Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 (2020 - 2025) review – one of the all-time great sports cars is dead
The Boxster GTS 4.0 was among the best of Porsche’s petrol 718 models, which are sadly no more
There’s something pure about the six-cylinder Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 in 2025. In today’s era of hybrids, all-wheel-drive systems and turbocharging it remains a constant, the fundamental recipe barely changing since the 986-generation Boxster arrived almost three decades ago. Like the original it still utilises a lightweight mixed-metal chassis, with a flat-six engine mounted behind the driver but ahead of the rear axle. The cabin is compact, with two seats and what remains one of the neatest folding fabric roofs in the business, plus it still has room at both ends for luggage.
There’s still a choice of manual or auto gearboxes too, although in place of the original’s five-speed manual and Tiptronic units you’ll find either a six-speed manual or seven-speed PDK dual-clutch. In the 718 GTS, these familiar Boxster ingredients have been polished and refined and the numbers are much more serious, but at its heart it remains everything the original always was – a near-as-dammit perfect sports car.
But that hasn’t always been the case with the 718, which launched in 2016 as a heavy revision of the 981 that came before it. There were updates to the design, interior and chassis, but the controversial bit was the introduction of new, downsized flat-four engines, which were – and remain – nowhere near as sonorous or exciting as the old flat-sixes. The GTS 4.0 arrived to rectify that and did so in some style, completing the package with a 4-litre naturally aspirated flat-six. It’s what the 718 always should’ve been, but having been on sale for five years its time has come to an end. The 718 platform isn’t compatible with new EU cybersecurity regulations and is being phased out to make way for an electric replacement, with Porsche only offering new cars from dealer stock. That makes the GTS potentially the last of its kind, and a sports car to savour.
Engine, gearbox and technical highlights
The flat-six GTS 4.0 joined the range in 2020, replacing a previous GTS that was powered by a turbocharged flat-four engine. Rather than using the GT department’s exotic and expensive high-revving flat-six, the GTS 4.0 instead uses the 911 Carrera’s turbocharged 3-litre unit as a base, with a series of changes unique to the 718 range. As well as the removal of the turbos, it’s heavily bored out, creating almost an extra full litre of swept capacity. In this instance it produces 394bhp at 7000rpm with a 7800rpm cut out, and has 310lb ft of torque. This is essentially the same powertrain as found in the more serious (and more compromised) Boxster Spyder, albeit with a little less power, but exactly the same torque.
PDK and manual gearboxes are offered, with the latter having identical gearing to the Spyder but a fractionally longer shift action. The outright performance of the Boxster GTS is all but identical to that of the Spyder too, with 0-62mph taking a claimed 4.5sec (Spyder 4.4sec). 0-100mph takes a whisker over nine seconds (Spyder a whisker under nine) while the top speed is 182mph (Spyder 187mph).
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The chassis gets the GTS treatment too. As standard it sits 20mm lower than lesser Boxsters on PASM adaptive dampers, with a Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) mechanical limited-slip diff and active drivetrain mounts to sharpen up the dynamics. There’s also a more lenient PSM Sport mode for the stability control, 20-inch light-alloy wheels and optional PCCB carbon ceramic brakes.
Driver’s note
‘The GTS is such a rounded package and makes you wonder how Porsche has pulled it off with what is essentially a 13-year-old platform. It delivers on every front, from the engine’s sound and delivery to the gearshift and poise of the chassis. It’s everything you want and expect a sports car to be.’ – Yousuf Ashraf, evo senior staff writer, who tested the Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 on the road in the UK.
Performance, ride and handling
In simple terms, the GTS is a Boxster with the correct engine, and that makes it an absolute delight. From the moment you move off you feel at home, all the controls feeling precise, nuanced and in sync. Compared to something like a Lotus Emira, the Boxster feels like it’s had more attention lavished on the details, making it more fluid and intuitive to drive. But don’t take that to mean it’s sterile. Switch up to its more aggressive modes, open the exhaust valves and the experience comes to life, with the engine taking on an angry, howling edge. It sounds absolutely fantastic, and with the roof in place the cabin is full of glorious, multi-layered tones from the flat-six. No Porsche this side of a GT3 sounds as good.
The GTS is seriously fast too, the delivery being full and rich through the mid-range – if not as forceful as the turbocharged BMW M2 from low down. With the PDK ‘box first gear is little more than a launch ratio, but given the closer relationship between second, third and fourth gears, there’s a far greater chance of repeatedly accessing the higher echelons of the GTS’s rev band than in the manual version, where letting the car bury deep into the upper reaches of third gear means travelling at well over the ton. The ramifications of which are obvious.
Of course, you can leave the PDK to its own devices and in normal mode it does the easy, sleepy, early-shift thing that you’d expect. It also does maximum attack in auto mode, but there’s no substitute for using the paddles and pulling crisp, clean shifts yourself. Of course, the manual is king when it comes to involvement. The slick action of the shifter and clutch (plus the neat auto-blip function) means you can snap through ratios for the hell of it and savour the reach and sound of the engine over and over again. It's a cracking drivetrain, the best of any car at this price (and most above).
The chassis is right up there too. It may not have the unique sense of delicacy and flow of an A110, but there's still fantastic depth to the GTS that makes it just as rewarding. You can aim it along with precise, clean lines, and there's enough compliance to work with tricky surfaces and keep the car settled. The body isn't as rigid as a Cayman and you do notice that through a little less clarity in its steering and reactions, but overall it's a car that welcomes you to test its abilities, and doesn't spring any surprises when you do. Grip is well balanced front to rear and there’s scope to adjust the balance with weight transfer, or with the throttle by overdriving the rear out of tight turns. It’s fun, predictable and feels like you can make a difference as a driver, more so than in the locked-down 992 Carrera.
That manifests itself at higher speeds on track, where the GTS can be driven neatly at the limit, just on the edge of sliding. It’s a supremely capable car but definitely feels biased towards the road, with softer edges and more weight transfer to manage than in a GT4. You absolutely won’t feel short changed in a GTS on the road, but on track, you might wish for the nailed-down precision of a GT product.
Driver’s note
‘I love the GTS as a road car, but on the high-speed, zero-margin Goodwood circuit I found it a little unsettling when searching for that last bit of speed. It could use more suspension support to control the weight behind you, and make it more stable on the way into Goodwood’s fast, undulating corners. Through the rest of the lap it was superb, though – finely adjustable and precise.’ – Yousuf Ashraf, evo senior staff writer, who tested the Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 around Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Interior and technology
Though it feels box-fresh to drive, the Boxster’s cabin is starting to show its age. In some ways that’s a good thing, because it’s not covered in screens and haptic touch panels, instead using Porsche’s old-gen cabin architecture with an array of physical buttons on the centre console and real climate control switches, all of which are tactile to operate. The PCM infotainment system hasn’t stood the test of time quite so well however, being quite basic in its graphics and functionality compared to modern systems.
Still, all the important bits are bang on, from the small thin-rimmed wheel to the low-set seat and the placement of the pedals. Go for the manual and the gear lever is set high on the centre console, just a handspan away from the wheel, and ahead you’ll find a classic set of physical instruments with the rev counter front and centre – so much more appealing than the fully digital dash you get in newer Porsches.
Living with it
Thump. It took me a moment to realise what had happened. I was just pulling away onto a roundabout after waiting for traffic to clear when I suddenly felt a hefty clout at the back of our Boxster GTS long-term test car; I’d been hit by a car behind.
The other driver was very apologetic: they’d been looking to the right to check the roundabout was clear, kept up momentum, and didn’t look ahead to see me until it was too late.
Apart from a nasty hole punched in the rear bumper, the Porsche was perfectly driveable, and apart from a damaged front bumper, so was the other driver’s SUV. I took down their details, we went our separate ways and I drove the Boxster carefully home in case there was any unseen damage.
Porsche GB arranged collection for the car to go into their workshop for inspection while I filled out the requisite insurance forms and drew the best artist’s impression I could in the ‘So what happened here then?’ box.
The impact was to the right-hand side of Boxster’s tail. I’d been keeping my fingers crossed that damage was limited to the rear bumper and diffuser, but with the engine and exhaust system towards the rear I feared complications; although the car sounded and felt fine on the drive back. We’re awaiting a damage report from Porsche but the latest we’ve heard is that there’s a chance there may be some chassis damage, so sadly the GTS is likely to be off the road for at least another month while checks and repairs continue.
Prior to the accident, a good few miles had been put on the Boxster on a trip up to the North York Moors, exploring some of the beautiful driving roads in God’s Own Country. Although the seven-speed PDK gearbox the Boxster comes with as standard is brilliantly smooth and snappy, and doesn’t detract overly from the driving experience, I’m really glad this car has the no-cost-option manual. It puts you far more in touch with the GTS’s delicious 4-litre flat-six, and I find myself more inclined to enjoy its full sweep of revs than I would with a pair of paddles behind the wheel.
The extra power and a little more torque from the bigger engine make the long ratios less of an issue than in lesser 718s, and the short-throw shift itself is so tactile I sometimes find myself changing gear just for the sake of it. There is one drawback: the clutch pedal has a long travel, and I need to set the seat a little closer to the wheel than I’d ideally like in order to get the pedal all the way down comfortably. In a PDK car, I’d be able to sit a little more naturally. I’ve got relatively long legs too, so it must be really annoying for shorter drivers. – James Taylor, evo issue 333
Price and rivals
Almost £80k sounds like a lot for a Boxster, but perhaps not when you consider that the GTS is one of the most rewarding sports cars available today. Available is a loose term, however, because Porsche is winding down sales of the 718 as it prepares its electric replacement, meaning the only new GTSs you can currently buy are from remaining dealer stock.
We’d get one while you can, though. It’s more polished than a Lotus Emira, more rounded than an Alpine A110 and has much greater poise and sensory thrills than a BMW M2. Even at £80k, there isn’t anything that can match it.
