2005 Porsche Boxster S Program #2427

The Porsche Boxster has a well-earned reputation as a superb sports car, and this second generation 2005 Boxster S adds even more to that performance resume. But to really appreciate this car, you have to get away from everyday distractions of stop lights and radar guns and really wind it out, and we know just the place to do it.

Fast laps around one of our favorite race tracks, Savannah Georgia’s challenging Roebling Road Raceway. That’s where we took this spanking new 2005 Porsche Boxster S to really test the latest changes made to Porsche’s most popular roadster. And things are different. It has received significant upgrades with nearly 80 percent of the Boxster getting a nip here and a tuck there.

Of course serious Porsche fans are most concerned with what’s under the skin. The 2005 Boxster S is powered by a 3.2 liter dual overhead cam flat six that pumps out 280 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. That’s 22 more than the previous Boxster S and 40 more than the standard Boxster. The 911 sophisticated Sports Chrono package, with its sharper throttle mapping, is available as an option. Besides more power, the Boxster S gets a new 6-speed manual transmission with stronger synchros and shorter lever travel. Porsche’s Tiptronic 5-speed automatic is an option.

With the standard manual, our test car hit 60 in 5.1-seconds. A half second quicker than the previous ‘‘S’‘. The quarter mile also flies by in 13.7 seconds, at 102 miles-per-hour. The increased power and quicker throttle response are especially noticeable when exiting fast corners. Engine speed builds in a faster, more linear fashion. There are no steps in the power band, just a steady flow. This car absolutely loves to rev and pulls hard to just about 500 RPM shy of the 7,200 RPM red-line. Engine characteristics that the lighter, more precise, shifter allows you to fully exploit.

The MacPherson strut suspension is firmer, with new lightweight aluminum control arms. And the electronic Porsche Stability Management system is now standard. Standard wheels are 18-inchers, but our wells were filled with $1,550 worth of optional five-spoke 19’s wearing sticky Michelin Pilot Sport tires.

On track, our MotorWeek crew was suitably impressed with the car’s flat attitude even through the tightest turns. And the new variable speed rack-and-pinion steering provided excellent feedback and control. They also sang the praises of the Boxster’s stability, a more balanced feel with a low tendency to oversteer, and generally improved grip. The superb chassis feel inspires confidence, making the S very easy to drive at high speeds.

Porsche has long been known for the ferocity of its braking systems. The 2005 Boxster S continues that tradition with larger ABS-equipped cross-drilled discs, gripped by red-painted 4-piston monobloc calipers. Porsche also offers motor-sports-derived Ceramic Composite brakes as an option. Fortunately, our test car’s standard stoppers were more than equal to the task. Stops from 60 averaged a fine 122 feet, while high speed work delivered plenty of bite, excellent feedback, and a minimum of fade.

But while the winds of change have hit the mechanical bits pretty hard, they’ve reshaped the interior and exterior as well. The more aggressive Boxster S body gets a reshaped nose with larger air intakes and new single oval headlights. Porsche designers also tweaked the rear end. New taillights and new rear bumper are further accented by the extended rear spoiler and newly designed twin tail pipes.

Inside, the Boxster’s cabin has been totally revamped with a more conservative shaped dash and new center console adopted from the 911 Carrera S. Aluminum-look trim and leather sweep the cabin of the S with round, chrome-ringed air vents to complete the racy look. Gauges are substantial with the tach placed dead center and there’s even more room for the optional Nav. System with a sports-car large 5.8-inch screen. For serious audio fans, a Bose digital Surround Sound system with satellite steering wheel controls is now available.

Porsche is also serious about safety, so the S gets six airbags including front, side-impact and the first head airbags in the roadster segment. Stouter safety bars behind the seats add to rollover protection as well, which allows you to really enjoy the power drop-top, which can be operated at speeds up to 31 miles-per-hour. And though the multi-layer top insulates well against wind rush and road noise, we prefer to open it up and listen to the engine sing.

So, the sum of the changes made to the Boxster S result in an even more impressive sports car, which, all things considered, still carries an impressively reasonable price. A 2005 Boxster S will cost you $53,895. And even with our $5,000 in options, our test car is still 20-grand less than a 911 Cabriolet.

Now we know that’s still a lot of dough to roll for most folks, but for Porsche fanatics the 2005 Boxster S is a real deal. One that’s even faster, finer and yes, while we really didn’t think it was possible, even more superb than before.