911-32 Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 Yeah but, how much is enough? My 930 weighs a mere 1050(ish)kg and has a close ratio six speed box to deploy its 450+hp and ...wait for it... there are still times when it doesn't pull that much of a gap on motorway slip roads with seemingly nowhere near as fast or seemingly mundane whatever cars. It has the power to weight ratio of an F40, but no matter how much you have got, there are times when it simply isn't enough. There is always a faster car/bigger boat/nicer house etc. And, bottom line is you need a ton of hp to pull big gaps in a straight line unless you are going really 100+mph fast. Track day experience shows that you pull bigger gaps by carrying 3mph more corner speed and accelerating 0.5 a second earlier. We forget how lucky we are. In 1984, when the Car&Driver got the first 3.2 Carreras and strapped timing gear on them, they were the fastest cars they had ever tested in most increments. That is a 230hp car and BoxsterS's all have more than that. A 964RSR racing at Le Mans had "only" 350hp. I get that some folks want the instant gratification of big turbo hp and tq. Boxsters won't be for everyone. And that's ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravestarr Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 I've read through this thread with interest. I understand what the OP is talking about as my 3.4S can feel less than blistering at times. Someone mentioned about trying to stick with a base model Merc that hits 60 in 5.7 and used that as an example of .... so the Boxster isn't very quick. The reality here is that most modern cars are seriously quick. The base has moved up quite dramatically in the last 15 years or so. Whatever you end up with will still face the same issue , passing a well driven repmobile on the right road will still be near impossible regardless of the horsepower that you have. The Boxster should be enjoyed for what it can do, great noise, impeccable handling, poise, good looks and roof down fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplad Posted June 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 12 hours ago, moneypit said: Not long after I bought my first 987 3.2S 2.5 years ago or so, I had a run out in it on roads I knew well. I pulled out to overtake a car on a long straight and was appalled at the lack of performance. I doubt there was anything wrong with the car, but I've had another car with 400 ft/lbs of turbocharged torque for about 15 years, and by comparison that Boxster was a real adjustment. I've got a different 3.2S now with more miles, it feels significantly more lively than the first for some reason, possibly simply because it's been driven harder on a more regular basis than my first one. It tends to be able to hit 150 with relative ease, I'm often surprised by how quick this one feels. It's odd, because usually a car starts to feel slower when you've owned it for a while. Thanks for that, I'm hoping that a lack of use means the car needs a good clear out. I used to have a Cayman S with the same engine and don't remember thinking it was lacking, that was after coming out of a 911. Thanks for all non defensive replies so far, it's helpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perleman Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 I have a 280bhp 987s. Doesn’t feel slow, had a 355bhp 997 C4S before which was definitely faster especially mid range if speed is the main concern the vag 2.5 is the way to go or gtr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat haggis Posted June 16, 2018 Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 when i first got my 981, after my drive home . 500mls . great car . i took it for a good drive and the car seemed to perform a bit better . went to the Moffat meet a few weeks later . what a drive . . did i get in 4th a handful of times on the 200 mls trip , thats a was a complete clear-out for the car . ever since then its has performed better . it must be thankful it got a good spanking . , these cars like a spanking now and again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TV8 Posted June 16, 2018 Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 I managed to have a nice drive of the Boxster and the TVR back to back today. You can't really drive that hard in the TVR, at least in the part of the world I live in. I did give it a bit of a blast up a steep hill and it just makes you laugh out loud. All senses get the effect! Straight out of the TVR and Mrs B and I went out in the Boxster. Plenty of zipping through the gears and some full throttle, so you get to drive the car harder which is a lot of the fun for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perleman Posted June 17, 2018 Report Share Posted June 17, 2018 13 hours ago, TV8 said: I managed to have a nice drive of the Boxster and the TVR back to back today. You can't really drive that hard in the TVR, at least in the part of the world I live in. I did give it a bit of a blast up a steep hill and it just makes you laugh out loud. All senses get the effect! Straight out of the TVR and Mrs B and I went out in the Boxster. Plenty of zipping through the gears and some full throttle, so you get to drive the car harder which is a lot of the fun for me. This is a good point, it’s nice to rev the nuts off a car and not be risking prison. The 2.7 Boxster was good for that too. The reality is apart from the new ones the Boxsters are all like that, free reving engines that love to be redlined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pquadro Posted June 17, 2018 Report Share Posted June 17, 2018 Get a 981 spyder or gt4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porschemad Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 Why not get a Caterham? My R300 had only 175 bhp but weighed only 475kg. Centre of gravity 10 inches from the deck, and with road legal track tyres massive amounts of grip ( in the dry?). And seat of your pants handling. It kept up with anything on A and B roads. Massive amounts of noise, heat and felt really really fast. Hilarious toy, but only for occasional use, including on track. Downside was heat/ comfort/ ear plugs. My Gen 2 is not as fast, but I can use it as a daily driver. Still miss it on sunny days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplad Posted June 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 On 6/17/2018 at 2:08 PM, pquadro said: Get a 981 spyder or gt4 Because there's a 30k difference in price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplad Posted June 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 There's a conclusion to this thread and some of the comments from you lot have helped me make up my mind I'll be picking up my Guards red 987S 3.4 middle of the week. ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pquadro Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 24 minutes ago, toplad said: There's a conclusion to this thread and some of the comments from you lot have helped me make up my mind I'll be picking up my Guards red 987S 3.4 middle of the week. ?? Nice one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pquadro Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 56 minutes ago, toplad said: Because there's a 30k difference in price Probably more And I totally get you and agree Was just answering to you question with a direct solution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbatchew Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 7 hours ago, toplad said: There's a conclusion to this thread and some of the comments from you lot have helped me make up my mind I'll be picking up my Guards red 987S 3.4 middle of the week. ?? Copycat ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplad Posted July 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2018 I've done a couple of hundred miles now and the car definitely feels faster after an 'Italian tune up' , which I'm happy about. Glad I bought it Even the wife likes it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplad Posted July 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2018 Also I had a run with a nice new red (same colour as mine)2018 718 Boxster today. Not sure which model Traffic clears, he's in front, the new Boxster tries to pull away and to my surprise there was nothing in it, from 35-80 mph We both stopped at the traffic lights, I looked across to give him the nod, but he didn't reciprocate my gesture...boo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bez 858 Posted July 3, 2018 Report Share Posted July 3, 2018 Miserable git! I’d have told him. ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thanatoid Posted July 3, 2018 Report Share Posted July 3, 2018 3 hours ago, toplad said: Even the wife likes it End of story :-) Back to the original post, my 535d is quicker and being a twin fan diesel has loadsa low down oomph, the Boxster is 'different' much much more nimble, chuckable, better suspension, narrower, roof comes down, revs to 7k and sounds great, so in my mind comparing a Boxster for not being that fast is apples and oranges :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplad Posted July 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2018 29 minutes ago, thanatoid said: End of story ? Back to the original post, my 535d is quicker and being a twin fan diesel has loadsa low down oomph, the Boxster is 'different' much much more nimble, chuckable, better suspension, narrower, roof comes down, revs to 7k and sounds great, so in my mind comparing a Boxster for not being that fast is apples and oranges ? My point was it didn't feel fast for 295 bhp, which should be plenty. Now I've cleaned it out, it's all good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXY Posted July 3, 2018 Report Share Posted July 3, 2018 On 6/14/2018 at 12:27 PM, toplad said: CMA, Thanks for the reply I have a scirocco R, which is tuned to 310bhp/320Tq's. I am not comparing the Boxster to it, because as you say Torque makes a car feel fast I know what you mean however, it feels as if the 987 takes to long to get in the power band. Without comparing the two cars I just thought 295bhp is enough power to make it feel faster than it is. The BMW E46 M3, which I have also owned has very similar on paper performance to the 3.4 987 S, but it feels a lot slower to 100 and generally less ballistic in every part of the rev range. Sounds like Clarkson i.e. doesn't understand how TORQUE works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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