Perfection. That might be giving the game away right from the outset. But, to my mind, Porsche’s new Boxster GTS is so close to motorised nirvana that it’s hard to fathom how it could be improved upon.
The Boxster GTS – short for Gran Turismo Sport – is the first mid-engined Porsche since 1963 to wear these three letters on its rump (the last one was the 904 Carrera GTS), and it follows similarly suffixed versions of the 911, Panamera and Cayenne, so there’s now a consistency in nomenclature across the range.
It’s not just a badge-engineering job, as the latest Boxster variant scores an uprated engine and some of the tastiest bits from the Porsche performance catalogue to make it a faster, more focused offering than the already entertaining Boxster S. The best part is the pricetag – at $146,000 (plus ORCs) it represents a premium of $19,500 over the ‘S’. If you do the arithmetic, you’ll glean that the value-add features more than account for the extra spend.
So, what does the Boxster GTS get? For starters, the 3.4-litre flat-six is enhanced to put out 243kW (an increase of 11kW over the ‘S’) and 370Nm (10Nm more than the ‘S’). It might not sound like a huge increment, but it’s sufficient to make the GTS quick enough to virtually match its 911 Cabrio big brother in a straight-line joust.
Porsche quotes a 0-100km/h split of 4.7sec for the PDK-equipped Boxster GTS with Sport Plus button (included as part of the standard Sport Chrono package) activated. It’s also capable of hitting 278km/h (281km/h for the manual), so the GTS has the legs to not only give the 911 a fright, but also worry the likes of the imminent new BMW M4 (of which a drop-top variant is only a matter of time away).
Offsetting the extra grunt is Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard, enabling you to firm-up the damper settings at the press of a button. The GTS also sits 10mm lower than the ‘S’ and rides on 20-inch Carrera S rims shod with 235/35 rubber at the front and 265/35 gumballs at the rear. The lower centre of gravity and beefy footprint mean it’s an even sharper and grippier device than its sibling, making it a tremendously enjoyable roadster to hustle across virtually any roads.
Apart from putting out slightly more power and torque, the flat-six motor is also more vocal than before, thanks to a free-flow exhaust (with black tailpipes) that belts out a crackling note in Sport Plus mode. Although more restrained in normal mode, you can unleash its full sonic repertoire via the exhaust-logoed button on the centre console.
So here’s the deal: the Boxster GTS goes hard, sounds the business and clings to tarmac with the tenacity of a bulldog attached to your trouser leg. More than the actual grip, it’s the sublime balance and tactility of the car that encourages you to push progressively harder until you find the limits of adhesion. Even when you do venture beyond the grip available, it happens so progressively that you never feel as though you’re going to end up as part of the scenery.
The GTS is a brilliantly useable sportscar that leaves even moderately competent drivers with the impression they’re a Walter Röhrls in the making. Part of the handling precision stems from dynamic transmission mounts that alter their stiffness and damping according to the situation. In their firmer settings, rear body roll is minimised under cornering loads, mimicking the set-up of racing cars, in which the engine and transmission are bolted directly to the body.
The PDK-equipped Boxster is obviously quicker than the six-speed manual – and it will be the default choice in our clutch-averse region – but the latter is also an agreeable gearbox, with short, snappy throws and a nice meaty feel. In Sport Plus mode there’s also an automatic throttle blip function on downshifts, but it’s easy enough to generate your own throttle blips as the pedals are ideally positioned for heel-toe rev-matching.
Our test route covers a good mix of twisty, narrow, and at times patchy, mountain roads in Mallorca, and the Boxster GTS proves in its element here. Even in normal mode the car’s responses are sharp and direct, and the vast majority of road-surface imperfections are soaked up without breaking a sweat. Sport mode firms everything up discernibly, but even in this setting the car is acceptably refined in most conditions.
Visually, the GTS stands apart from its lesser siblings via unique front and rear fascias, blacked out bi-xenon headlights with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), the aforementioned 20-inch Carrera wheels and black tailpipes. The upgrades are subtle, but noticeable nonetheless.
The cabin also gets a stylish makeover, with Alcantara trim on the steering wheel, headliner, centre console and well-sculpted sports seats. Other tweaks include GTS lettering embroidered into the headrests, with the same graphic also making an appearance on the tachometer face.
All told, the Boxster GTS is a cohesive package, and at $146,000 it’s a certified performance bargain. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more fun-to-drive roadster… at any price.
2014 Porsche Boxster GTS pricing and specifications:
Price: $146,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.4-litre six-cylinder petrol
Output: 243kW/370Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual/Seven-speed PDK
Fuel: 9.0L/100km (manual); 8.2L/100km (PDK)
CO2: 211g/km (NEDC Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A
What we liked: | Not so much: |
>> Strong performance, sublime handling balance | >> Ticking options rapidly inflates price |
>> Sonorous exhaust note | >> That’s pretty much it |
>> Sharp looks |