Matt Farah loves the 718 Boxster!

[ReallyDirtyThirty]

Why not have both?

Probably my favorite thing on my 986 is the wail of flat-6 as it spins past 5,000rpm. Its intoxicating. I'll never get rid of my car because it puts such a smile on face every time I drive it simply for the sound it makes.

However...

Porsche needed to improve fuel economy AND increase the performance on the new models. The cheapest and easiest way to this is to come out with a boosted engine. I can't really fault them for it, but I agree, the new car does not sound nearly as good as the old car, which makes the total package a lot less romantic and appealing to many. For many of us, romance is a big factor that determines how much enjoyment we derive from our sports cars.

On the other hand, 350hp out of the box in a 3000lbs mid-engine car right out of the box is damn impressive. The other thing to keep in mind with turbo-charged cars is the availability to inexpensively (relatively speaking) add tremendous power to the stock engine. I predict that for a minimal investment (compared to the MSRP of the car), new 718S owners will be able to tune their cars to make anywhere from 420-450hp without extensive modifications. Given the other running gear on the car (carbon brakes, 7-speed PDK, PASM suspension) I think you're going to see these tuned cars become absolutely wicked track machines. I predict they will punch wildly above their weight class and embarrass a lot of serious cars.

It is a slow day at the office so I put this together for reference. Lets assume that a 718S with a tune and some mild upgrades will be able to make 440hp. As a comparison:

------------------- H.P. --- Gears --- Weight (lbs)

Porsche 718S: --- 440 -- --- 7 ------- 3050
Ferrari F40: ------ 471 -- --- 5 ------- 3000
Audi R8: ---------- 440 -- -- 6 -------- 3400
C6 Vette Z06: ---- 505 -- --- 6 ------- 3200
Ferrari F430: ------ 490 -- --- 6 ------ 3300
911 997 turbo: ---- 473 -- -- 6 -- ---- 3200

I won't drone on, but I think you guys get my point. The mid-engine layout of the 718S is superior to the Vette and the 911. These new cars are going to have the capability to be VERY fast. In that regard, the new machines are a great leap forward compared to previous generations of Boxsters.

That being said, I'll probably never be good enough on the track to even take full advantage of my bone stock 986, so I'll continue to stick with the flat-6 symphony as it always has put a smile on my face.