing. 2nd hand buyers tend to look more for the S versions. And they are roughly 30% of the Boxster sales. So that's another plus for the S.

doesn't the S have two radiators instead of only one?
As well as suspension and brake upgrades?