Porsche 718 Boxster review – performance and 0-60
Even the meekest Boxster almost slips under 5.0sec to 62mph
Looking at the whole engine situation objectively, performance from both 2-litre and 2.5-litre engines is above and beyond what the former naturally aspirated flat-sixes could manage.
The growth in torque is what’s most apparent, so while peak power of both engines is hit at a high 6500rpm, peak torque is available at just 1950rpm, speaking volumes as to how the new engines feel on the road. Combined with kerb weights as low as 1335kg, it makes no Boxster feel undernourished in performance terms, which is something low-specification six-cylinder Boxsters could.
As a result, 718 Boxsters have the sort of in-gear punch the old cars could only dream of. The respective performance figures reflect this as the standard Boxster will hit 62mph in just 5.1sec (4.9 with PDK), while the S will complete the same feat in just 4.6sec (4.4 PDK). Sport Chrono-equipped PDK cars drop these figures by a further 0.2 of a second thanks to an included launch function.
Flat-six models aren’t actually that much more well endowed than the four-pots, as while they have 394bhp, torque is no stronger than in the standard S, and when combined with a peakier delivery and extra weight, makes the GTS only 0.2sec quicker when equipped with the equivalent transmission.
The contrast between them is all in the delivery, though, because as mentioned, while no Boxster feels sluggish the crescendo of the GTS’s 4-litre makes it by far the more dynamic engine. The flat-four by comparison feels asthmatic, as while torque is strong from low in the rev range, the throttle still needs to be wide open for quite a stretch of time before the turbos give their all. Until then turbo lag is an issue, leaving you with only flat-four flatulence, which is more air-cooled Beetle than Subaru EJ20.
