981 Boxster GTS: The Best Modern Porsche Money Can Buy?
Is the truly 981 Boxster GTS the best accessible sports car of the 2010s?
Have you ever dreamed about owning a Porsche with the letters “GT” in it, but knowing that affording one is easier said than done? Maybe you’re thinking about buying your first Porsche, but haven’t been convinced by a specific model? Would also you hate to see the value of your car drop exponentially the minute you leave the dealership? Look no further than the 981 Boxster GTS, a true all-rounder.
Many Porsche fans love these cheaper 911-alternatives for a variety of reasons. It is known fact that they are simply well performing cars. However, the most recent 982 generation lost something that many enthusiasts consider vital to the mid-engine layout: the 6-cylinder flat engine. Without a doubt, the flat-six is the brand’s bread and butter. Only recently, Porsche decided to put a 4.0 liter flat-six back in the Boxster/Cayman for the 2020 model year. However, these models start at approximately $90,000 MSRP. That’s awful close to 911 pricing isn’t it? James Martin, host of JayEmm on Cars, believes that the 981 Boxster GTS is the only modern Porsche worth buying. Let’s understand where he’s coming from.
In 2016, Porsche began phasing out all 6-cylinder Boxsters for modern 4-cylinder replacements. If you wanted a flat-six Boxster, your only choice was to buy an older one. Martin believes that the GTS model of this particular generation is “possibly the most interesting and exciting of the Boxster variants if you exclude special things like the Spyder.” Not to mention, now that there is a 6-cylinder model available starting this year, the price of these “older” GTS models will begin to drop. So why does Martin say that this Boxster is “possibly the only modern Porsche that truly excites me”(excluding the GT3)?
Well, this beautiful 2015 Carmine Red example with 12,000 miles will explain that for us. When you look at the 981 GTS from a number’s perspective, it really isn’t all that impressive. The car’s 3,100 pound weight is light, but not extremely light. 330 HP and 270 pound feet of torque are decent numbers, but will get destroyed by sports cars much cheaper than this GTS in a straight line. However, the GTS “wasn’t about brilliant numbers or amazing 0-to-60 times, it was a car that was about driving.”
It excels not because of its performance figures, but rather its stunning driving dynamics. One of the key features being the masterpiece that is the 7,400 RPM redline flat-six. The exhaust note has an aggressive snarl low in the RPMs and a sweet singing tone at wide open throttle all the way to its lofty redline. Martin agrees by stating that “the noises this thing makes means you find yourself changing gears far more often than you need to just to listen to that engine flexing its muscles.” Not to mention that PASM, Sport Chrono, and the sport exhaust are standard on the GTS model. That sounds like a driver’s car to us.
While the 981 Boxster GTS might not be perfect and has some shortcomings like its first-generation electric steering, it still manages to keep us praising it. With the option of either a six-speed manual or PDK, Martin agrees that “whichever one you go for, you’re pretty much getting the right one.” That’s how good these transmissions are. Not too many sports cars also have both a front and rear trunk and can make you fall in love with driving. So while there might be dozens of sports cars to choose from in the $50-60K range, when the 981 GTS “looks and sounds as good as this, why wouldn’t you”?
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