by Harvey Xiao

Awhile ago, I saw a Boxster ad in Time Magazine. It said something like “$1/mile for the first 41k miles. Free after that.” A $41k Porsche? Appealing.

Not so fast. A quick tour around the Porsche website brings reality back into perspective. The Boxster S with some nifty options rings up a staggering $70k! Huh?

This being Middle Class Motors, let’s take a step back. Say you have $25k to spend on a roadster. What are the options? Off the top of my head … Mazda Miata, Used Honda S2000, Used BMW Z4, Used Nissan 350Z … For $25k, you can also purchase a 4yr old Boxster S with 30k miles. Considering a Boxster has the tried and true flat 6, and is really no less reliable than a VW, the Boxster suddenly becomes rather intriguing.

The Boxster looks a lot like every other Porsche. To the untrained eye, it is often mistaken to be the 911 from the front. The rear end, though strangely long for a Porsche, still somehow resembles the 911. But don’t be fooled, The Boxster is the opposite of a 911.

Whereas the 911 is helplessly rear heavy, the Boxster has near perfect weight distribution. Whereas the 911 understeers, the counters with dangerous amounts of oversteer, the Boxster’s handling is dead on. Whereas the 911’s engine hangs off its ass, the Boxster’s motor is neatly positioned (and hidden) neatly over the rear wheels. Whereas the 911 dares you to corner just a little bit faster only to shatter your confidence with a healthy slap of traction control, the Boxster instills cockiness by effortlessly creasing bend after bend (Word of caution: If you transfer this cockiness to behind the wheel of other cars, you will crash).

The 911 is a cool car because everything is wrong. The Boxster is a cool car because everything is right. The Boxster is much tamer than its big brother. Consistency is the name in this game. Much like the R8, the Boxster is an engineer’s car: logical, efficient, crisp, and fast. Compared to the 911, the Boxster seems almost practical. Almost.

If I had $25k to spend on a roadster, you’d find a silver Boxster S in my driveway in no time.

photo copyright John Shen/Middle Class Motoring