DRIVEN + VIDEO: So, The New Porsche 718 Boxster Is Better, Overall, Over The Car It Replaces EXCEPT In One Area — Does It Matter?

One of the best sports cars on the market was the Porsche Boxster. It came with a six-cylinder motor, sounded like all hell breaking loose with a howling engine and, boy, it out handled everything on the road.

There's nothing quite like a mid-engined Porsche, boys and girls.

But, something's changed. No longer is the Boxster powered by a six-cylinder. In its revamped iteration, now dubbed the 718 Boxster, it is equipped with a four-cylinder Boxer mill.

Now it has more power and gets better efficiency over the Boxster it replaces. Overall, the reviewer piloting the vehicle says it is a better auto. BUT, there's one strike against it.

It doesn't have that great sound.

Does it matter? What say you?

Cassius Clay, The Rock, Arnie. They all successfully re-invented themselves after cult status, and now Porsche is trying to do the same with the 718 'Boxster'. Question is though, now the straight six is defunct, does the new four-pot have what it takes?

TauronB2G - 4/5/2016 7:10:01 AM

+1 Boost

I just don't like the new Boxster. I don't like the new front end and as I've said before I don't see me spending that much money on a 4 cylinder anything. I know Porsches have had great 4s in the past. But for 70-90k I want at least the 6.

MDarringer - 4/9/2016 11:12:38 AM

+1 Boost

A better move would have been to leave the Boxster/Cayman as is and to have developed a 922 below them at a lower price point to increase volume. Porsche expended a lot of effort in this version of the Boxster/Cayman, but for what?

mini22 - 4/5/2016 10:13:07 AM

+2 Boost

I've watched the 2 videos from "Auto Express" and "Auto Car". In both videos both journalists rave about the new better power and great handling that is improved over the previous versions. However both
are disappointed in both the engine noise and engine characteristics.
The sound is described as sort of in between the noise of a Subaru WRX and a Baja Bug. They both seem to indicate that the engine sound is better a low revs. Watching the videos I concur that the engine sounds like crap. In my opinion Porsche has destroyed one of the main joys of driving these cars. As a sports car of pedigree and great history it is inexcusable that it have an engine that sounds an acts so unsportscar like. You might as well put an all electric motor in it like a Tesla. The performance is there but there is no joy in listening to it on or off the track. I don't recall any engine in Porsche's history that sounded this bad. I include even the VW engine used in Porsche's original 924.It is absolutely amazing that an auto engineering company as astute as Porsche could put out an engine like this. Perhaps when Porsche first came out with the Boxster 20 years ago and debuted the 4 cylinder engine then it would have been an easier pill to swallow. Coming off the 4 cylinders of the 944 and 968 it would not have been such a stretch. However Porsche gave us the fabulous sounding N/A flat six that still sounded great even if water cooled. After 20 years to go to this is pathetic. Extra performance is always great. However it doesn't do you much good in day to day city driving. Further there are many car manufacturers that make better sounding engines for sportscar's. Time to look elsewhere or save your pennies for a GT4 or 911.

pcar4evr - 4/5/2016 11:17:40 AM

+1 Boost

The water cooled 911 turbos sound almost as bad. Porsche can't seem to find a way past vacuum cleaner sounds from their turbo cars. The aftermarket guys fixed that problem on the 911 turbos (for $5000+). The wail from the flat 6 at 5000+ RPM on my Cayman GTS, which came standard with the Porsche sport exhaust, is sportscar music.

mini22 - 4/5/2016 12:17:49 PM

+1 Boost

The new 911 for 2017 still sounds like a 911 but a bit muffled. The flat 4 however I'm not sure what it sounds like. Stating the benefits of greater fuel economy and improved performance Porsche might as well
have put an electric motor from a Tesla 3 in the engine bay. Frankly I would be amazed if a any previous flat six NA Porsche owner would want to buy these cars now. There are a lot of other car manufacturers that make better sounding turbo motors with better characteristics out on the market today. Giving a sportscar engine all this torque like a diesel at low RPMs is against what a sportscar is supposed to be about. Revving an engine and hearing a proper wail is one of the true joys of sports car driving. Porsche has completely taken this away with this engine.

ATrain - 4/9/2016 10:19:59 AM

+1 Boost

00R, it's a flat six that's gone, not a straight six... I know you know that. Just thought I'd point it out.

As for the other comments, we can lament all we want. There's more than 50 years of lamenting similar points... Water cooled; turbos; electric steering; whatever. In the end, the market is evolving and if you don't like it, vote with your dollars and see how quickly things change.

BTW, I agree with many of the comments. I'm not trying to challenge them but rather to offer a solution. Porsche listens very well for a large company. They will adapt, though hopefully not 'a la BMW' with radio-enhanced engine sounds... Yuk!

MDarringer - 4/9/2016 11:11:01 AM

+1 Boost

I find it hilarious that Porsche felt the Boxster/Cayman needed a renaming with a number that is utterly meaningless to even hardcore Porsche fans. Then fold in a lackluster restyling job. The engine change is neither here nor there because Porsche always does good engines.