2017 Porsche 718 Boxster review

• Published On: 3 April 2017
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Have turbocharging and engine downsizing made one of the best sportscars a lesser one?

Porsche’s 718 Boxster’s small, 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is a feisty new addition. Yes, Porsche’s dynamically gifted mid-engined convertible now has a smaller engine. The naturally aspirated flat-sixes of the earlier car have been replaced by turbocharged horizontally opposed four-cylinder motors. This is part of Porsche’s drive towards better emissions and efficiency.

Power torque
Only the ‘standard’ Boxster with a 2.0-litre engine is available in India. The new 2.0 flat-four makes a strong 300hp at 6,500rpm and 380Nm from 1,950-4,500rpm, figures that compare well with the old 981 Boxster S (India only got the S) and its 3.4-litre flat-six's 315hp at 6,700rpm and 360Nm from 4,500-5,800rpm. The 718 Boxster also has a retuned suspension and quicker steering, as well as styling tweaks on the inside and outside.

On the outside
It basically looks like the older car but the carmaker says only the hood, windscreen and fabric roof (it takes all of 9sec to fold/unfold) are common between the 981 and 718. Walk up to the front and what’s new are the bi-xenon headlights with the four-point LED DRLs and larger air intake on the front bumper. Walk over to the rear and you’ll notice the reshaped LED lights with their own four-point brake lights. The tail is also rounder and visual width is enhanced by the dark strip that links the lights.

On the inside
Even though you are sat low in a Boxster, outside visibility is surprisingly good. The cabin has been updated too. The air-con vents are slightly different, the steering wheel is from the 918 supercar and there’s a nice-to-use, new touchscreen that comes as standard kit. Upgrading to a better sound system or sportier seats will set you back quite a bit, but that’s just the sad reality of doing up your Porsche. The stock seats hold you well but only the driver’s perch gets electric adjust. Porsche will have to redesign the spare wheel position too - the space saver is oddly positioned just behind the passenger seat, so the backrest can’t be fully reclined nor can the seat be taken back. Essentially, the passenger seat is unusable with the spare in place.

From behind the wheel
First impressions of the smaller new engine aren’t the best. It’s a bit gruff at idle and the engine sounds mechanical and borderline clattery at low speeds. But that’s at city speeds. The moment you drive the Boxster as a Boxster, that’s when the engine really lights up. The first bootful of throttle will push you right back into your seat; the 718’s 4.9sec 0-100kph time makes it over half a second quicker than the 981 S. It’s quicker to 200kph as well. The turbo and the thick band of pulilng power available from under 2,000rpm make all the difference.

This engine does have a hint of turbo lag followed by a strong, sustained thrust from low in the rev range until about 7,500rpm. Where the new Boxster differs from the older car is also how the engine’s sound on their journey up to the limiter. The characteristic rasps and snarls of the flat-six are obviously missing, and in their place is a rorty, boomy note with pops on the overrun for added effect. The whole sound experience isn’t bad, it’s just different.

What remains unchanged, though, is the Boxster’s handling. The car is just sublime around corners. There’s a brilliant sense of connection with the car through the steering, pedals and paddles (or gear lever), the front wheels do exactly as commanded and the overall sensation is of being in a car that pivots around the driver. Of the sportcars sold in India, very few put the driver in the heart of the action like a Boxster does. And because you are such an integral part of the experience, the Boxster doesn’t intimidate even if you’re going through corners at high speeds. Grip is amazing, there are no exaggerated movements from the body and the brakes work well too. Mid-corner bumps don’t unsettle the car and ride quality and ground clearance are good, especially considering this is a stiff sportscar.

The brilliant seven-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox is key -  it’s super quick in shifts, ultra-responsive to manual inputs and very lenient in how it lets you downshift to the limiter.

It’s as quick and as sharp as you’d expect a Boxster to be. Sure, the 718 is a smidgen less evocative than its naturally aspirated predecessor but buy one and you’re sure to love it to bits. Also, thanks to the smaller engine, the 718 Boxster has qualified for tax breaks on imported cars with engines smaller than 3,000cc, and the net result is that Porsche has been able to price the car more aggressively. The updated car. at ₹85.53 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) is a good ₹25 lakh cheaper than the last Boxster S. It’s suddenly a much more tempting buy.