2015 Porsche Boxster

2015 Boxster Photos
You know the sound: the startling pop-brraaap-pop-pop shotgun fire of unspent flammables coursing through exhaust pipes that usually signals a raw, naughty powerplant beneath the hood. But when you're nestled in the Porsche Boxster GTS' snug seats, it's not a crackling small block V8 or a high-strung Italian flat crank making the devilish racket, but rather the new king of the Boxster/Cayman lineup, a 3.4-liter flat-six that produces 330 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Within the emotional vacuum of a spec sheet, the Boxster GTS' pumped-up grunt seems pretty mild, with a gain of only 15 hp and 7 lb-ft, respectively. But the reworked acoustical experience goes a long way towards suggesting the GTS has a trace of racing blood in its veins, and might even be missing its catalytic converters. In addition to the sonorous, centrally positioned tailpipes, the cabin also fills with lovely mechanical strains thanks to the "Sound Symposer" acoustical amplifier that's trickled down into the Boxster/Cayman lineup from the 911 for the first time. Boxster S, we hardly knew ya. The GTS abbreviation suggests spiked performance in a package that's comfortable enough for long-distance driving. Some nomenclature background: Porsche's GTS models go back to 1964, when the street version of the Carrera GTS race car (i.e., 904) hit Porsche showrooms to satisfy homologation requirements. Porsche sold 125 of those models – 25 over the minimum – and the Grand Turismo Sport abbreviation has since suggested spiked performance in a package that's comfortable enough for long-distance driving. While I'm certainly admiring the Boxster GTS' surprisingly effective damping as it coasts over speed bumps in rural Mallorca just off the eastern coast of Spain, it isn't until I find a convoluted stretch of single-lane road descending the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range that I can cut to the core of this small two-seater and see what it's all about. The mid-engine Boxster swims through the seemingly endless sequence of twists like a salmon through a stream. Overrun with pro cyclists prepping for the weekend's Ironman triathlon, this road is a vertically strung sequence of hairpins, the kind of technical terror that makes high-powered muscle cars nervous. Unlike tail-happy, rear-drive powerhouses that require a bit of wrangling, the mid-engined Boxster is swimming through the seemingly endless sequence of twists like a salmon through a stream, linking steering inputs to direction changes with tireless athletic agility that pivots around its relatively centralized polar moment of inertia. While you can feel the Boxster's trademark flatness and quick turn-in, those sensations are heightened by the GTS' suspension, which has been lowered by 10 millimeters. The predictability of its body control at these speeds makes the Boxster more endangered by the treacherous environment (rock wall to the right, Lycra-clad cyclists and steep cliff drops to the left) than the absolute limits of handling dynamics and mechanical grip. It isn't until a visit to Circuito Mallorca RennArena the following day that I feel comfortable fully plumbing the depths of the GTS' skill set. …
Full Review
You know the sound: the startling pop-brraaap-pop-pop shotgun fire of unspent flammables coursing through exhaust pipes that usually signals a raw, naughty powerplant beneath the hood. But when you're nestled in the Porsche Boxster GTS' snug seats, it's not a crackling small block V8 or a high-strung Italian flat crank making the devilish racket, but rather the new king of the Boxster/Cayman lineup, a 3.4-liter flat-six that produces 330 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Within the emotional vacuum of a spec sheet, the Boxster GTS' pumped-up grunt seems pretty mild, with a gain of only 15 hp and 7 lb-ft, respectively. But the reworked acoustical experience goes a long way towards suggesting the GTS has a trace of racing blood in its veins, and might even be missing its catalytic converters. In addition to the sonorous, centrally positioned tailpipes, the cabin also fills with lovely mechanical strains thanks to the "Sound Symposer" acoustical amplifier that's trickled down into the Boxster/Cayman lineup from the 911 for the first time. Boxster S, we hardly knew ya. The GTS abbreviation suggests spiked performance in a package that's comfortable enough for long-distance driving. Some nomenclature background: Porsche's GTS models go back to 1964, when the street version of the Carrera GTS race car (i.e., 904) hit Porsche showrooms to satisfy homologation requirements. Porsche sold 125 of those models – 25 over the minimum – and the Grand Turismo Sport abbreviation has since suggested spiked performance in a package that's comfortable enough for long-distance driving. While I'm certainly admiring the Boxster GTS' surprisingly effective damping as it coasts over speed bumps in rural Mallorca just off the eastern coast of Spain, it isn't until I find a convoluted stretch of single-lane road descending the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range that I can cut to the core of this small two-seater and see what it's all about. The mid-engine Boxster swims through the seemingly endless sequence of twists like a salmon through a stream. Overrun with pro cyclists prepping for the weekend's Ironman triathlon, this road is a vertically strung sequence of hairpins, the kind of technical terror that makes high-powered muscle cars nervous. Unlike tail-happy, rear-drive powerhouses that require a bit of wrangling, the mid-engined Boxster is swimming through the seemingly endless sequence of twists like a salmon through a stream, linking steering inputs to direction changes with tireless athletic agility that pivots around its relatively centralized polar moment of inertia. While you can feel the Boxster's trademark flatness and quick turn-in, those sensations are heightened by the GTS' suspension, which has been lowered by 10 millimeters. The predictability of its body control at these speeds makes the Boxster more endangered by the treacherous environment (rock wall to the right, Lycra-clad cyclists and steep cliff drops to the left) than the absolute limits of handling dynamics and mechanical grip. It isn't until a visit to Circuito Mallorca RennArena the following day that I feel comfortable fully plumbing the depths of the GTS' skill set. …
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Retail Price

$51,400 - $73,500 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.7L H-6, 3.4L H-6
MPG Up to 20 city / 30 highway
Seating 2 Passengers
Transmission 6-spd man w/OD
Power 265 - 330 hp
Drivetrain rear-wheel
Curb Weight 2,888 - 2,910 lbs
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