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While the meteorologists announce the daily highs and lows of temperature, the sun worshippers rightly celebrate themselves as the rulers of their own climate zone: they discover cabriolet weather. It starts at 73 degrees Farenheit, low humidity and no wind. Sun worshippers are masters of controlled pleasure, and thanks to their natural aversion to even the smallest defects, they consciously make themselves dependent on the season. If you look behind the surface of any sun worshipper, you'll find a hardtop owner of the previous generation Porsche Boxster.
Reinvented from the ground up in 2005, the Boxster offers the sun worshipper unprecedented handling, performance, good looks, and improved build quality than the previous iteration that ran from 1997 to 2004. For 2007, performance is up to 245 horsepower for the Base model; and 295 horsepower for the S respectively while fuel efficiency is also improved to 20/29 mpg.
With a MSRP of $45,600 to $55,500, the 2007 Boxster is expensive costing higher than a BMW Z4 roadster, a Honda S2000 and the Mercedes-Benz SLK. However, one spin in the mid-engine phenomenon will make a devotee of any hard working sun seeker.
It’s impossible for any sun lover to drive the Porsche Boxster without a smile extended ear to ear. Prior to going on your test drive, we recommend applying sun screen with a factor of fifteen on your forehead and the bride of your nose. With the roof down, you’ll be inspired by the sights, sounds and thoughts you may not ordinarily experience in a close roof car.
Even with the roof up, the Boxster gives you the comfort and quietness of a coupe. In our test drive we sampled the tiptronic transmission rather than the six speed manual with overdrive. With the shift buttons placed on the steering wheel, the tiptronic is a delight to experience and in most city situations – a welcome relief from the push and pull of the clutch and gears.
Although the purists prefer the six speed shifter, the Boxster tiptronic is optimized to shift according to your driving patterns. For example, in simple auto mode, it will base its shift based on your driving input patterns of the last 50 miles. If you are driving easy, it will shift easy. If you are driving hard, it will hold the car in gear at a higher rpm to suit your style.
The major enhancement for the 2007 Boxster is the improvement in engines for both the Boxster and Boxster S. The placement of the engine being closer to the driver is readily audible than in the 911.
Porsche engineers have spent considerable time in wind tunnel tests to improve aerodynamics for better fuel efficiency, as well as on the sound stage to purify engine sound. The primal scream of the visceral air-cooled Porsche 993 it is not, but comes close. The raspy bark is heard the moment you turn the keys, and the improved muffler further intensifies the genuine sports car feel.
Porsche has also improved VarioCam, renaming it VarioCam Plus to promote intake valve timing and lift control. Due to this improvement, both 2.7 and 3.2-liter engines now have characteristically strong pulling power at both low and high rpm. Pulling is best experienced between 4,500 to 6,000 rpm. In terms of raw horsepower, the 2.7-liter has peak output at 245 horsepower capable of 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, and the 3.2-liter Boxster S can attain 0-60 in 5.1 seconds. Additionally, both cars can monitor tire pressure from within the cockpit.
In terms of design, there is no change from the 2006 model. However, the second generation Boxster has more curvature than its predecessor. The rear humps evoke athletic attributes, and the front columns have a livelier feel than the Porsche 986. The air inlet is also larger to accommodate cooling the engine during spirited driving. The front headlines have a distinct look.
The car looks distinguished on its own right, unlike before – when it looked more like the 996 when on the road. Made from high strength steel, the 2007 Porsche Boxster is also safer. New rivet technology makes it feel more structurally rigid than previous generation Boxsters. Standard features include: ABS, side air bags, air conditioning, and CD player.
Pleasure is always on the sunny side of life. The Boxster is a car conceived to satisfy the craving of the sun worshipper to get away from it all. Top-down driving works because it becomes an event; a kind of short vacation with a luxury factor of ten on a ten-point scale. When driving the 2007 Boxster, the sun worshipper looks to others like he or she is leading a parade-but that judgment isn't fair. All the sun worshipper is doing is escaping from the false pretense of time and place. Take a detour along the way to live in the moment.