THE GOOD 12 v2.0 FOR 2009 - Part X

PORSCHE BOXSTER

Ignore anybody who suggests that the Boxster now appears soft in light of the rawer, hardcore Cayman. Boxsters don't crinkle up over railroad tracks, the rearview mirror doesn't jiggle when the door slams shut, and every day of a Boxster's life is spent convincing its owner that, "Yes, I was carved from a single block of granite".

Porsche's most inexpensive convertible is a roadster that doesn't skimp on pristine dynamic qualities. What's more, the Boxster was a best-in-class car last year that took home a Good 12 spot and Porsche still determined that improvement was needed. Boxsters are now available with the PDK transmission, probably stripping away some of the sweet manual tranny's fun and interaction while, at the same time, providing lightning-fast shifts with ease. Oh, and there's more horsepower than ever. Oh again, the enlarged and more powerful engines use less fuel.

Every other car on The Good 12 v2.0 is a worthy vehicle, but none of the others will match the Boxster's intensity and not one will solicit such intensity from their driver. All of this, of course, is done in comfort and luxury and at some expense. Boxster owners never doubt that paying such a high price was worth it, however.

-----

Engines: 255 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque from a 2.9L boxer-six or 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque from a 3.4L boxer-six

City Mileage: est. 19-21 mpg

Base USD Price: $46,600

Anything Else? Be willing to make small sacrifices in the name of PDK. The double-clutch gearbox adds 55 or 66 pounds and knocks the top speed down by 1mph.