Jeremy Clarkson famously used to say back in the day that if you can afford a new Porsche Boxster, then your life is very good, but not perfect, as it’s not a 911 after all.
That saying still applies to the base variant of the open-top sports car, but not when it comes to the GTS or Spyder. Why is that? Simply because these cars, along with the Cayman GT4, pack the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine, instead of the 361 horsepower 2.5-liter flat-four of their predecessors.
Video: Watch The New Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder Hit 190 MPH (306 km/h)
Making 394 HP (399 PS / 294 kW) and 309 lb-ft (418 Nm) of torque in the 718 Boxster GTS, it’s hooked up to a six-speed stick shift and will rocket the sports car to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.3 seconds and up to a top speed of 182 mph (293 km/h). Other highlights include the PASM adjustable sport suspension, Sport Chrono Package and Porsche Torque Vectoring with mechanical limited-slip differential, as well as beefier brakes with optional carbon ceramic discs available.
The 718 Boxster GTS will go like crazy over 3,000 rpm and is an adrenaline shot on wheels at over 6,000 rpm. Add the great noise produced by the flat-six positioned behind the seats and the roof that can be lowered at the push of a button, as well as the nicely-tuned chassis that won’t constantly bounce you around, and you have the recipe for a great sports car. It costs almost €84,000 ($91,000) in Germany and under £66,000 ($85,955) in the UK, and it’s worth every penny, apparently.