The 97 Top Gear Boxster Test
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGiFQPGwRxE

Sad that even though the very early test cars had the shift linkage issues, Porsche never changed the design.

Actually, it's a Fifth Gear review.

And actually, they did fix that issue. How many times have you heard of people getting stranded on the road because of their shift linkage failing? It was a pre-production bug that you saw on that video.

I don't know where you got that information, but there have definitely been reports of linkage failure as the three links below. Anyone who's had the linkage apart could see that the design is flawed.

http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13314&highlight=broken+shift+link age

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=14978&hl=shift+linkage

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=6788&hl=shift+linkage

I've never had any issue at all with my shift linkage on my 01. Perhaps there were issues with some early Boxsters, but even with those 3 ocurrences you point out, I really don't think this is a common problem that leaves many Boxster owners stranded on the side of the road. Small issue, IMO. IMS..., now that's another issue.

And I've never been mugged, but it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Do you notice in the video how high the RPM's jump when he starts the engine.. I can tell some of that was him holding the accelerator down but my question is, When you start your Boxster 2.5 engine... How high should the RPM's jump once it starts?

Mine sometimes jumps to 1200 rpm's and sometimes just 1000 rpms.

Depends on whether it's a cold or warm start.
Your figures are consistent with my warm starts.
Cold goes above 1500 on mine.