BoxsterG

I can say that I have owned both cars at the same time and they both have their advantages. I traveled on long trips and the double trunks were a gift. I love both for very different reasons. Currently, I only have the 997.2 and looking seriously at 981. However, my wife only requires that they both be convertible.

Edgy01

Porsche designs many cars so that we all have a choice of models. The 997S cab that I have handles extremely well for me--is very tossable in the curves. I came from mid-engined Porsches and moved to 911s a long time ago for the added interior space. I have gotten used to the unusual handling of a 60-40 weight distribution and it is what it is. The Boxster is a superb handling car because of the engine placement but it suffers from being a little on the weak side for horsepower in many minds. My initial mid-engined Porsche was merely a 914-4 in California anti-SMOG trim with 69 HP. 69HP! Yet, it was one of the most fun Porsches I have ever owned. Three 911s later (including an air-cooled turbo) and I have gotten to 355 HP and appreciate the power. The new 981 Boxsters at dealers near you will absolutely be top cars! Just like the Boxster Spyders, they will handle like no other and will have adequate power to do what you want.

There are so many 997 variants out there that if you order one virtually stripped you are truly doing yourself a disservice. Without the PSE the 997 sounds terrible. There is no soul. Mine has PCCBs and that pricy option adds much tactile feedback in the twisties when the roadways are rough. There is little kickback because of the lower unsprung weight. The ultimate Boxster to me would be a Spyder with PCCBs, and PSE.

fast1

There are so many 997 variants out there that if you order one virtually stripped you are truly doing yourself a disservice. Without the PSE the 997 sounds terrible. There is no soul. Mine has PCCBs and that pricy option adds much tactile feedback in the twisties when the roadways are rough. There is little kickback because of the lower unsprung weight. The ultimate Boxster to me would be a Spyder with PCCBs, and PSE.

Edgy01 - Couldn't agree more. Just start up a 997 and a 981, and compare the exhaust sounds of each car.The HP in the Boxster S is adequtae, and it's not that expensive to add another 20 - 25 HP to a 981S which will make it competitive to a 991, especially when you consider the weigh tadvantage of a 981S. When cost is considered the Spyder is the best sports car that Porsche makes.

Z356

'Made', not 'makes'! It is hard to believe but the last Spyders rolled off the Zuffenhausen production lines nearly one year ago, in late July of 2011!

I theory I agree that in a 'money-is-no-object' scenario, PCCB's would be the ultimate in any Porsche current production. I studied long & hard the subject before I ordered my MY2012 Spyder in May of 2011. In the end, I passed on the PCCB's. A case can be made that PCCB's are less important on a Spyder/981 than a 997/991 since a)PCCB for 987/981 models smaller size/weight than those installed on heavier 997/991, b)Spyder/981 is more of a momentum car and requires a technique for going fast in turns that puts less emphasis on braking than in a rear-engined 997/991, c)PCCB's costs are disproportionate higher relative to total MSRP in a Spyder/981 than to a 997/991, d)Even gt3/RS folks are complaining about performance/cost value, prohibitive replacement costs, etc. The advantages seem to be mostly on 'street' - a marginal lower sprung weight, less or no brake dust on wheels and the unique 'look' of PCCB. On a side note on this subject, on the 981 the cost of the PCCB option is now lower than the similar PCCB option on the 991, finally acknowledging that the 981 option has slightly less 'content' since it's smaller in size!

The ultimate weight reduction trick on the Spyder, besides the sport buckets but even with the added weight of the Auto A/C that most US models were ordered with, might turn out to be a 5 or 6 lbs Lithium battery which is an easy replacement for the factory-supplied standard (approx. 43 pounds!). That is a crucial weight reduction at a particular critical area & elevation in the Spyder's chassis.

By the way, I am positive that Excellence Magazine has plans to compare a Spyder to the new 981S on the 'street' and on a 'track'. They have been consistently impressed with the Spyder since day one and I know Pete Stout will match the two up in short order. So we will know fairly soon who they think still wears the 'Crown' in that noble kingdom of mid-engine Porsches!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Vail Valley, Colorado

fast1

Eduardo -You go me on the tense. I wish it were makes instead of made. If there is a comparison test, the Spyder will certainly prevail on the track. On the street I would give the edge to the 981S because of the practicality factor with its power top. Although aesthetics is subjective I give the edge to the Spyder, although the 981S is a beautiful car. I test drove the Spyder but not the S, just the base Boxster which is a nice sports car. I expect Boxster may take a hit from the automotive press because of price. If you do a national search you'll find lots of 981s at or near $70K and PDK 981S around $80K.

Dr.Bill

Having owned several Porsche models the past few years, including a 997.2 C2S, a Spyder, and now a Cayman R, it is my opinion that the Boxster Spyder and the Cayman R are among the best cars ever made by Porsche. And yes, I've even owned a 997 TT, 997 GT3, and 997.2 GT3RS.

fast1

Bill - I can understand the Spyder being superior to the 997.2 but superior to a 997.2 GT3RS? That surprises me. I know GT3 strictly from what I've read, but for the track I thought that it had no peers.

Dr.Bill

For a track-only car, the GT3 RS is awesome and almost without peer. As a daily driver, not so much. For me it attracted way too much attention. Plus, the front end scrapes over every bump and the suspension is best suited for a track. As an all-around sports car, I'd take the Spyder or Cayman R and a pile of money. Or take both - for sunny or rainy days!

fast1

Thanks for the clarification. I think the Spyder / Cayman R have about as little ground clearance that I would go for on the street. BTW have those two cars ever been compared by any magazine on the track?

f4 plt

Yes, Excellence compared the Spyder and the Cayman R several months ago on the track and the Spyder was declared the better vehicle as its times were faster over and over. I have both a Spyder and a Cayman ( not an "R" but the suspension is actually better than the "R" ) and each car has its purpose and its possible shortfalls. Bottom line for pure fun the Spyder is a blast right out of the box and is continuing to have "sought after appeal. That is not to reduce the appeal and enjoyment of the Cayman, just different and that's not a bad thing. I think Excellence also did a GT3- Spyder article but I'm not sure.

stevecolletti

There are multiple ways of looking at ground clearance. My .1 RS rubs the splitter on almost everything - at least in SoCal. Cayman R rubs it's front in many of the same places. Neither car will rub in the middle-underside (high centering) anywhere I've taken them... unlike my Miura S.

Excellence ran the Spyder and the Cayman R on a go-cart track... not really the same thing as a real track.
http://www.excellence-mag.com/issues...ase-track-test

Optical TDI

But for those of us with children under 10 the rear seats are a huge benefit.

jfoxny

... or those of us with dogs. My 50lb Vizsla goes everywhere with me and sometimes we bring the GF's 35lb lab mix. :-)