In the 1950s and the mid 1960s the Porsche Spyder 550 and 718 caused something of a sensation in the motorsport world with a series of victories despite being powered by small four-cylinder flat engines, seeing off rivals with considerably more muscle power.
Fast forward to today and the 718 has been reborn in the form of what is, arguably, the best Porsche Boxster ever built and, like those cars of yesteryear, it is also powered by a four-cylinder flat engine.
Twenty years after the first Porsche Boxster, the new generation carries the 718 designation with an entry model and the S version which, I can honestly say, is a fitting tribute to those automotive icons of a glorious motoring past and is a sensational roadster.
Apart from a few minor details including the roof and windscreen, the 718 Boxster S has been totally revamped, with a newly developed four-cylinder turbo engine, a retuned chassis, more powerful brakes, slightly redesigned interior and a huge helping of smile inducing passion.
Porsche have effectively ditched the Flat Six engine that has served them so well over the years in line with the current ‘less means more’ vogue with turbocharged powerplants offering the important combination of additional power and efficiency. And the engine in this new Boxster certainly ticks all the boxes when it comes to a sporty performance, although the noise you get is not quite as audibly satisfying as the far more aggressive growl you get from a six-cylinder engine.
But life moves on and the 718 Boxster has a distinctive soundtrack of its own, thanks to a newly developed sports exhaust system, which I guarantee you will like.
Our test car, which I think you will agree looks terrific in this deliciously named Lava Orange colour with optional 20-inch black Carrera S wheels, was equipped with a 2.5-litre flat-four with 350bhp and torque of 420nm.
It has 35bhp more than its predecessor and Porsche say its fuel efficiency is 13 per cent better. The torque improvement is 60nm, the greatest gain in the history of the Boxster.
It puts the power down to the rear wheels via a seven-speed PDK gearbox with paddle-shifters to spice things up a bit, and a Sport Chrono package which gives it a 0-100kmh time of 4.2 seconds, making it 0.6 seconds faster than the previous model and if you keep pedal to metal it will reach a top speed of 285kmh.
The exterior changes are subtle but effective. The front is more sculptured giving it a wider and more aggressive appearance with deeper air intakes and has new bi-xenon headlights and integrated LED daytime running lights.
There are newly designed wings and side-sills and the back has been reworked with the Porsche accent strip which runs between the tail-lights and 718 badge below it.
The car looks great with the roof up but is best driven with it down and it takes just less than 10 seconds for it to fold neatly away behind the seats leaving you sitting in a stunning looking car that is just gagging to be driven enthusiastically when it really comes alive.
One of the major changes in this Boxster S is that the drive mode controller has been moved off the centre consol and onto the steering wheel where you can choose between Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual where you set the car up to your own liking.
You won’t be surprised to hear that my favourite mode is Sport Plus, when the 718 hunkers down to deliver it maximum perform ance and driven at speed you discover just how incredibly agile this machine is.
Earlier this year, I actually drove a 718 Boxster S on Yas Marina Formula One circuit just minutes after putting an entry level Porsche 911 through its paces on the same section of track and it was far more impressive when it came to dealing with technical corners at speed.
There is also a Sport Response Button in the middle of the circular drive mode selector which when pushed gives you a power boost for around 20 seconds which is quite useful if you have to see off a fool who might be trying to race you.
This is strictly a two seater and there is zero room behind the driver and passenger. However the boot is reasonably roomy and there is storage space under the bonnet.
I have driven Porsche Boxsters many times and have always enjoyed them but this 718 Boxster S which has sort of gone back to the future has raised the bar.
It is fantastic fun to drive, looks great, handles superbly, sounds good, and as a mid-engined, convertible, sports car, I really can’t think of anything to beat it.
