scycle2020

I wanted to report to you guys that I had a brief 20 minute test drive in the new Boxster S, PDK, with 20 in wheels and other wised loaded with a MSRP of around $80k. I previously owned a 2005 Box S and have driven a 2011 Box and Box S with PDK with in the past several months. First of all , the car looks wider and lower and more aggresive. The interior is slightly wider but is a huge upgrade in quality, looks and functionality. The car I drove did not have sport exhaust but the engine sounded great-- aggresive with revs increasing and quiet but assertive in cruise mode. The top goes up and down in 9 seconds and is very well insulated and quiet. The handling was very neutral with quick and precise steering BUT, and this is a big BUT, it was lacking a bit in feel , especially for a porsche. I appreciated that no longer feel the small imperfections in the road but a bit more feel dialed in would be appreciated. This was not as a big a problem in the 991S cab I drove because the 991 tends to have a dual purpose--everyday luxury car and super sportscar. The car actually felt bigger and heavier than the 987 and perhaps not a tossable. It did feel better planted and very stable. But I cant help thinking that one of the things that makes a porsche a porsche is that light nimble feel. Overall, it is a great sports car that is very well made and engineered.

fast1

scycle2020 - Thanks for your review. In addition to the great handling, one of the best characteristics of a Porsche is the feedback communicated through the steering wheel. Not sure why Porsche would want to tamper with that.

scycle2020

You are welcome. I agree that this has always been a major porsche driving characteristic. I am will have a chance to do a longer hour plus test drive this coming week so perhaps I will get better insight into this issue. Sometimes what you precieve in the intial short test drive may change on a later drive.

Kelderek

Having driven my 981 for a few weeks now, I can agree that it feels a bit bigger, but I think that actually is a visual impression more than a driving impression. The more forward windshield position and the wider front track together with the new front fender styling makes the car look much bigger from the drivers seat. I really notice that while maneuvering the car into the garage at work, a pretty steep descent with a sharp 90 degree bend to the right... It feels much scarier driving there with the 981 than the old 987, but checking in the right side mirror, I actually clear the inner curb more easily with the 981, probably becasue of less front overhang, making it possible to sneak closer to the left hand side concrete wall!

Even if it in some ways "feel bigger", that feeling goes away when you really start pushing it. It's definately as "tossable" as the 987. I attended a Porsche Driver ever with my car, arranged by my dealer, and drove it through a slalom course. There was absolutely no feeling of it being any bigger there... It could be tossed around just as I wanted and the steering feel was absolutely perfect!

I think Porsche managed to keep the balance here. It feels more comfortable and more mature on a normal road, but start tossing it around and it changes character just as we expect it to do!

scycle2020

I realize you have much more experience driving this car than I did from my brief test drive. I hope to get a much longer drive later this week. I agree about the illusion of the car being bigger. The handling is certainly more stable and planted and this is good thing. What is your impression of the steering vs the 987 in terms of feel?? It is very hard to quantify and is very subjective.

Kelderek

I think the steering is just as good as on a 987 in terms of drivability. You have just as much precision getting into a corner in a 981.
There is a slight difference in the feedback you get from bumps and cracks in the road. Someone else in a forum somewhere charactarized it like "you can still feel when you drive over a coin, but you can't tell the value of the coin anymore". In other words, it's a difference which has absolutely no practical implications, but I'm sure there are some hard core Porsche fanatics out there who will whine about it anyway. I don't see it as a problem at all.

scycle2020

Very well put. It certainly was extremely accurate and linear.