Base Porsche Boxster vs 370Z

Originally Posted by DLSTR

Car and Driver have zero issues with the base Boxster or its suspension. Ive driven them here at speed and one of my best German friends has one. Its not known here as in-capable at speeds over 100kmph or 65mph. Strange you had such an issue...

2013 Porsche Boxster Manual Test - Review - Car and Driver

---To see if our price/value thesis holds up, we tested the cheapest Boxster that Porsche had in its press fleet, a fairly stripped unit with the six-speed manual gearbox and the 2.7-liter horizontally opposed six making 265 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. We did in no way miss the Yachting Blue seatbelts ($340), contrasting stitching on the steering wheel ($1025), or leather air vents ($1190) that can drive even the base Boxster deep into the pricing gap left open by the newly six-figure 911. From a starting price of $50,450, our car had only the barest of essentials—Agate/Amber two-tone leather ($640), nearly as attractive and upscale as the full-leather interior; the Premium package ($4360), including bixenon headlamps, a wind deflector, and heated and perfectly bolstered sports seats; the Infotainment package ($3860); plus some other junk like Porsche Torque Vectoring ($1320), which does something or other to brake the inside rear wheel to help the car knife through corners, and just might be more valuable than leather air vents. Grand total: $66,100. As we said, cheap.

*****The price is in no way justified by the numbers, except for two: ****1.01 g of cornering ability and a 70-to-0 stopping distance of just 145 feet. Those capabilities are GT3-esque. Otherwise, the critical performance figures are unimpressive: 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds, the quarter-mile in 14.0 seconds at 103 mph. Since the purpose of this story is to provide you with an instrumented test of the Boxster, we should act as if those numbers matter. But rarely have acceleration times been such a poor indicator of total performance. A last-generation Accord V-6 coupe will do the sprint nearly as quickly, and run the quarter in the same ballpark. But, good as it is, does an Accord coupe’s body right itself so instantaneously out of turns? Does its clutch pedal tell you exactly how and when to release its pressure? Is its engine’s torque this insistent? Do its brakes feel five times as powerful as its engine? Does it barely shrug its shoulders over imperfect pavement? Does it steer this well? These are rhetorical questions.

If there is a Porsche “thing,” what’s above are its core attributes. That this Porsche thing is now more completely palpable in the Boxster than almost anywhere else in the range, well, that’s a victory for the little guy—provided he has the cash. Whatever price you may put on joy, this car is cheaper than that. The Boxster is pure joy.----

Originally Posted by RoshDawg

The Boxster that they reviewed was equipped with the essential PASM suspension system, so the feeling I had with the non adaptive / no air suspension was very different from their better equipped car. If I could only choose one option it would be PASM, and its not even that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

And I agree, the steering feel is amazing, even with the new electric setup. It is every bit as good as the hydraulic one they had on previous generations.

The car will not cease to make me smile when I drive it, it is a world of fun and is driven by quality parts. Pretty much the only complaints I have is the non-PASM equipped suspension, and the price. Brakes are great, the engine is so enjoyable even though its not the fastest thing, sounds pretty cool, the transmission (even the MT) is to die for, and I love the nimbleness of the car.
I did observe this weird combination of understeer / oversteer closer to the limit, which was a cool, controllable feeling. Hard to explain but it was like the center was being pulled outside of the turn but you could still steer it 100%.

Originally Posted by kenchan

i read it and that's why i posted my comments. dont you want feedback from someone that actually owns a 370Z?

anyway, GL to you.

Originally Posted by DLSTR

Thanks for the feedback. I will have one of these in the spring for a few days. I will report back on my experiences!

Originally Posted by F.I. Inc.

Yes, they are Tony approved! Frank, when I get around to it, I may put your pipes into production. We will call them, "The FP" option.
-Tony

Originally Posted by FPenvy

to be honest a boxster with any performance options you can get a more powerful cayman which i feel is the real porsche competitor for the Z performance wise.

Originally Posted by edub370

not sure if i should point out that cayman and boxster are same car... with same power....

Originally Posted by F.I. Inc.

Yes, they are Tony approved! Frank, when I get around to it, I may put your pipes into production. We will call them, "The FP" option.
-Tony

Originally Posted by FPenvy

then you're dumb because the boxster S has 315 and the cayman S has 325.

soooo close but not the same. boxster with the drop top hurts the body style in my opinion. the roofline just looks too good on the cayman. then again the old cayman and the 370 are twins pretty much.