2004 Porsche Boxster Test Drive

With its engine set behind the driver and ahead of the rear wheels, the 2004 Porsche Boxster is perfectly balanced. The water-cooled 6-cylinder unit is laid flat in classic boxster configuration, hence the name. Top disappears when down. A pure sports car for much less money than a Porsche 911.

Heritage

While not what you'd normally think of as a retro car, the Boxster's inspiration clearly comes from those legendary 550 Spyders of decades ago. Seen side-by-side, the similarity is striking. And the mid-engine configuration is identical. Everything else is just what you'd expect from a Porsche; ultimate handling with pure performance. Porsche is one of the few surviving manufacturers to have built its reputation entirely in sports and racing cars, and it shows in every aspect of the Boxster; the family genes are evident throughout, even to the engine sound. Perhaps I'm being overly sentimental, but I thought I could recognise a little of the original Porsche 356B Cabriolet in the padded convertible top. Heritage? That's what the 2004 Porsche Boxster is all about.

Coachwork

First, you've got to get in. If the top's down that's not so difficult but when it's up, you'd better be supple. Or young. Or, most likely, both. But once inside, those bucket seats grab you like a padded vice, which you'll appreciate when hustling through the corners. They're comfortable, though; consequently the 2004 Porsche Boxster is a car you can sit in for long hours and step out with little sense of fatigue. Everything else is perfectly positioned for the art of driving and even with the steering wheel in its lowest position the instruments are not blocked from view. Set in three binnacles with the tach front and center, they're tiny and hard to read, as are most of the switches and symbols. Porsche has provided several small compartments for odds and ends but just one cupholder, prompting my passenger to remark, "they must expect both of us to share the same milkshake." A throwback to the past is the key position on the left of the dash, as is the dial-type light switch. I liked them both. The exterior design is flawlessly sculptured; the padded top lowers and rises with a touch of a button after first releasing a center latch, then disappears under a metal panel.

On the Road

Here is a car where you'll be tempted to change gears frequently. First, the 5-speed shifter is absolutely flawless in feel, effort, precision. Second, the 6-cylinder Boxster engine has such a magnificent sound; music that only a Porsche can make, it seems. With 225 horses providing the urge, the 2004 Porsche Boxster loves to rev, loves to run. Much of the urge arrives after you've passed the 3000 rpm mark, another cause for frequent shifting. I can tell you from track experience that the Boxster is so superbly balanced it can be cornered at speeds a sane person would not even consider. On the road, the Porsche Stability Management system cut in when we hit an icy patch on a frosty morning. Obviously a worthwhile safety option. The steering is everything you expect: quick, responsive, not too light. Big disc brakes haul you down in a hurry when a curve looms or an unexpected object suddenly appears. Visibility is good to the front, not so good when looking back as the headrest frames and wind blocker get in the way. On certain roads I found the noise to be excessive when pavement, wind, and engine combined to create a none-too-harmonic symphony. But what the heck, this is a sports car and such inconveniences are to be expected.

Summary

Pure joy wouldn't be an exaggeration when describing the pleasures of driving the 2004 Porsche Boxster. And yet it's not a no-compromise performance car. Porsche has provided the needed comforts and conveniences, including power windows, power doors with remote key operation, power mirrors, leather trim, a quality entertainment system, climate control. Special paint is available among the many options, as is a bolt-on hardtop for those who live in snow country. I don't, but on one fine December day with the temperature just a few degrees above freezing, I lowered the top, raised the windows, turned up the heater, and motored along in perfect comfort. All part of a test driver's responsibility to his readers, of course. On an overnight trip to Vancouver, my companion and I appreciated the two trunks, one for each of our bags; they're surprisingly large. In my view, the 2004 Porsche Boxster represents the epitome of what a modern sports car ought to be and a technological miracle considering how much is packed into such a compact package. If only I was young and supple again.