Test drove a 981 Boxster today on the road. I was fortunate enough to attend the launch 3 weeks ago and drove it on a racetrack, but this was a truer test on the road where I'll be driving it 99.999% of the time. I test drove it with my girlfriend rather than with a salesman and I was able to take it out for about 40 minutes driving around city streets.

I drove a Boxster S manual, which I was excited about because the last 5 or 6 Porsches I've test drove have all been PDK transmissions.

It's a great car and, full disclosure, I actually have a deposit for the 981 Cayman, but there were a few things that concern me about it - a few disappointments.

1) Overall there's less of a visceral feel about it. It's a smoother ride. It feels less alive. I'm not talking about the new steering. That's actually pretty much fine and not as bad as everyone thinks it is.

2) The exhaust is a lot quieter. I've driven the sport exhaust, but this was the normal one. What's strange about it, is unless you're accelerating relatively hard the exhaust quiet. On my current Cayman there is a constant burble to the engine note a constant pleasing baritone note mixed with nice mechanical noises sprinkled in. This one is near silent unless you're accelerating. Sport exhaust is a little tiny bit louder, but the same thing holds true in that it really only makes noise when you're on the gas. This is very concerning to me as the sound of the Boxster/Cayman is to me nearly 50% of the joy of it and something I never get tired of. I often turn down my stereo just to enjoy the sound. I don't think I should have to pay $3,400 for the Performance Sport Exhaust to get a nice engine note. And even then, same issue that it's quiet when you're not accelerating.

3) The engine itself is much quieter. You don't hear or feel the engine as much in the cabin as you use to. Forget the exhaust sound, I'm talking about the beautiful mechanical noise of the engine itself. It's missing. At stop lights, you almost can't feel if it's on or off. (And yes I had the auto start/stop disabled so it was on). Like the exhaust note, this is a HUGE part of the character of the Porsche and this concerns me a lot.

4) The leather surfaces felt cheaper. The ones you touch the most the steering wheel and shift lever don't have a thick leather feel to them. They feel like a very thin low quality leather. Almost a fake leather. It's strange. My current Cayman doesn't have the leather package or anything special, but the leather surfaces on my steering wheel and shift lever feel much richer.

5) Overall smoothness. The car has lost much of its visceral feel. It's of course faster and better, but it doesn't feel as mechanical or raw anymore. It's just so darn smooth. Now I know this is probably a compliment to most engineers, but Porsches always had a nice balance of rough feel and polish. This feels too polished.

Anyway, that's about it. Just one man's opinion. I've owned a 987 Boxster and a 987 Cayman that I'm comparing it too. Been driving them from 2005 until now. My girlfriend noticed much the same stuff from the passenger seat.

Kinda bummed me out to be honest because I want to be crazy about this car and I don't know where it leaves me really. I don't want to get a used 997. I don't want to get a 987.2 used. I want to get the new 981 and love it!!! I feel like with time I may get use to the 981s quiet smoothness and think my 987 was corse and unrefined if I got back into it, but right now switching back and forth between the two I can't tell you how much I miss the engine noise and exhaust noise in the 981.

 

Anyone care to address this ? I hope its not true.

I made an order for this car BECAUSE it is faster, sounds better, and looks better than the previous generation.

What you stated about the sports exhaust concerns me greatly. However, you are the first poster or reviewer who has made such a comment about the exhaust. Therefore, I hope it is not true. Yes the sports exhaust is costly, so the least we want to hear is anything negative about it.

 

Wesker,
It is beautiful, and it is faster. Two out of three ain't bad. I don't think he was blasting the sport exhaust. It was the car without the sport exhaust that was too quiet. I couldn't care less about the quiet engine. I've ridden Harleys for 40 years and I can live without noisy engines. I intend to put on a fabspeed or borla system on anyway. I pick mine up on Monday. I will let you know how mine feels.
I sincerely hope you guys both fall in love with this thing.

 

It sure sounds like the new Boxster has turned out to be a really nice Mercedes.

 

Blue
Hysterical

 

We finally got our boxsters into my dealership ... They are beautiful...granted I don't like the rear view lights, but otherwise awesome

The car will be faster and easier to drive.. It's better for 99% of us

I guess some of us are in that 1%

Just remember easier to drive fast vs rewarding to drive fast are 2 vastly different things.. 987's vs 981 was my issue a few months back, after driving a 991 I chose the 987 if that makes sense... ( would get a 997 gt3 rs if I could)

 

so they've made a more refined product, and you're against it?

there's an easy solution here... just buy a base boxster s without any accessories, and add your own aftermarket exhaust and coil-over suspension.

 

A quiet exhaust is just about your only real concern about the new Boxster? Man, this new version is GORGEOUS. Looks lightyears better than the old one. That photo you took makes it look even better. I'm sure that you'll think yourself silly when you get delivery and read back on your post. It's a great car.

 

I have been driving my 981 S (with PDK) for four weeks now and since I took it for a mini-vacation to Germany, it has reached 3000 km.

I don't really experience a "less visceral" feel, or at least it's not something I feel negative about. It's a smoother ride, I agree, but I think the car has got a dual personality compared to my old 987. It's smooth when I want it to be smooth and it's very aggressive when I want that. I appreciate that in a car, I don't see it as a negative.

As for exhaust sound: It's very different from a 987. I think that a 987 sounds better when doing parking maneuvers at slow speed, it had a wonderful "grumbly", low key noise. Especially in a parking garages.
However, at high revs, the 981 sounds much better, a more "singing" noise, exactly as a want a sports car to sound. So the exhaust sound has pros and cons, but overall I'm very pleased with it.
I haven't tried one with PSE, so I can't compare. My old 987 had standard exhaust as well.

I have the Sport Design Wheel, the leather on that one is wonderful, very soft and smooth, feels really high end. I have seen the standard wheel as well and was not as impressed with that one, but I don't think it was worse than the 987. I think the Sport Design is worth getting, it's more stylish as well!

I'm extremely happy with the 981, I don't want to go back to my old 987, even if I loved that one too!

 

If I wanted a refined car, I'd buy a Lexus. If I wanted a refined GT, I'd buy an SL or SLK. The point of a sports car is to experience the connection between man (or woman) and machine. All "refinement" does in a Porsche is dilute it.

 

I think this boxster will sell better... But I wanted something more raw so I did the 987 spyder... The interior is nicer ( gauge cluster especially)...

The pic of the gray one is gorgeous... We have a white s pdk in my showroom.. And a black base manual... I like that grey more...

If you haven't seen one is person your doing yourself a disservice

 

I think there is something to be said for your quote ... Your words have salt

 

Excellent responses.

Thanks guys!

 

well played.

 

Maybe we should all go drive one of these and see for ourselves
Now if my local dealer only had one

I really dont think the Boxster Owners care too much that it is more refined ,heck for the guy that doesnt want to feel every bump in the road its a good thing ..one can always change the car up some if those choose .thats the beauty of these cars