Glendal's Favorite Reviews
Porsche debuted the GTS tag with the sleek 904 racer back in 1964, but in recent times it鈥檚 become synonymous with models that strike the ideal balance between performance and usability. In fact, it鈥檚 given us some of Porsche鈥檚 finest driver鈥檚 cars to date. The latest 718 Boxster GTS (and its fixed-roof Cayman sibling) are set to continue that trend. They finely mix a blend of more aggressive styling, improved performance and extra equipment into the basic 718 recipe, without going down the full spoiler and roll-caged-GT4 route. Based on the Boxster S, the GTS鈥檚 visual additions are relatively subtle, but still give the car its own character. The front and rear lights feature a dark tint, which matches the black front and rear aprons, the black 718 and GTS badging, and the satin black 20-inch Carrera S alloy wheels. The car sits 10mm lower than a Boxster S - or 20mm if the sports chassis option box is ticked. The dark detailing is further complemented by a black interior finish with a pair of electrically-adjustable and Alcantara-trimmed 鈥楽ports Seats Plus鈥?
There鈥檚 also an Alcantara-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, and a similarly fuzzy finish to the gearknob, whether you opt for the six-speed manual or seven-speed PDK transmission. Cars with the latter option also gain a pair of aluminium paddles behind of the wheel, while all GTS models come as standard with the Sport Chrono package. This not only adds a distinctive stopwatch to the dashboard, but also a small rotary dial on the steering wheel for selecting the various driving modes. GTS-badged Boxsters and Caymans also get Porsche Communication Management and its large central touchscreen as standard, which responds to smartphone-style gestures and hooks up to your smartphone of choice. A tweaked version of the 718 Boxster S鈥檚 2.5-litre turbocharged flat four provides the power. And both are rapid on paper - switched to Sport Plus mode and using launch control, the PDK will cover the 0-62mph run in 4.1 seconds, while fancy footwork should see the manual cover the same metric in 4.6 seconds. It was the manual we tested at launch, which proved no hardship as its six-speed throw is among the slickest you鈥檒l experience.
It adds more depth to the driving experience, and is preferable even to the super-quick auto. That鈥檚 despite the character hit the GTS inherits from other 718 models following their move from six to four cylinders. Objectively, this is a fantastic engine, and at its best yet in GTS form - it鈥檚 powerful right from low revs, very responsive to the throttle (particularly in Sport mode) and offers good on-paper economy. If you鈥檙e trading up from an old Boxster you鈥檒l love the performance increase, but might be left feeling a little hollow by the unappealing, industrious machinations of the flat-four. Which is a shame, since the chassis is as fantastic as ever. Streaming wet roads on the Spanish launch made conditions pretty treacherous, but the low grip levels really brought out some of the 718 Boxster GTS鈥檚 best characteristics. When the roads did dry you could turn in with real confidence thanks to the impeccable steering feel. It鈥檚 accurate and well-weighted too, which is ideal for enjoying the beautifully-balanced chassis. The engine鈥檚 hefty low-down torque means you鈥檙e only ever a small throttle-prod away from small, easily corrected slides, while the brakes are more than up to the task of shedding speed, and feel great underfoot. The same applies to the Cayman GTS, which we were able to try for a few brief laps of the Ascari circuit in southern Spain. In some respects it鈥檚 the more appealing choice, the fixed roof muffling the four-cylinder note a little more and the price tag saving you a couple of grand over the Boxster. But whichever you choose, you鈥檙e getting one of the best sports cars on sale.
That car brought me a lot of joy and a lot of frustration with its tempermental nature. Long time, no see LJ! I think this was officially my last poem filed on HP. They keep informing me that my work does not meet their quality standars so I decided to end their suffering rather than attempt to convince them that they might be wrong. Very true. Their lines are almost timeless, especially in the turbo models with that wide track look. Thanks much for the good words! Porsche has done a great job in maintaining the same car design for years. I give them that. Great hub, voted up and shared. I almost feel like I was along for the ride! 9th month of my first pregnancy. It became an issue, not so much one of fitting behind the wheel, I never let myself gain, but it was more the getting up and out.. I' could file my nails just by hanging my arm out the window.