Quite agree, only a couple of weekends ago I heard Sebastain Loeb and Mark Webber saying exactly the same thing . . .

Lets hope the next Boxster S comes with an optional "driver involvement pack" it could include points and condensers, Solex carbs, drum brakes, crash 'box and leaf springs, whilst we're at it lets do away with pneumatic tyres (especially N rated ones) and go back to rod operated brakes too.

EFA

Only joking Curry, I'm going old skool as we speak

I totally agree with you its personal and subjective, 5 weeks ago I was in the same position replacing an Exige S 240 a very focused car, rated as one of the best handling 'drivers' cars ever made, I looked at a Boxter (as well as other brands / models) but settled on a 996TT X50 the Boxter drove well but not as well as the Exige and it was in no way a match for it in performance terms, in short it would have been a backward step, the 996 on the other hand drives sublimely and has torque the Exige could only dream about, For me I made the 'right' choice,

Nowt wrong with them (apart from the lack of black paint and the polished finish ALL over) . . . .















(and the fact they haven't got N-rated tyres on 'em)

Like most I bought my 911's because I loved the looks and enjoyed the exciting (if slightly nervous) feel of the drive. The RS and the 340R were pure track day toys and in my view not very suitable for the road. In the case of the RS the stripped out interior (ear defenders a must), on/off sintered clutch, and far too much negative camber for the road meant that on a B road, any young lad in a sorted hot hatch could leave you for dead. My modified 340r was also far too noisy and stiff on the road for my taste. There are those - and Richard you're probably one of them - who enjoy the challenge of driving such cars on the roads, but in my case (older and softer than you) I prefer different horses for different courses.

The primary use of the Boxster will be european touring, with both myself and my wife sharing the driving. This will involve both the open roads of Spain and the choked traffic of Paris and 10 mile long tailbacks on the Autobahn on a wet Sunday.

For this type of use the PDK box does have it's benefits. As the wife overtakes a train of lorries on a single carriageway, I can snooze secure in the knowledge that the car will do all the thinking and all she has to do is floor the throttle. (sexism or realism ? you decide).

Sure there is a lack of driver involvement, but in the case of the Boxster, because the power is only just sufficient, you need the seven speeds of the PDK to wring every last BHP from the engine. In short you are sacrificing driver involvement but getting better acceleration in return - and my main point was they do accelerate in a rather satisfying fashion with PKD & sport mode engaged.

For many of you hairy chested Pistonheads Forum Posters this will be a step too far, but for those with a more eclectic view of what motoring is about, PDK may strike the right balance between performance and convenience.

Welcome to the future.

Its one version of the future. Did you try a lighter, stiffer, more powerful Cayman?

SS7

i hope i dont start thinking then i may end up with one of them horrid things haha

just joking fella good right up

Language is a HUGE barrier here. If there is to be any discussion of this type then one needs to state very clearly what THEIR definition of handling is because 'handling' is something very personal and subjective. One man's 'good handling' is another man's 'boring' etc..

Do you mean 'is better balanced' as that is somthing completely different ?

In the case of the Boxster vs the 911 I'd use the words crap about one and scalpel like precision about the other

I'll take a guess that a current 911 is nothing like either car esp the 928 front engined V8 vs flat 6 rear engined?