2009 Porsche Boxster

PDK transmission gives Porsche’s roadster extra boost

By Nina Russin

2009 Porsche Boxster

The Porsche Boxster parked in our driveway conjures up images of James Dean as photographed by Sanford Roth, at the wheel of his Porsche 550 Spyder: the one he called the “Little Bastard.” The famous actor undoubtedly knew of the car’s reputation in Europe, where it had just come off winning performances at LeMans.

The name, Boxster, refers to Porsche’s horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine: its configuration resembles a boxer. The original Boxster, released in the late 1990s,was the first Porsche since the Spyder designed specifically as a roadster. It was also Porsche’s most affordable sports car: the Boxster drew legions of fans who couldn’t afford the pricier 911, into the showroom.

Porsche introduced the second-generation Boxster in 2008 for the ’09 model year. The new car remains true to its original mission: powered by a 255-horsepower flat six-cylinder engine. The engine’s midship placement gives the pint-sized roadster a surprising amount of cargo space: with storage areas to the front and rear of the passenger compartment. Read the rest of this entry »