The driver is doing everything wrong. Braking mid-apex, accelerating at the wrong time, short-shifting, taking lines less defined than a plate of spaghetti. My 10-year-old son drives better. More than once I was tempted to pull the wheel from his hand and redirect his hamfisted efforts, but then it dawned on me--this guy was having a blast.
"Yes...yes...I know I am not so good, but so what," exclaimed the grinning fool. "This car makes me feel good...safe even."
Despite being manhandled like a bumper car in the hands of a testosterone-rich teenager, Porsche's Boxster S made the guy feel like Mario Andretti. And that's key to what separates good cars from great ones. The Boxster S has the rare ability to make every driver feel like a king.
Although it was painful watching Mr. All-thumbs plod along the best road in SoCal, 20 miles of headroom made the experience feel like something out of a movie. My only suggestion was to keep the revs above four grand, not for the rich serving of torque (the Boxster S has more than enough with 80 percent of its 225 lb-ft available at 2000 rpm) but for purely aural reasons. The sound of the flat six echoing off the canyon walls reminded me why I got into this business in the first place. It's simply beautiful.
Our Boxster S was equipped with Porsche's optional traction control ($870), an electronic aid that blends Automatic Brake Differential (ABD) and Anti-Slip Control (ASC). If ABD detects a specific difference in speed between the rear wheels, it applies the brakes to the faster wheel to restore traction. If both wheels are spinning, ASC reduces the engine's power. Aware the electronic safety police were watching over him, the driver was under the assumption the Boxster S was correcting his mistakes--while he made many, the system never even came into use (he wasn't even close). When I turned the traction control off, he slowed down significantly, certain we'd go flying off into space. We didn't.
Pushing the Boxster S to the limit is not for the faint of heart. If you do manage to activate the traction control on a dry road, you're either being chased by terrorists or have done something so stupid you deserve a black flag and a boot to the head. Would I get the TC option? No, but I would get it for the wife and hide the switch so she could never turn it off.
From a reliability standpoint, the Boxster has held up admirably. The cabin has withstood the abuse from dozens of staffers with nary a busted switch, button or handle. The seats' seemingly simple design is one of the most comfortable and supportive around. The three-layer top is holding up well, too, especially since it is raised and lowered several times each day. There are some creases in the rear, plastic window but nothing too serious, and there's a rattle in the left door when the window is down, which we expect to have fixed when the Boxster next goes in for service.
To save the factory running gear from wear and tear, we called Discount Tire Direct for a set of replacements. Discount's applications specialist, Gary Ruede, had a great recommendation with two-piece ATS "Planet" wheels. Germany-based ATS has been around for more than 30 years and has established itself as a respected member of the quality wheel fraternity. Porsche chose ATS when it shoed the first 911 Turbo and has since made its bones with years of hardcore racing experience, including in F1, DTM, DTT and Porsche/Ferrari challenges.
The Planet wheels appear to be strong and well-made and are finished with a tough silver paint and machined lip. They are slightly heavier than the stock 18s (front: 47 lb vs. 52.5 lb; rear: 51 lb vs. 55.5 lb), but the 250-bhp Boxster S doesn't seem to mind one bit. Bear in mind that the huge mono-block brakes on the Boxster S require special consideration--although many wheels feature similar offsets, some cannot clearance the caliper. The ATS Planet looks like it was made for the Boxster S.
BFGoodrich provided the rubber--its g-Force T/A KDW (KDW for "Key feature: Dry and Wet traction") tires developed to provide a blend of superior dry and wet road performance. BFG's self-proclaimed "tire nerd" crew designed its KDW specifically for cars like the M3, Z-06 Corvette, Viper, 911 and the Boxster S. Imagine the ultimate tire for dry traction but a tire that can also stick in the wet--that's a compromise few manufacturers have mastered. I spent two days on the rain-slickened tarmac of Seattle International Raceway trying out these tires, and it became apparent the BFG crew managed this feat brilliantly.
The g-Force T/A KDW features large tread blocks to enhance dry road stability, handling and wear under high torque loads, while rounded-shoulder profiles help provide feedback for the driver which communicates the tire's progressive and predictable characteristics as they reach their limits of adhesion. A Silica-reinforced tread compound with wide circumferential and lateral grooves form a directional tread design to speed water evacuation, improve wet traction and reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
The most frequent question asked about the Boxster S is how it compares to a regular Boxster: Is it really that much better? Let's put it this way--don't even look at the S unless you're prepared to shell out the extra dough. Don't drive it, don't touch it, stay as far away as you can. But, let's say you don't have the extra coin for the S. Let's say you're approaching 40 and need to hang onto what's left of a dimming youth. Let's say you woke up in the middle of the night gasping for breath, reeling from a nightmare in which you purchased a minivan--and were happy about it. I know this guy who experienced just the same thing. He bought into a base Boxster and has hopes of bringing its performance up to Boxster S specs. I think I...er, he can get pretty close.