Agreed on the timeless lines. What about the feeling when you drive that little car for the first time, remember? it's completely addictive ;) That SOLD well for me at the time, color last, pay cash lol

Yep, still remember:D And to this day, I still look forward to driving it, still look back when walking away, and still go to the garage just to look. Very addictive:cheers:

981 side vents are the best!!! Reminds me of my favorite the careers gt which has seen better days. Sorry off topic.

that cayman is sex!

Yeah...but know the 981's drive/feel much more like a BMW than a raw Cayman 987. Is that bad? Well....no...not really...having spent 17 years in BMW's. It's a stunning car.

But it's different. Not worse. Different.

I like how the original Boxster still doesn't look "outdated" after all these years. Lots of people I meet are really surprised to find out it's 14 years old.
That being said, I like the front ends better on the 987 & 981. The curved front line of that frunk speaks to me. I also like the new interiors of the 987 & 981. The intakes of the 981 look great, but I'm with Byproduct on this on by saying I don't like the back end. It looks like the Toyota people that designed the Solara chipped in Here as well.

Yes, and it held truest to the original Boxster concept car. IMHO, the 986 only needs a different front bumper cover and Speedline wheels to be perfect.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1389535485.jpg

The 987 looks classier, and the 981 may be perfect, but man, the 981 with 20" wheels looks like a Hot Wheels car, and that back end looks like a pregnant tick.

Just sayin'............

TO

That's a great shot of the concept. Would buy a replica of that any day.

.... right. And of course, we take everyone we meet at their word as being honest... and also that everyone on here is polite to people they meet (in person) regardless of what they really think about what is being driven or compared to their 986.... I'm sure no one here has also ever said anything positive to a Mustang, Hyundai or Corvette owner who has just complemented their car... ;)

For the Boxster, I've always liked what has come down the pike, from what I've owned, I'd rank them:

981 > 997.2S > 987

As always, though, as my favorite Canadian sings, "it doesn't mean that much to me to mean that much to you."

To be fair, if someone you've never met approaches you when you're filling up and strikes up a conversation with positive comments about the car, I tend to take them at face value. Moreover, I never ask anyone what they think as I don't really care and as you say if you put them on the spot, what do you expect them to say? "Your car looks old and ****************!" Hardly!

But in certain contexts, it's perfectly reasonable to take positive, unsolicited comments at face value.

I purchased my first Porsch,a 2006 Boxster S,Have a bud with a 2004 Boxster S that i drove before getting mine and i loved it BUT after looking at the 987 i feel in love with the improved interior (simple but well laid out with a vintage look,perfect) Second the front end,did not like the fried egg head lights and the newer style looked more like a 911 with the larg air intakes. Third the improved side air vents alought they still look kinda tacked on compared to the 991 vents which i love.(going to paint mine body color and hopefully they will look more apart off the car. Finally i love them all really and feel pretty good finally owning one.Eventually i want a 911,not for the power,just for the looks,have had a love affair my whole life with that body shape.

Brockmeister the same thing happens to me. Whenever I meet someone who isnt really a Porsche or sports car type and they try to guess the year of the car -- they never come close to saying 12 years or more. When I explain to many of them that the design is back from when they were toddlers ('93) they think im pulling their leg. No other Porsche, Audi or Bimmer design still looks this current. Others still look great but they make you think of the distant past. You can tell a casual observer (and not a sports car nut) that the 986 is 7 years old, most would certainly believe you.

Think about it, that Boxster concept car below only came out a couple of years after the very first Miata.
That's the epitome of a clean, simple design free of gimmickry that still turns the head of every person that watches it roll past.

Does anyone know the dimensions and specs of the concept?

the 1993 Boxster concept was 162 x 50 inches (about 10 inches shorter than production). Height was ~50, production was the same.

The proposed engine would be either a flat four or flat six - there was mention of a 3.6 w/247 HP (I am assuming a de-tuned 993 engine).

Info compiled from a few different web/book references a few years ago. I was never able to find anything directly from Porsche.

Didn't they plan it to be watercooled from the onset?

The 986 is my favorite design. I think it will age the best.

The 987 looks bloated to me and the 981 is just huge.

When the 986 came out everyone complained that it was too big compared to the concept car. I don't recall anyone ever saying "I wish it was bigger".

Nice to see good comments on the 981 on the 986 forum :)...I ended up spending a lot of time the last year on Planet-9 since there is a ton of talk on the 981. Since the cars are new the conversation is very different than here.

I've owned all three and to me the 986 needs to be clean and well taken care of. Sometimes I see one on the road and it is dirty and it just looks drab and doesn’t stand out at all. I remember looking at my 986 in the garage before I sold it and thinking it was starting to look vintage but still exotic and sexy. The day it drove out of my driveway it looked badasss especially from behind. I don’t think my 981 has that sexy a rear end. I also think the wheel wells are getting too big on the 981, overall though the car is very modern and very hot looking, my favorite overall so far. It still drives like a boxster but the feel difference from the 987 to the 981 is much more than the feel difference between the 986 and 987.

My preference would have to be: 986.1 > 986.2 > 987 Spyder > 981 > 987. I just never liked the looks of the 987. The 986 captures the spirit of the classic 550 Spyder and melds it with modernity. Of the iterations of Boxster, I think these are closest to being timeless in their aesthetic.

I think the 987 goes too far into a period of modern look (kind of like the slant nose 80s carreras). They are simply going to look dated. I do love the 987 Spyder though and would regard that as a separate car from a design perspective.

The 981 is a further departure from the 986, but to a point where it is trying to be something all of its own. Its almost a practical 2-seater supercar in appearance. I've yet to drive one to comment on drive feel though.

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This whole thread makes me regret deciding to sell my '99 because I really do love its classic timeless looks (especially in silver with red interior). I guess what makes up for it is that I'm trading it out for another classic looker, a 993 coupe in silver with red interior.

Time will tell regarding how much I miss the soft top. At least there will be a sunroof...

The drive feel is incredible.