Porsche's new 981 Boxster is an all-new design. Bigger, but lighter than before. We went to the launch event in the South of France to see how good it was. And whether a man can now buy the girl's Porsche.
@@osama2135 I love it. Handles very well in the turns, perfect drivers car. Big head turner too. Not as quick as my old 335i but much more fun to drive.
Girls car?!? Ha, pass me a skirt, I'm all over it!! Most people who say roadsters (any of em) are girls cars are nearly all either children or bitter dads driving around in the family volvo or work van.
C Huzz couldn't say it better myself. all people who has been shouting negative stuff have been stupid/poor fucks in volvos, seriously, its only been volvos!
+Arturo Tomas not really, there's nothing wrong with a Volvo but, it's not something to dream about or to sit in proclaiming all roadsters girls cars! For example, my house is ok, it does the job but it ain't no villa on the Dalmatian Coast. My Mrs is ok but she.....hmm better not go there....
I have a Murci roadster and haven't got that that sense it is a girls car at all. I also bought a 2013 Boxster when they came out. Which to me was the perfect car in my opinion. Well balanced, comfortable and plenty of power that you can actually use... oh and I bought it because it just looked awesome.
For me Chris Harris is THE BEST car tester for quite a while. He does not just learn all car specs by heart, but he HAS THE HEART and brain to make you learn and feel the car, although you havent been sitting in it. So from that perspective he does the best job. Cant even find enough good words for it!
I just bought a 2015 base manual one for £27,000. I can't see them depreciating much more tbh especially with the new models and their crappy 4 cylinder engines. These older Caymans will be alot more sought after now.
@@travis8665 Is that why Porsche has decided to revert back to their 6 cylinder engines on some of the new models? Everyone hated the new turbo 4 cylinders because they sound garbage. How fast it goes 0-60 is irrelevant when it sounds like shit. If all anyone cared about was 0-60 you wouldn’t buy a Porsche in the first place. You’d buy a performance Audi/BMW/Mercedes It’s all about the sound/character of the engine + the drive of the car. The 6 cylinder Porsche engines sound absolutely amazing and different throughout the Rev range.
@@Nowageopolityka Yes, because you can buy 986 for next to nothing, but it looks like Miyata. I would pay extra for 981, but I won't because I have one already. 981S a bonafide go-kart and I love it.
Im 20years old and bought me a boxster s from 2001 and i love it :) i dont care if someone says it is a car for women... Its an excellent car! You cant get anything better for 10000$
Yep...I traded mine for a 2016 Miata. Even with 15 years of updates on the Miata, the 2001 Boxster was still more fun to drive. Just make sure you get that IMS bearing upgraded to double row ceramic and you'll be good to go!
I went into a Porsche showroom and looked at the Boxster and 911 side by side and guess what.......The Boxster compares well. Size wise and the look from the back......it just seems more modern and I must admit I kind of preferred the shape .....i was surprised because I like a lot of people feel the 911 is the car you should buy. But this new design changes all that it really does !
A lot of people just buy the 911 to prove that they can, as a show of status. Just like buying a rolex watch...It doesn't necessarily keep time better than a less expensive watch but it shows that the owner can afford to blow 10,000$ on a watch lol
I've watched dozens of RU-vid videos over the last 20 years of owning a Boxster S and not a single reviewer can resist the urge to mention the "girls car" stigma. And yet in 20 years of owning one I've only ever gotten heaps of praise and admiration of my Boxster. Car guys all nod as soon as you mention it with the universal acceptance that it is one of the best sports cars ever produced. It would seem then that it is only RU-vid reviewers that have a complex about it. The same can be said of Miata's. Among the car guy crowd only respect. I assure you that Boxster and Miata owners have no complex or fragile ego issues. Long live the roadsters!
Long live the Cayman and boxster, these ones are fantastic, I prefer them over the 911 Flame me but that is just the way it is, I find them more attractive and they are dynamically superior.
High quality commentary, one of the best i've seen - Chris'll be around for a while - now could we please all work together to bring the manual gearbox back to the RS4
Chris delivered another eloquently executed automotive review. Love his style. To Porsche: I never cared for the Boxster, until this model (981). Well done! To Drive: Incredible content, keep it coming. Wishing you guys lots of success.
Oh joy! A proper, grown up, informative, interesting, intelligent, full length sports car review, by somebody who we all enjoy listening to!! Thank you Drive, thank you JT & most importantly thank you Chris for doing what we have all been waiting for since Top Gear went mental!! Oh & DRTV closed down!!
I have never in my days of living seen a girl drive a boxster. I live in Washington state and whenever I see a booster its a guy driving it, the older ones and newer ones
Yeah...when I hear a fool call a Boxster a "poor man's" Porsche, I just tell them that "if an $80K car is a poor man's Porsche, then you must be doing a lot better financially than me."...which they're not!
This was the first time I watched a review from this channel. I actually have to say that I loved it! It was very fun to watch besides being such a long video. Excellent!
One of the best car reviews that I have ever ever ever seen :) So important and spot-on question - how much of a sports car do you really need?! Porsche made something unbelievable - have might just have excelled their more 'advanced' models with a youngster in their product line!
these newer boxsters just look beautiful. I might be in the minority but I'm starting to think the newer boxters and caymans look better than the 911s.
The 981 Boxster and Cayman are really stunning in my opinion, even in 2020 they look great. The 718 looks great too, the 981 was already pretty much perfect, so they have made minimal changes, and it still looks perfect.
Great video, commentary, the requisite drift shots...you nailed it. Very happy to have you producing videos now for youtube. Great future in this business and you are one of the best. Cheers..
Also the Aston is a touring car. I used to race my friend in auto cross in the mid 00s. I was in my 95 Z28 she was in a 6 speed 2007 Vantage. My time was better. She was no slouch either. She's usually #1 on go-karts.
Yes-Agreed. I was told by a young woman that I had a " a pretty car"-I took that as a total positive statement and best compliment to the car I've had.
I picked up way more chicks driving an 87 model 944 and my 92 Miata than with my 500hp 03 Zinc Yellow Convertible Mustang!! The shallow women loved the 03 because it looks new. Lol just thought I'd through that out there. Lol
The comment about the useless Sports Chrono on the dash seemed to ignore that the Sports Chrono option also gives dynamic transmission mounts on the 981 series -- making it tighter when G-forces are up. It improves the handling somewhat. I also think the chronometer on the dash just looks cool. I loved Chris' comments about leaving the PASM in normal mode. That was good feedback to hear about how well the PASM was working, since it's active all the time, just to different levels of engagement.
Hi Chris. I am dreaming to buy a 1996-1999 986 Boxster. In Portugal, with our high car taxes and our lower incomes, it is not as easy as in other Countries. Please, keep doing videos like this, so that all "real man" lose interest in buying it, keeping prices low or making them lower. That said, seen a lot of YT videos about Boxsters, but never saw such a drift as the one you show here on that beautiful road. Great fun :)
Couldn't agree more. Wife wanted an SL. I convinced her to go 981 Boxster S. Found a 2013 with 4k miles we just picked up. Drove it 6 hours home and fell in love with it. What an amazingly all around, well balanced, performing and quality car! Every time we drive it, I appreciate it more. The best part - some other chap paid $40k off of sticker, to drive it 4k miles and then hand it to us. I feel like I scored the best value, high quality sports car on the market.
What I like about this review is that the presenter covers all points you want to know when watching a review with enough emotion in his voice to keep you listening, but equally important - no overly dramatic, arty, false-colour shots with composer music taken from some film's soundtrack. Yes, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Good episode! A lot of speed shooting and cornering shots, thats how it should look, much better than the last weeks. The car is just amazing... Thanks
Happy to have just purchased a 2013 Boxster S after selling my 987.1 Cayman S. And while I loved my 987, the 981 series is on an entirely different level. Much more refined, more rigid chassis, just superior in every way compared to the 987 (except for maybe the new EA power steering, which is still good but not quite as good as the 987 hydraulic). There more powerful cars, there are faster cars. But I can’t imagine a better TOTAL driving experience than what the 981 delivers. It’s the best car I’ve ever driven, including many 911s.
I test drove the new Boxster S this past weekend. It's difficult to describe the PDK gearbox. In normal mode, it shifted into 7th gear at 35 mph (800 rpm). In sport mode, it keeps it at normal revs and downshifted more readily. In Sport Plus, it was downshifting into second for turns I would have taken in third. Overall, I would liken the PDK to a roller coaster: very fast and exciting, but devoid of user interaction. With a manual transmission, it would be near-perfect.
I have owned Boxster S’ since the first generation, they are outstanding cars. Luckily I could afford any 911 they sell, but I love the Boxster’s handling, compact size and look, therefore I’ll just keep driving a Boxster till I’ll hold a DL.
It's a girls car 100% ,girls chicks, babes they love it and having thick wavy hair, decent looks, full set of teeth and 10 pounds over my weight in high school, weight of 150 pounds. With top down and the reality of were I live, 24 7, all year weather and beautiful rainbows and sunsets and most important, bikinis are getting smaller and more..... distracting to concentrate in Hawaii!!! Aloha ,
Good luck waiting! Last year 981 BS was about $40k in USA, nowadays it’s $50-55k. It’s the last naturally aspirated mid-engine daily driver Porsche which you can buy for 5-digit price:)
You know what, I used to worry about the Longevity of the Top Gear series. But with Chris Harris around, i think we are safe for many years to come. Keep up the awesome work Chris.
Having owned and driven over my 25 year driving career a variety of different soft top roadsters/sports cars from spitfire to MX5, Alfa to Porsche in every single one, despite being married with kids my masculinity has at some point been questioned. Do I care? Nope I just love driving them...I suggest you do the same. Enjoy.
If your manhood is decided based on the car you drive, you need take a good long look at yourself in the mirror. I would hoon the crap out of this car!
Cayman looks really weird. Like Chinese 911.. Like when you design Boxter.. and then you are forced to do also metal roof version. I never liked Boxter look.. but this new one is so musculus, it's not a hairdresser's car, it look like baby 918 spider and as mid engine it makes more sense than bad concept engineered to very good car that 911 in fact is.
Clarkson isn't really a car reviewer, more like an entertainment talk host with him behind the wheel of some random car and a script for him to sound like he knows about cars
The thing that differentiates Clarkson is his humour ...who cares that you have disected the operation of PASM or whatever .....If you were really going to buy this car you would look into its operation. This review is really for most people who will never buy one. Im not saying people can't afford them cos a second hand Boxster is cheap its just that most people won't take the plunge and buy a Porsche.
Chris, love the video. Big improvment on your top gear style review on the BMW not so long ago. Much better, back to what you do best reviewing a car properly. 10/10 for the video and, although i hate boxters, high scoring for the car too! Well done porsche.
Very good review Good you talk about the flaws as well as the pluses It looks great The side shot at the start makes it kind of remind me of the old MR-S. Anyone else see that?
I avoided reading or watching anything about this car because I was afraid I'd love it and have to have it. My fears are now my reality. Thanks Chris Harris. Thanks a lot.
You also hit the nail on the head when you wrote "you might not like the 599/Zonda no matter the cost." I think this is happening with the latest Cayman/Boxster. The unique characteristics of these cars compared to the others in the Porsche line up may be the reason for the migration of 911 owners, as well as what, by most accounts, is an absolutely fantastic chassis.
Wonderful looking car. I'm excited how the Cayman will look like. Plus: Chris Harris doing a wonderful job and the quality of this video is really superb. Please go on like this. Only critisism: Tell us more about how the cars feel when they are loosing grip. Easy controllable, unexpected beaviour or something like that.
As a decidedly non-bike person, I have to say that you got me thinking about my own admittedly "wannabe" driving habits when in sport mode. You make an important point about sharing the roads. Thanks for speaking up. Maybe some pointless and tragic accidents can be averted. - Porsche 911 owner
Spot on Chris. The Boxster finally has the looks to back up the sublime chassis. I think it's come down to the 991 911 being for poseurs and this 981 Boxster for the serious driving enthusiasts.
That is the best mirror suspension you can get with the mid engine to boot! What more can you ask for? The rear outer rear wheel tows in under the turns, gives you confidence and predictability, and trust worthy.......it makes good drivers great....
Woah.... The advertisement for this video was an advertisement for DRIVE ... i only noticed this about halfway through because i was reading comments then all of a sudden heard JF and Alex's voice. Very cool guys. Good to see you have enough budget for advertisement.
I have the 987.2 Boxster S with the same 3.4 DI engine, a LS differential, PASM, and sport exhaust with the last hydraulic steering rack. It is an absolute drivers dream with the 6 spd manual and the top down on a country road. This is what sport car driving is all about. The cars don't get any more compliant yet capable than this. And you can't get any more involved in the luxury sport driving experience than you can in a little Boxster S. I'm so glad I found mine. Thank you Porsche for making it.
@@TucsonDude 3 yrs and zero problems. This has been a lovely car. The 987.2 is both a comfortable and viseral driving experience. I made a couple of plug in electronic mods to boost the performance. A sprint throttle boost lets you select about 10 levels of throttle response. I use it at about 5 for a much quicker response than stock. And I swapped the suppension computer with a DSC active suspension control. This unit made a big improvement in the suspension response right out of the box without any PC tuning. The car became more compliant and more capable. I highly recommend this car with these 2 plug in upgrades. I may sell mine soon if interested. Too many cars. Cheers
@@scottyb6765 Hi Scotty...good information! I didn't know these cars were that modifiable like a Jeep or a Mustang. Right now, I'm negotiating for a local 2016 Boxster and hope to have it soon. Thanks again for the info and encouragement!
Again, another wonderfully amazing video from Chris / Drive. I just feel the background music on all his videos are getting in the way, could do without them. Other then that, marvelous!!
