Porsche Boxster Reviews

There's something special about a car that flatters ordinary drivers, then shakes its tail at them - rather than shake them into the scenery - when they near the limit.Such a car is the Porsche Boxster S; a genuinely sporty two-seater with the bonus of a soft-top for the summer cruising, sans any hint of the dreaded scuttle shake. The Boxsters are the "affordable" Porsches but they don't disappoint for anyone who has grown up salivating over the iconic sports car and can finally afford to put down a deposit.VALUEMoney talks - fire up the AC/DC song in the 10-speaker Bose sound system and then fire the Boxster at the nearest twisties, or down the nearest boulevard. Both are good, if different reasons. Few cars with the Boxster's open air pose value have a chassis capable handling a tortuous, off-camber corners.For that reason alone, the Boxster S is worth the $133,800 starting price - and I'd willingly tick the $7K option for the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox.  Ego is one thing, facts are another and very, very few people can shift as quickly as this semi-automatic transmission, or blip the throttle on downshifts to elicit a head-turning pop.TECHNOLOGYThe new Boxster is bigger, wider and lighter than its predecessor. A mild rework of the 3.4-litre flat six produces incremental gains in power ... but the chassis is now more capable of handling more right foot, more often.  The interior is more 911-esque than before ... and that's a good thing. The PDK semi-auto gearbox is best-in-class and the brakes are eye-bogglingly effective.DESIGNThe larger footprint makes the Boxster a better-looking car. The fabric roof is well insulated, but this is a sports car, not a wannabe luxury roadster, so there's always some engine and tyre noise. If you're looking for luxury and insulation, buy a Merc SLK or a BMW Z4. The Boxster's top drops in a stripper-esque nine seconds - and the act can be performed at speeds up to 50km/h - which is when the exhaust note from the centrally mounted twin pipes can really be appreciated.There isn't much to complain about inside, either - once drivers familiarise themselves with where the switches to stiffen up the suspension and engage the engine's Sports Plus mode,  it's all a grin-inducingly intuitive process. The paddle-shifters are mounted into the steering wheel, not behind it, which makes mid-corner shifts just as thoughtless.SAFETYPorsche performance is allied with physics-defying brakes - they are frighteningly effective for a passenger not anticipating being suspended in their seat belt. Both front and rear are four-piston set-ups, with 330mm front discs and 299mm rear rings.They look awesome inside the lightweight 20-inch rims (a $3390 option above the standard 19s) and, together with ABS/EBD/ESC software and a chassis that's tighter than a corporate accountant's purse strings, represent all the safety you need.The Porsche Active Stability Management takes things to another level - for another $3390. Six airbags will cushion the impact - but not your grief - if things go wrong.DRIVINGLight weight and an engine with more go than a Red Bull-infused raver are a recipe for licence-losing entertainment. Do yourself a favour and book a track day - it's far and away the smartest way to find out how well this Porsche handles. If you must do it on public roads, pick one with a 100km/h limit and lots of 35km/h or lower advisory signs.The Boxster S sits flatter than any other two-seater in this price range and hangs on like a freestyling rock climber no matter the speed. The leather-accented interior and chrome highlights inside are irrelevant once the Boxster S is out of town - it's all about the steering wheel that feels like it's caressing the road and the pair of pedals that provide fore and aft momentum. Laugh like the Joker - that flat six will drown it out anyway.VERDICTThe Boxster S may well have displaced Cayman as the best value-for-money Porsche on the market. If price isn't an issue, it is ultimately not quite as agile or fast as its more expensive siblings but exploring the nuances of those lofty limits isn't possible on Australian roads anyway. That makes the Boxster a Porsche-badged bargain.Porsche Boxster SPrice: $133,300 (auto adds $5300)Warrenty: Three years/100,000kmResale: 69 per cent (three years, Glass's Guide)Service Interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: Six airbags, ABS, ESC, TCCrash Rating: N/AEngine: 3.4-litre flat six-cylinder, 232kW/360NmTransmission: Six-speed manual, seven-speed dual-clutch auto; rear-wheel driveThirst: 8.8L/100km, 206g/km CO2 (manual); 8.0L/100km, 188g/km CO2 (auto)Body: 4.37m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.28m (H)Weight: 1395kg (manual), 1425kg (auto)Spare: Tyre inflation kit

The Boxster is no longer the little brother of the Porsche family. It's more substantial, more polished and has more ability than before.Porsche has been testing the limits of buyer fidelity recently with the most thorough overhaul of its signature sportscar, the 911, since it appeared five decades ago.DESIGNThe new 911 is larger, more comfortable and some raw edges have been smoothed away. But the 911 revisions haven't triggered an identity crisis; its distinguishing features are intact. With Porsche's junior sportscar, the Boxster, there's more room for doubt.This roadster won critical acclaim after being drafted into the team in the 1990s. It came on as a sub and salvaged the company's financial results. Still a teenager next to the 911, it has earned a permanent place in the squad and so for its first complete makeover, Porsche has done more to the Boxster than to the 911."This is no longer the little brother,'' technical expert Paul Watson said "It's really grown up. ''Hardly a dimension carries over, with the new 981 Boxster longer by more than 3cm overall and 6cm in the wheelbase.It has wider tracks, especially the front, shorter overhangs, and a lower roof while the windscreen is set further forward and raked more acutely. The result is a car that looks a lot different and is clearly influenced by the Carrera GT, Porsche's mid-engined supercar from the noughties.It's a crisper shape, which avoids the push-me-pull-you look of the previous car, in which the front and rear were too similar. As with other Porsches, the cabin gets the Carrera GT's angled centre console and it's just as good here, with a corresponding lift in the overall quality of the cabin.TECHNOLOGYLike last time, there's some engineering overlap with the 911. The two cars are the same underneath up to the A-pillars, although this Boxster gets more unique panels, such as the doors. Specific to the roadster is an increase in overall rigidity by 40 per cent and a redesigned roof.This opens in just 9 seconds, has larger rear glass and no longer has a metal cover when lowered. Instead, the fabric incorporates one solid magnesium panel so that when folded, the roof aligns with the bodywork.Roof up, cabin noise has been halved. Like the 911, the Boxster has become more civilised. Porsche also addressed the problems of weight and efficiency in the same way it did in the 911. So the body is no longer just steel but a mix of steel and almost 50 per cent aluminium.Its centre of gravity is lower and weight has been trimmed by 25-35kg so that it comes in at under 1.4 tonnes -- substantially less than the Audi TTS Roadster, BMW Z4 35is and Mercedes SLK 350.That gives it a head start on efficiency, which is reinforced in the engine bay with direct injection, energy recuperation, thermal management and idle-stop, among other features. The result is a 15 per cent improvement.Both engines gain a smidgin more power and develop their peak outputs higher in the rev range. The 3.4 is a version of the previous engine while the 2.7-litre downsizes the previous 2.9. It loses 10Nm of torque, but what's there is more accessible. The six-speed manual transmission carries over while the double-clutch automatic is still a seven-speed.DRIVINGPerformance improvements are modest but neither car is a slouch, with the slowest Boxster manual reaching 100km/h in 5.8s and the fastest S automatic with launch control achieving 4.8s and recording a sub-eight minute Nurburgring lap time, an improvement of 12 seconds.They sound fantastic and the 2.7 feels good until you sample the mid-range and top-end of the 3.4. Other changes include revised suspension geometry, bigger wheels and brakes, and access (at a price) to Porsche's entire suite of dynamic trickery, including active suspension, torque vectoring and a limited slip diff.The Boxster follows the 911 in switching to electric steering and an electric park brake, while the rear spoiler becomes a proper wing instead of the previous air dam. Prices rise a little but the pay-off is a more confident car. It feels tight and rigid on the road, with little suggestion that the open-top design has involved dynamic compromise. It steers well, has the same excellent balance and minimal unwanted body movement.At the same time, it hasn't lost one of its most endearing qualities: its forgiving nature. So it's more substantial, more polished and has more ability than before. Yet it doesn't feel like a different carOnly this time it can beat its rivals on more than just dynamics. It's the one I'd pick. The Porsche revamp of its sportscars still has a long way to go. It will include for the Boxster a four-cylinder turbocharged engine that will lower the price of entry and give Porsche some welcome volume in its core business. Meanwhile, it expects this Boxster to repeat the success of the original, meaning 350 sales a year here.VERDICTCarmakers often complain that brand loyalty ain't what it used to be. But Porsche is the tectonic plate of carmakers when it comes to big shifts. Slow but sure. Maybe other brands only have themselves to blame.RANGEBoxster $107,500 (manual), $112,800 (automatic)Boxster S: $133,800 (manual), $139,100 (automatic)2012 Porsche BoxsterPrice: From $107,500Crash rating: not availableEngines: 195kW/280Nm 2.7-litre; 232kW/360Nm 3.4-litreBody: 2-door, 2 seats.Transmission: 6-speed manual, 7-speed PDK; rear-wheel-drive

Is the Porsche Boxster’s shape headed down the same path as the 911 in longevity?It looks that way, Porsche purists are extremely vocal if they feel the styling of new 911s doesn’t follow traditional paths, resulting in striking similarities between the recently launched 911 and the 1963 original. We love this continuation of tradition that’s so welcome in these ever-changing times.VALUEWith a recommended retail price list that begins at just $107,500 (plus on roads), the new-generation Porsche Boxster provides a pure bred machine for a modest outlay.TECHNOLOGYAs before, you can buy a standard Boxster or a high-performance Boxster S. The standard car now runs a new-design 2.7-litre flat-six powerplant with direct fuel injection in place of the manifold injection 2.9-litre of the previous model. Despite its smaller capacity the new unit has 15 per cent more power (now 195 kW), yet uses 13 to 15 per cent less petrol.Opting of the Porsche Boxster S puts a revised version of the existing 3.4-litre flat-six just behind your seats. With 232 kW of power and 2360 Nm of torque it too uses less fuel than in its superseded incarnation.Transmission options are six-speed manual and seven-speed double-clutch PDK. We sampled both; while the automatic is faster and more economical our preference is for the extra driving pleasure provided by the manual. Your call...The two powerplants have switchable stop-start in the interests of emission reduction. The engine starts almost imperceptibly so we hope most drivers don’t feel the need to disable the system.DESIGNThe third generation Porsche Boxster, tagged the 981, is taking the same styling route as the just superseded one. Look at the air intakes in front of the rear wheels and the shape of the bonnet and headlights to see what we mean. At the tail there’s more change in the design, with a strong style line that runs the full width, with the taillights even following the near-horizontal shape of the metal.Talking of metal, more aluminium has been used than ever before with the bonnet, rear deck and door skins all benefitting from the lightweight material. The new Boxster is bigger than before and would have weighed substantially more, but the aluminium, combined with other weight saving measures has trimmed the weight by around 25 to 35 kg depending on model.DRIVINGOn the road the latest Boxster is even better than previous models in its balance and nimble handling. The use of a mid-rear engine, rather than the full-rear unit as in the 911, gives it close to perfect weight distribution.Using a test route behind Brisbane that involved more than its fair share of demanding hills and curves (excellent!) Porsche Australia demonstrated the extreme competence of its new baby. The Boxster simply hung on to the surfaces at speeds well in excess of those achievable by anything other than an ultra-expensive pure supercar.The electrically assisted power steering (used to trim fuel use and emissions) provides better feedback than any similar units we have tested in other cars and really does feel as though your hands are in direct touch with the road.Depending on the model and options chosen there are various adjustments for the suspension and steering setups (as well as for the engine and transmission). So Boxster can be tuned to provide a comfortable ride, a firm one or a full on racetrack hardness. Some sharp potholes and bumps did send a shudder through the car at times when on Sport setting, but we have felt a lot worse in other convertibles.Both engines have excellent response and noise levels that are sure to bring a smile to your face. The way the Porsche engines sound during gearchanges and on throttle liftoff is just superb. Even in speed regulated Australia you can get a lot of pleasure from dropping the roof (it only takes nine seconds and is fully automatic) and just listening to your progress.VERDICTInterestingly, the 2.7 doesn’t lag all that far behind the 3.4 in its feel due to acceleration with a nicely continuous feel. So if you’re on a tight budget and not interested in fanging everywhere you may find it more than meets your needs.If you’re halfway interested in buying a new Boxster may we suggest you contact your favourite Porsche dealer asap? The Boxster is selling its socks off in other countries and there’s a likelihood supply could be constrained for much of the remainder of 2012.

Really, truly, you’d be a happy vegemite with the new base model Porsche Boxster – with no options and the manual six-speed tranny. The price is $107,500. It’s the purest form of this new generation

I will never look at a Porsche Boxster the same way again. A two-day dash to France, headlined by a sprint over some classic Monte Carlo Rally roads, has won me over to the baby of the Porsche family.It's just had a road-up renewal and, even without the essential final prices, I'm convinced it's much more like a 911 than earlier members of the Boxster brigade. The styling is more aggressive, the cabin is bigger and much better, and the Boxster S - with optional sports exhaust - is a hoot to drive in any condition.Porsche also says the car is more economical and the folding roof only takes nine seconds to do its work. Since 1996 it's been easy for me to giggle at the baby of the Porsche family, dismissing it as a softie and a hairdresser's car.When my friend Wazza arrived in one I knew it had to belong to his girlfriend. He is a V8 Supercar driver, after all. But the third-generation Boxster, which is the first major spin-off from the latest and lovely 991-series Porsche 911, is a major success. It is finally all grown up and a great drive.VALUEIt's impossible to rate the return on the new Boxster, because no-one at Porsche Cars Australia is talking about the showroom stickers for the first local deliveries in July. But European customers are paying about three per cent more and that points to around $110,000 for the basic Boxster and $135,00 for the Boxster S.That should be a good deal with so much new stuff, from the hugely improved chassis and new cabin to comfier new seats and engines that burn less fuel. It will still be too much for Mazda MX-5 buyers in the $50,000 range, but a realistic step up from an Audi TT and a better choice than the latest BMW Z4 or a Benz SLK.TECHNOLOGYThe Boxster takes around 50 per cent of its parts from the 911 as it has in the past, but this time that means great things like the latest electric power steering, direct fuel injection for the downsized 2.7 and unchanged 3.4-litre engines, wider tracks, a longer wheelbase and even a cabin with a dash that's more upscale than before.There is also a seven-speed PDK double-clutch automatic, with six speeds still for the manual unlike the 911, a body that's both lighter and stronger, a roof that's claimed to make major cuts to cabin noise - although there is no tonneau cover - bigger standard wheels, an electric parking brake, more equipment choices and more.The engine tweaks give a power and torque bonus for the 2.7 while taking economy as low as 8.2 litres/100km, while the 3.4 Boxster S now has 232 kiloWatts, a 0-100km time as swift as 4.8 seconds, a top speed of 279km/h and economy of 8.8 litres/100km. The cars also come, predictably, with a stop-start system to save fuel at the lights.DESIGNThe new Boxster picks up a range of family links, from the latest 911 to the classic Carrera GT and even the upcoming 918 supercar. The one thing it does not have, thankfully, is the soft and gentle look of pervious models. The new car is edgy, chunkier and with a side profile that says speed - not comfort.Inside, the overall effect is more solid and upscale, from the shape of the seats to the dashboard layout, feel of the switches and even the position of the centre console. For the first time, I can sit in the passenger seat and really stretch my legs.The folding roof is fully automatic for the first time, it works very quickly, and even if Porsche says it works up to 55km/h I know it will actually do a quick umbrella job in a shower at closer to 70. Porsche says the drag co-efficient is down a little to 0.30 in the base car, with better aerodynamic grip and cooling.SAFETYBigger brakes and better tyres start the work, and the basic structure is also more rigid with predictable rollover protection, with front and side airbags.Porsche has always put avoiding a crash first and that means things like a torque-vectoring differential as part of the stability control system, and the electro-mechanical steering, work with the driver at all times. We're unlikely to see an ANCAP rating for the Boxster, but it's safe to assume a five-star overall package for the car.DRIVINGThe Boxster has always been a good drive, but this new car is great. You can fling it down the toughest road you can find, and we found a few in France, and it never comes up short.  The Boxster S is plain wonderful, especially with the optional PDK gearbox and a sports exhaust that serves up the sort of soundtrack that previously only came with cars like tweaked Subaru STi turbos.You can glide around town enjoying the extra comfort and quietness in the cabin, then really run riot and take full advantage of the extra stability in the chassis, the extra punch from the 3.4, more power from the brakes and a steering system that - like the new 911 - gives better control without worrying feedback.It's a car with depths you can just keep tapping, without worrying or getting flustered. And there is the efficiency payback of the improved economy. The basic 2.7 feels is a little hollow in the engine room, at least by comparison, but the basic package works just as well and people who really don't want - or need - the serious edge in the new S will find the plain Boxster is just fine.The new car is so solid I almost forget that it's a full-on convertible until the first sprinkles of rain. Then it's quick and easy to go for security, and a reminder that it's a no-compromise droptop. The real surprise, and it's something I discovered in the original Porsche Cayman, is that the new Boxster is a car you would genuinely choose to buy ahead of a 911.It's a sweeter, more accessible package and not just a cut-price alternative if you cannot stretch to $229,000 for a starting-price Carrera. The Boxster S is a true four-star car, and even the base car gets three and-a-half from me. That makes it a true breakthrough and a car that has forced me to re-think my position. I like it a lot and I didn't giggle once.VERDICTFinally, a Boxster that's more than just the cheaper choice for people who really crave a 911.PORSCHE BOXSTERPrice: From $110,000 (Estimate)Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmResale: 66 per centService Interval: 15,000km or 12 monthsSafety Equipment: front-side airbags, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC.Crash rating: not availableEngines: 195kW/280Nm 2.7-litre; 232kW/360Nm 3.4-litre BODY 2-door, 2 seats.Dimensions: 4374mm(L); 1801mm(W); 1282mm(H); 2475mm(WB) WEIGHT from 1310 kgTransmission: 6-speed manual, 7-speed PDK; rear-wheel-driveEconomy: from 8.2 L/100km;192g/km CO2

The Porsche Boxster is a fine roadster, always has been. But over those seasons from 1996 to now, the two-seater has morphed into something more special yet again.It now sits on the road as a Porsche in its own right, rather than a cheaper Porsche to shore up the German factory's coffers. The Boxster, even if once dismissed by some as a poor man's 911 and too much a fashion statement for some, has proved worthy of the legendary marque.Today's Boxster offers a fine and sporting experience, quick motoring with experiences as sublime as Porsche's 911.VALUEAt $106,100, a Boxster is not the cheapest soft top on the market. There are others, in the main good cars, such as Mazda's endearing MX5 and the sharp-edged Nissan 370 roadster to consider.But the cachet and the competence of the two-seater Porsche at this price is hard to pass; the Boxster's value lays in a driving experience and refinement which bests many higher-priced machines. Standard features today include the 'communication management' system in the centre console, heated seats and rear park sensors in a well-built and refined sports machine.TECHNOLOGYPorsche link this car back to the 550 Spyder, the 1950s lightweight roadster designed for competition. So this reincarnation is a light, mid-engined, rear-drive sportscar, these days with Porsche Sports Management system to keep the Boxster on the straight ahead.PSM monitors a host of the car's movements, forwards and sideways, sorting out traction, oversteer and understeer. It can be deactivated and the optional $2690 Sports Chrono package allows for higher thresholds of deviance before rebalancing the car.

We just love the back to basics approach of the Porsche Boxster we have been driving all week.

There's a future for the electric car if they can make it as sporty as the two Porsche Boxster plug-ins at Challenge Bibendum.

Everything important about the Porsche Boxster has been updated to give it more appeal in the market.  And in a world still obsessed with the financial crisis – whether or not we’re over it – that includes the price tag.The Boxster now rings the cash register at $113,000, and while that’s a sizable figure it’s just $4000 more than the car cost 10 years ago, with an added decade’s development and a whole lot more on offer.Drivetrain and changesThe new 2.9-litre flat six-cylinder in the Boxster develops 188kW at 6400rpm and 290Nm between 4400-6000rpm --  resulting in a 0-100km/h notch of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 274km/h.  Porsche says the carryover suspension has been tweaked to give more dynamic handling combined with compliance for around town.AppearanceA new headlight cluster with separate reflectors is the biggest exterior visual clue to the latest Boxster, although there are also slight styling changes to the grilles and exhaust tips.The interior pretty much sticks with the previous version’s recipe, with the exception of the touchscreen stanav now being standard, and the seven-speed PDK twin-clutch gearbox being an option for about $6000.DrivingSlide into the cockpit of the Boxster and take in your surroundings.  Leather, big clear tacho, and sitting in the centre of the dashboard a handsome chronometer.  Look again and you’ll realise that the clock sitting up there is no timepiece; it’s a lap timer. Yeah, right.Foot on brake, turn the key and the 3.8 litre Boxster engine roars into life, then settles to a low gurgling.  Slide the gear-change into Drive, and you’re away.  Every time you use the throttle the car responds, the engine lets you know that it has more to give you.  The changes on the seven-speed PDK gearbox are lightning fast, and the steering is firm and responsive. This is a high performance sports car, yet it is surprisingly easy to drive and comfortable.Porsche have provided two ‘Sports’ modes for the Boxster as well as a standard mode.  Choose ‘Sports’ by pressing a button on the dash; the suspension stiffens up and the engine will spin to higher revs before each gear change.What this really means is that you are getting two cars for the price of one.  Press the Sports button at 80kph, and the purr of the engine changes to a growl, as the Boxster shifts from 7th to 6th.  Choose ‘Sports Plus’ at the same speed you’ll get a roar as the PDK selects 4th gear and the message comes in loud and clear: This car just wants to go fast.Around town the two sports modes are uncomfortable and unforgiving as the stiff suspension on city roads bounces you around, and the high revving engine is just too sensitive to the throttle. A few minutes in Sports Plus mode makes you realise that is the wrong setting for a trip down the road to the shops, but that the Boxster would be enormous fun on a track.  That lap timer might just be useful after all!

By all measures the Porsche Boxster was a brilliant car. It was fast, handled superbly, yet was still comfortable and refined, but that wasn’t enough for die-hard Porsche enthusiasts who panned it for being insipid and plastic.Stung by the criticism Porsche swung into action and soon produced the Boxster S, an evolution of the original mid-engined Boxster that had the sort of edge Porsche fans were longing for.MODEL WATCHGiven its current success it’s amazing to think that Porsche was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy 20 years ago.Then, it was a one-dimensional car company producing an expensive high-end sports model that was going nowhere. Company bosses knew it had to expand or it would die, but how to achieve that expansion without losing the very character that made a Porsche the great and classic car that the 911 is wasn’t clear.The company’s first attempt to expand its model range, with some credible front-engined sports cars, proved a disaster. There was nothing wrong with the cars, it was simply that Porsche enthusiasts refused to accept them as real Porsches and wouldn’t buy them.The Boxster was the second attempt. This time the new car line was much more Porsche-like and was a rip-roaring success with everyone but the die-hards.While it looked like a scaled down 911, and shared a number of body panels, the Boxster was very different to the iconic 911.It was mid-engined instead of rear engined, and its engine was water-cooled rather than relying on air to keep it cool.The key was that it didn’t go too far from the Porsche formula. Its looks were in keeping with Porsche tradition and anyone who got behind the wheel found a car that had all the performance you could wish for in the real world, handled like it was on the proverbial rails, and drove sweetly when put to the task in traffic.It was the perfect compromise for anyone who wanted a sports car, but not necessarily one that would induce a nosebleed simply by looking at it.The S came in 1999 and was an attempt to inject a little more excitement into the Boxster for the Porsche die-hards who reckoned the Boxster was perfect for their wives to drive, but wouldn’t dare being seen in one themselves.Put simply, the S accelerated faster, had a higher top speed, and more dynamic handling, better stopping power, and better active and passive safety than the regular Boxster.Its six-cylinder engine was 3.2 litres and put out 185 kW at 6250 revs and 305 Nm from 4500 revs.With the right foot buried in the carpet it would accelerate to 100 km/h in less than six seconds and reach 260 km/h if pushed.Behind the larger engine lay a six-speed manual gearbox, or if optioned up, Porsche’s sporty Tiptronic auto.To keep up with the new performance the Boxster S had firmer springs and shocks, distinctive 17-inch alloy wheels, and large disc brakes on all corners.IN THE SHOPLittle generally goes wrong with Porsches; they are remarkably robust and resilient. Stories abound about Porsches with very high miles and still going strong.At the same time there are many that do few kays. They’re held in reserve for that special day out when the roads are dry and the sun is shining, but they will survive very well if driven daily.Have your chosen car checked over by a Porsche specialist to make sure all is well just the same.It would pay to find someone well qualified to service your car and get on friendly terms with them. That way you will save money of servicing costs.Aware that its parts prices were high Porsche made a conscious effort to contain them with the Boxster and you find that things like headlights, guards and door panels aren’t as expensive as you might think.IN A CRASHA stiff, strong body, underpinned by an agile chassis means the Boxster has good crash protection.Nimble, responsive handling means it can get out of danger if driven capably, its big powerful brakes will get it stopped when threatened, and the body structure will stand up when all is lost.If it happens to roll over the A-pillars are designed to stand up and give it the same level of overhead protection as a coupe.Add to that the passive protection of dual front and side airbags and the Boxster’s crash protection is good.AT THE PUMPDrive it hard and the fuel consumption will increase, but driven normally the Boxster is quite frugal for a sports car.Porsche claimed the Boxster S would do around 10.5 L/100 km on average in manual form, the auto a litre more.LOOK FOR • Badge cred• Superb handling• Exhilarating performance• Robust and reliable• Comfortable and refined• Tractable in trafficTHE BOTTOM LINE Not a cheap buy, but good value for money, and there are few better sports cars if you can scrape up the cash.RATING 85/100