I think people that test drive and then buy the 718's will love the 718. Those that own a 981 Spyder already love the 981 Spyder's. The current Boxster owner's may have some thinking to do if they want the latest technology.

 

As for the sound, all we've heard is clips. Let's wait for the real car to hear what it really sounds like. I'm waiting for full road tests in C&D, R&T, etc.

 

I have never understood why anyone would buy a base model na 6 cyl except to save $ of course.

The base 718 with the higher torque may now make sense...except l personally would get the S. No such thing as too much hp IMVHO.

 

Looks are subjective not sure why you would state them like they are a fact. Afaic the differences between the cars are subtle enough where I'd call it a wash. In pictures I like the 981.1 a touch better But I'd have to see the new car in person to make a truly informed opinion

Fact, the 718S will be faster, just about 911S Cab Carrera quick. I believe Porsche did this to entice potential buyers to overlook the turbo 4 engine. And since the 911 and 981 no longer share the same engine Porsche seems to have less of an issue with performance overlap. So yeah I think some people will go for the 718S despite the 4 banger turbo

But there are a lot of People who feel that a flat 6 is the quintessential Porsche engine regardless of performance and a 4 cylinder engine would be a compromise. The 944turbo handily outperformed the 911 but the 911 endured the 944 turbo did not

Bottom line 0-60 performance is not the end all be all of Sports car motoring. Just look at the take rate for an MT which is large enough that Porsche continues to make them. An MT is now .4 secs slower than a PDK in Sport + mode so if ultimate performance was so important why would anyone buy an MT.

Like I said afaic Porsche did what they needed to do to keep the 718 competitive as a sports car. I have no doubt it will be a wonderful Boxster in many ways. But there are specific charms with a NA engine that eludes those with Forced Induction such as a more precise/linear response that for some makes up for absence of all that extra turbo torque.

The way I look at it the 718 is a great car for new buyers and current 981 owners.

For new buyers The 718 gives gets the Boxster even closer to supercar performance numbers.

For current owners the 718 ensures that the 981.1 will likely be the last Boxster to share the iconic Carrera flat 6 engine.

 

Setting aside the looks issue, the new car is a 4 second car! Which means it'll actually test out better than that. That's insane quickness for a little ragtop.

The other thing to not overlook, in addition to all the little upgrades all over the car, is that the car can now be speccd with Sport PASM, which is absolutely awesome in the Carrera. That's a major plus for the 718 over the 981 IMO.

Granted this car may still wind up sucking; maybe has bad lag, sounds like crap, etc. Who knows. But the pictures and specs so far look great. And I thought I was gonna hate this car.

 

I think both buyers and critics alike will very happy with the new 718 Boxster and Cayman; however, I fear that "special something" will be lost with the new boosted flat 4 motors. Like others have said, the iconic Porsche flat 6 provides a very specific sound and response that I just don't think the 718 will be able to duplicate. My previous car was a CLA45 AMG with the boosted 2.0, 4 cylinder and would argue it's the best boosted 4 on the market, but it lacked the instantaneous throttle response of an NA car and was also inconsistent with its power delivery. I now have a base 2.7 981 w/6spd manual, which is significantly down on power when compared to the CLA45, but the driving experience is on a whole other level, even with the "underpowered" base engine.

Another concern I have will be the performance of the manual transmission with the boosted 718's. Having driving both manual and dual-clutch transmissions on boosted cars, IMHO manual transmissions are not the best fit due to turbo lag. I feel the PDK will be a must have for the new turbo motors.

 

Yup, there are a lot of Miata drivers who could embarrass owners of 500 hp cars on a road course. I judged my progress as a driver when I was no longer getting passed by well driven Miatas in my Boxster S.

 

Well sport chrono is now on the configurator





Not a fan of the new setup.

 

Miata v. Boxster sure, but RS v Miata? Not likely. There's a limit to that equation. I'd bet that a reasonably average driver in an RS could lap Laguna faster than the Miata lap record. I know I've done it on a 600, and I'm sure I could go faster in an RS than on that bike.

 

Very likely if the driver isn't experienced. At Sebring, a good driver in a Miata can do a 2:40 lap. I think the pro driver Miata track record is close to 2:30. My best time in the Boxster S is a bit over 2:32. Put an inexperienced driver in an RS and he/ she would struggle to beat those kind of times. Put an experienced driver like RL'r Trakcar in an RS, and he will do a 2:15.

 

I'm up in the air about a small engine turbo. There something you folks at sea level don't think about that us folks at altitude have to deal with. And that is the big power lose we have on an N/A engine. When I drove my 911 to Chicago last year it felt like I just picked up 100 HP, OK it was only 60 or 80 but it felt great.

 

If it were a turbo 6 , I'd be in agreement. Just not excited about a turbo 4.

 

"Paging Mr. Giger, your car is ready. Paging Mr. H. R. Giger to the cashier's desk."

 

Not sure if this has been posted before. But here is a more in-depth look at the 718 Boxster on YouTube:

 

I agree. All the other updates look nice. The current dash set up was the best integration of the chrono. Not sure why they changed it.