* What a difference a decade can make. The Boxster rolls on. Most non-911 Porsche variants have had a limited shelf life and even the most optimistic didn't expect this kind of life expectancy. The Boxster has been successful because the car was presented by management on its own terms and while similarities exist between the 911 flagship and the roadster, there's no doubt as to which role each car plays. The separation act is obvious in the branding; a 997 is a 911 whether it's a Carrera, a GT3, or a Turbo. The offspring have names rather than numbers, no confusion, nothing to challenge the king, even the mighty Carrera GT. Quick, what nomenclature did that one carry? I have yet to hear anyone outside of reading tech sheets and press releases refer to the Boxster as a 986, or the generation-two 987. The premise of the original Boxster was an affordable (i.e., entry level) two seater, mid engine, uh oh, dj vu all over again. Not this time. Management was careful not to have a repeat of the mixed marriage disasters and whatever it was, it had to be a total Porsche or the public would lose interest quickly. The public didn't, so from 1996 we make the jump to 2009 and a rainy day in Sicily.
Sicily, if anything, is steeped in tradition, as is a two-seat, mid-engine Porsche. The roads that were used for the legendary Targa Florio still cater to daily traffic, the old pit boxes and grandstands still exist and the wind carries the ghostly sound of high-revving, ear-splitting powerplants. It made perfect sense to show off the new Boxster S on this big island because, while not a race car, its DNA is embedded here. All but one of Porsche's victories at the Targa Florio were with mid-engine racers; ironically, it was a prototype 911 RSR that won the final Targa race that was part of the world championship in 1973. One would expect the locals to only care about all things rosso as far as motorsport, but many have just as much passion toward the horses of Stuttgart.
The roads of the Targa are the perfect place to understand what this Boxster S is all about. No picture-postcard weather--wind, heavy rain and moments of calm all contributed to a real time test. Starting with the interior, it has finally matured. No longer the pseudo gimmicky plastic downgrade feel. Heated seats have become the norm and the optional carbon GT2 buckets are worth considering if one intends to really drive this new offering. The new PCM touchscreen is a huge improvement over the previous in-dash electronics. The top fit is secure and quiet at speed. It may not be Hermes, but it sure isn't Chucks. Roadsters have never felt secure for the most part; the Boxster dispenses that notion with a vastly improved structure. Think of it as a topless steel cage that was designed for a rollover.
Porsche rolls a seven with the introduction of the new PDK (double clutch) seven-speed gearbox. The roots of the PDK come directly from the 956-962 era, when Weissach ran the revolutionary 'box in a series of races. It was heavy, somewhat cumbersome, but did prove to be worth the effort.
Finally we can be rid of the hype that was Tiptronic, which came across as a video-game gearchanger. The PDK may not be F1 in execution but it is the most reality-based concept to date. If this is the direction Weissach is going, then even the most hardened manual of arts gear-grinder among us will nod in approval. The six-speed do-it-yourself transmission is by all means still alive and well and it may be the better route with the standard 2.9-liter base Boxster as a truer example of what a roadster is traditionally thought of. The Boxster S has the 3.4-liter water boxer with newly devised direct fuel injection that's good for 310 ponies and 265 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with the PDK, the S tops out at a buck seventy, which we got to on the long Buonfornello straight that completes the Targa Florio loop.