Boxster Spyder
 

It's been a long while since Porsche has introduced a model that has captured my desire more than the Boxster Spyder. It is disappointing to hear that Lil B didn't like it because even with the overdone graphics, I'd like to someday have one in the garage. From the back it looks a bit CGT ish...


this one is sweeeet



http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/e...1_A562x421.jpg

Be sure to pick up the October issue of Car and Driver (already on newsstands) if you're a fan of the Boxster Spyder. ;)

The original photos got me pretty excited about this car, but after seeing a few in person my reaction has cooled quite a bit. It's a nice looking car, but not different enough from my '00 Boxster S for me to want to trade. With my Gemballa bits I have I actually prefer the looks of my car, but that's not really stock vs stock. One dealer actually had their Spyder displayed with the roof on. This car looks MUCH better without the roof.

Kirk

Sorry, that white thing is horrible - I wouldn't be seen dead in it...
Silver maybe, but white with red / red - no way. :eek:

The car no doubt has a "disco" presentation to it I'm not fond of but I like white Boxsters, I own one! I would like to see one close up and would only consider a used one in a few years, after all right now you could get a used GT3 for that same coin.

http://a.imageshack.us/img651/7926/r...he20boxste.jpg
I like it in black but needs black leather...... :matchup:
Plus needs steering wheel on the right side not the wrong side LOL!! :p

The Boxster Spyder is all about Marketing. It's supposed to herald back to the famed 550 Spyder with a nod to the RS, RSR and RSA's of yesteryear. A purpose-built, no-frills, lightened Track car, designed supposedly, to compete with the likes of the Exige, etc.

In reality, it's much less than that. A lot less engineering than marketing know-how went into it.

I won't even go into the PDK and silicon chip vs. neuron arguement. But, the car has eliminated the door handles and map pockets (ala' the RSA), and replaced them with red straps (which btw have to be double-pumped to open because supposedly one of the higher-up's wife grabbed it out of fear at the apex of a turn during a test drive and the door flung open - only her seatbelt kept her in the car) supposedly to save weight, but then Porsche, seemingly contradictorally, retained the power window which certainly weighs more than some abs and a little carpeting - God forbid you give up any creature comfort on the Track! But, eliminating the power window is not visible, no marketing ammo there. That's just one of it's many contradictions. I'm a bit surprised it didn't come with cupholders! It's not really a serious track car at all, at least out-of-the-box.

To me, it's somewhat insulting; that Porsche thinks people can be so easily fooled with fancy paint, a few gimmicks, and a couple different lines of code to the DME to free up some ponies which should have been offered to the driver long ago.

In fact, it seems the whole Boxster community is continuing to be insulted by Porsche. If my math is correct, the Boxster has now surpassed the 911 as the most sold Porsche ever, and then some. When is Porsche really gonna get behind this model and allow it to be the car we all know it can be?

Still, I predict it will sell like Hotcakes... which is probably going to say a lot more about the Buyers than it does about the car itself.

Cheers!

While certainly not feasible (monetarily), I love the idea of getting one, continuing and finishing the diet Porsche half-assedly started, and stuffing more power into it.

The car does have some neat feature, like the aluminum panels and the light "top" (if you can call it that). It's just a pity that Porsche won't sell us the car we all want, all to keep the 911 their preeminent model.

Well, All I can say is I got one and I love it, to each their own. I would have never gotten a boxster/S, I do not like the flat rear end and the bubble top. For me the Spyder took care of those two design issues. To be honest I could care less about why the Spyder was built, track car, homage to the 550, marketing, blah blah blah. I love the looks and performance and that's all that matters.

Lil Bastard - It's always about marketing, why would Porsche be any different from any other car company? Like the Ford GT 500 Shelby, that car was built by SVT group, little to no Shelby involvement, slap Shelby's name on it and it good for a few 1000's more sales. Dodge bring back the HEMI nameplate, would they have sold as many cars/trucks without that nameplate plastered on the side, no way. Your purist, no marketing thinking would be nice, but this is the real world and it's here to stay. I would lend more merit to your "Marketing Sellout" way of thinking if there were negative reviews out there about the Spyder. There may be some but the overall opinion is that the Spyder is one great car and mentioned many time as arguably the best handling Porsche being made today. That doesn't come from just "fancy paint" and "few gimmicks" as you mentioned.

Kirk - Like you mentioned, you like all the aftermarket stuff you added an although it may appeal to you, it would not be something I would do, but that's marketing. It's nice to have those choices for the folks that want it. It's all about personal taste, you can't please all the people, all the time.

pcw

Well, it's not unexpected that an owner would respond and disagree.

I mean, I cannot imagine someone who bought one chiming in and not affirming their purchase decision.

Glad you like it... not for me at all. Good luck with it.

Cheers!

Well that's where you are wrong, not just owners.......I guess it was the paint and gimmicks, you know marketing stuff.....

C&D Best Handling Cars in America under 100K

#7 Volkswagen GTI
#6 Corvette Z06
#5 Nissan GT-R
#4 BMW M3
#3 Mazda RX-8 R3
#2 Lotus Elise SC
#1 Porsche Boxster Spyder


pcw

I think that the point is that the Boxster S would have finished in the same place as there isn't much difference between the two. The Boxster's history of winning competitions based on it's chassis balance and handling is pretty lengthy.

My point is to think that the Spyder was just a marketing ploy is a statement that wasn't based on knowledge, but rather, lack there of. There is no question that the Boxster S is the platform, I never argued that fact and I have no idea why the Boxster, Cayman or 911 was not included in the test, ask Car and Driver. Nevertheless, there are differences between the Boxster S and the Spyder, weight and suspension just to mention a couple, was enough to make a great handling platform even better.

Was it worth the extra money over the Boxster S, I can only answer that for me and I would say yes as I wouldn't have considered buying a BS, I would have gone with the cayman S. But the Spyder is not my daily driver, it fits what I want for the car. If the Spyder isn't your cup of tea, then great, but don't merely dismiss it as just a marketing ploy. I find it funny that people love to throw their comments in on something without even sitting behind the wheel and driving the car. Don't knock it until you try it.

pcw

Assumption.

But that aside, trying to defend or attack a subjective opinion is a ridiculous waste of time.

Good point

In the meantime, spyderesk diet ideas: if you put a can of fix a flat and an air pump in place of the spare, get forged wheels (should be able to reduce un-sprung weight five pounds per wheel) got lighter seats and bought this you would knock off some weight.

this is 5.5 pounds
https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@www.voltphreaks.com/ssl/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1_5&products_id=81

PS The factory tuned the suspension on the spyder, added HP, lowered it...it wasn't just a wing & decal pontiac job.

Getting behind the wheel
 

PCW,

I drove a spyder at the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, CA 3 weeks ago, and I thought it was amazing. They really let us open them up past 100 mph and they performed perfectly. I think the exhaust note is pure beauty.

As far as marketing goes, I think Porshce was just adding another model to the group. You can buy they base, the "S", or the Spyder. I don't think Porsche is being insulting with this current offering, just simply making different options available at a different price point.

When I'm cruising down the road in triple digit speeds, I don't want to sit there and hand-roll my window up to keep the wind from howling into the cabin.

Boxster spyder is bad ass ! i saw a white one at my local stealership and I was drooling like a savage dog . that top kind of scares me though.

Also worth mentioning regarding the Spyder, It's a review of the best handling cars for less than $100k. Nevertheless, they say that although the price cap ruled out the "lust worthy" GT3, GT3RS, & GT2 RS, those cars "wouldn't necessarily have fared as well.". The summary calls it "quite possibly Porsche's best car currently for sale!"

pcw

Sage words from B2ks!

I did in fact drive the Spyder, both through an auto-X and hot laps on a road course - have you?

My description was that the car was annoying! That is my subjective (but certainly not random) opinion.

And, I've never considered writeups in CD, RT and such rags to be objective at all, nor would I ever base a purchase decision on them. These mags rely on their relationship with Mfgrs. and advertisers, their truthfulness has limits... right up to endangering this symbiosis.

Most things in our lives are subjective. From your point of view, the Spyder was the car for you. Great! I meant it when I said good luck!

From my point of view, it's not a car I want to own.

No need to mount a defense of positions. If you're wrong, you can always sell it. If I'm wrong, I can always buy it.

Cheers!