2002 Boxster S Is the Essence of Style and Substance
The Volk at Porsche have been at it again.
This time the subject of refinement is the 2002 Boxster S, big brother to the roadster that the folks in Stuttgart sent stateside 41/2 years ago. There were some fears at the time that the Boxster would be a repeat of the German marque’s much-maligned 914 or the unfortunate 924. Those fears were quickly dispelled for anyone who drove the mid-engine, rear-drive sports car.
The S model, in its third year, answers the main criticism of the original with a larger, more powerful 3.2-liter flat-6 engine (250 horsepower versus 217). It’s not only the right answer, but it gets extra credit for having the song and soul of a V-8.
Punching the throttle anywhere in the car’s broad power band results in two very satisfying things: a ferocious growl, heard mostly through the air intakes just behind the doors, and instant acceleration. If not the jump to light speed offered by its 911 Turbo stablemate, the Boxster S goes from zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph for those driving in English) in 5.9 seconds; that’s seven-tenths of a second faster than the standard Boxster.
Keeping all this under the driver’s spell are huge disc brakes and a suspension system that make this possibly the best-handling car that doesn’t come with a six-figure price tag or a pit crew.
The S is about $10,000 more than the regular model, but the differences go well beyond cosmetic. Our test vehicle had four major options--metallic paint, sport package, 18-inch wheels and Porsche Stability Management--which add about $6,300 to the base $51,600. The brakes, suspension and six-speed gearbox are transplants from the 911 Carrera.
Except for subtle styling cues, the S retains the “budget” model’s shape. There is an extra vent opening upfront for a third radiator, as well as a dual exhaust that exits from the center of the car.
(Though the centered exhaust pipe drew criticism early on, it is barely noticeable compared with the homely back end of the Mercedes C-Class coupe, which looks like Daimler raided the Saturn parts bin, or the large bustle of the Lexus SC 430, for which styling is compromised to accommodate the retractable hardtop.)
Most noticeable here are the larger 17-inch wheels--or the optional 18s--which show off bright-red brake calipers. There is also the red “S” trunk badge, plus a rear spoiler that rises at 75 mph to decrease axle lift.
The interior is smartly laid out: ignition key on the left, in classic Porsche fashion, and simple gauge cluster with tach in the middle. Instead of a glove box, it has large, albeit unlockable, compartments in each door. The S has somewhat more styling glitz than the basic Boxster in the form of aluminum-look trim on the gauges and door handles.
Though all of this is nearly posh when compared with sports cars from as recently as 10 years ago, the relative sparseness of the cockpit is a refreshing change from the overload of buttons and displays often seen in cars priced more than $50,000.
Excellent seats and steering wheel are combined with proper sport pedals and a somewhat longer-than-expected throw to the shifter. Still, gear changes were smooth, and the clutch didn’t require a running back’s left leg to depress.
All of this simplicity would be admirable in and of itself--call it anti-eye candy--were it not also the means by which the car connects driver and road.
With top down on a pleasant fall day, the Boxster S proved itself more than up to the challenge during a recent test drive along the Pacific Coast Highway south of Monterey.
Whether slicing through the foggy stretches near Big Sur or in full sun in the flatter, straighter section near Hearst Castle, the car was as pleasurable in cruise mode as it was during more spirited driving in the twisty parts. From S curves to downhill, first-gear hairpins to long sweeping corners east of Cholame, there wasn’t a handling riddle the S couldn’t help the driver solve.
Indeed, all aspects of performance inspired confidence. This is a car for which the limits probably cannot be reached during safe driving on public highways.
Back in the city, the Boxster S has good driving manners and enough storage in its two trunks to be a guilty pleasure as an everyday car. Operation of the power top is a snap. The only flaw is that the cup holders, otherwise a marvel of engineering, are unsuitable for anything larger than a double espresso; still, it is a feature absent from the 911 Turbo, in which serious G-force acceleration and hot liquids would be a bad mix.
For the money, you can buy a faster car, such as the BMW M3 or the Chevrolet Corvette, or the slower but more luxe Lexus SC 430. But the S has an excellent balance of power, handling, braking and comfort without disconnection from the road.
All in all, the Boxster S possesses the most important sports car characteristic: the ability to put a smile on your face.
Robert Beamesderfer is Highway 1’s news editor. He can be reached at bob.beamesderfer@latimes.com.
