Recent inclement weather has highlighted the more practical aspects of Boxster ownership, including a proper heated glass rear screen together with heated washers and mirrors. When the sun does shine, the climate control and fast, easy-to-use hood, coupled with heated seats and highly-effective rear wind deflector, mean I still enjoy open-top motoring for a surprisingly high percentage of journeys. Mind you, the arrival of wet and gloopy road conditions have also thrown up the one and only problem with the S to date.

As I mentioned last month, if I leave the car parked up for more than a few days the pads seize on the discs, leading to a small lurch and accompanying disconcerting crunch on moving for the first time. The brakes then sound pretty horrid and work at what feels like 50 per cent efficiency for the first few applications until the discs are cleared of the rust that seems to be the cause of the problem. My dealer - Porsche Centre Exeter, which is probably one of the friendliest, helpful and most enthusiastic dealers I've dealt with - confirmed that this is a common Boxster problem with no known cure. As problems go, its more akin to finding a small gnat doing the breaststroke in your beer as opposed to a belligerent wasp, but a niggle nevertheless.

I thought that the Boxster's gorgeous flat six had loosened quite nicely at around 4000 miles but interestingly, as the odometer crept over the 8000 mark, the S seems to have acquired an extra few bhp, becoming even more responsive and definitely feeling quicker. The exhaust note seems to have become even more melodious too and I'm certainly not complaining.

Winter conditions have also revealed what must be simultaneously one of the most benign but fun mid-engined set-ups in existence. Switched on, the subtle PSM system allows small but satisfying and virtually self-correcting slides. PSM off and once the deep reserves of grip and traction are broken, larger slides and more fun are the order of the day but still within a progressive and controllable package. In the dry, getting the S to relinquish its grip is quite a struggle really. I guess more power would do it - a common Boxster owners' plea. Is there anyone out there who can help?