2008 Porsche Boxster S Trim Overview

The Porsche Boxster is a favorite among two-seat sports-car aficionados. When Porsche added the S to the Boxster, it only intensified the praise for this impressive mid-engined roadster.

The heart of the S is last year's Cayman S engine. Until 2002, this engine was "almost" a 911 series engine; the 911's had a higher compression ratio, giving it 300 horsepower. This Boxster S engine is a 3.4-liter flat six with Porsche's VarioCam Plus system, producing 295 hp. While Porsche says the Boxster will get from 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds, Car and Driver did it in 4.9 seconds in a 2007 model. Top speed was an observed 169 mph "with a slightly more baritone exhaust note" when compared to the previous 3.2-liter Boxster S engine. The EPA estimates city/highway mileage at 20/28 mpg, with an average of 22 mpg.

The S is outfitted with another piece of equipment borrowed from the Cayman - the six-speed manual transmission, which has shorter first and second gears to give the roadster quite a punch when launched. An improved Tiptronic automatic transmission is also available. Some reviewers found it hard to choose between the two transmissions, but one reviewer noted that the automatic no longer offers "manual" shifting via the shift lever.

The S's ride is firm but comfortable, even over uneven pavement sections, and the steering capably transmits road irregularities to keep the driver precisely informed about the car-road connection. And the Boxster S does connect, so well that you can forget about drifting - the car is just too grippy. There's little doubt among aficionados and reviewers that the key here is the Boxster's mid-engine layout. Add to it an impeccable braking system, and you round out a great sports car.

But the S isn't just a great-handling sports car. It can also handle passengers and their cargo in a style unfamiliar to other contemporary two-seaters. With the mid-engine layout, there's plenty of room in the cockpit and plenty of amenities to keep driver and passenger engaged. Along with the record-setting convertible top (12 seconds from a roof over your head to topless), the Boxster offers enough cargo space for two on an extended road trip. Happy trails!