Chris Harris Drives: the Porsche 718 Boxster

[Cheib]

Porsche911R said:

go ask an OPC how many they have sold, and go look at stock, which looks like orders but is stock, each OPC will order 3 caymans and 3 boxsters at least, x 35 dealers that's 210 ordered, but I asked how many boxsters one OPC had sold in the last 5 months and they said 3 !!!!

sales are up due to Macans not 718's

My local OPC has sold all the Cayman's and Boxster's it has allocated to it this year....the sales guy showed me their unsold cars for the rest of the year a couple of weeks ago. Two 911's and a few Cayenne's left to sell. Quite surprised but some are getting sold...

Dealers must surely have been selling them though ? They just don't have the financial ability to stockpile unsold cars and they have to take their allocation. I haven't been watching the market but surely we'd be seeing forum posts of people getting offered discounts on 718's.

Any road no doubt the six cylinder will be the one to have for a looong time!

[flatboy]

I own a 718 2L and a GT4. I also have a lot of old Porsches going back to '65 2L
Strange thing with the car is that it sounds better outside than in! Of course this depends whether you come to the party liking flat 4s..... I have a 356, so I guess that's a given

Sooo after driving it around the continent and through two excellent Swiss passes I love it. It is a big improvement dynamically, visually and internally with great up to date controls and iCE. It is the car I reach for usually with the hood down.... go figure! It is also very quick cross country.

Just to give my entry a bit of cred.... I have also owned 964 3.8RSR, many GT3s and 4.0L.

I still love thrashing my mates 2.7 Cayman as well. What I am saying is they are all great and I think the new one is selling as well as ever.

Vive la difference!

[Evolved]

AndyCGTS said:

I'm not fussed if it goes up or down to be honest, as I didn't buy the car expecting it to maintain it's value.

However, it's only truly worth what someone is willing to pay for it. As well, you can't predict when its all going to crash much like the housing market, if you can what are the numbers for this weeks lottery.

Edited by AndyCGTS on Saturday 22 October 20:02

Wasn't implying you had, sorry if it came across that way. I was simply referring to the craziness that's happening in the U.K. with regard used car prices. It's across the board and will only end one way, though when that'll be is anyone's guess.

I'd take a punt on a house over a car though any day of the week.

[dreamcar]

Phooey said:

If you're talking brand new cars, the choice is very limited. Otherwise, the cheapest PDK 991.1C2S (60k?) I could find would be my pick. BMW M cars are stuck with the same problem now they've gone turbo too. C63s (in coupe form) is tempting as at least it looks AND sounds good. Audi's don't do it for me, apart from the new R8 v10+ and then you're into 110k.

If used, and I could justify spending circa £90k then a 991 Carrera GTS would fit the bill nicely! Above £100k then yes the Audi R8 V10 Plus and of course at that money a 991 GT3 worth a look at.

[DJMC]

3:58 - 4:30 - Steering not as accurate, even with "slippy diff".

[Mike Brown]

Chris is spot on, that's why I will keep my boxster s 987, and I tried the 718 s, it's to refined., and soullless

[g7jhp]

The Mean Machine said:

If you have a N/A Cayman/Boxster already I can see the attraction of the 6 cylinder engine but if like me you are buying new then you simply have to move with the times or buy an F type/ M2.

Why do you have to move with the times?

Surely if you don't have a 981 you can buy a used 981 or new 718.

You decide what works for you.

You might even decide you want a prehistoric SC, 3.2 or 964!

[Tim bo]

Porsche911R said:

and no ones buying them !!

great for flat 6 owners and prices.

Pinball said:

According to Porsche, the 718 is selling better than its predecessor.

Bad news for flat 6 owners and prices

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/company/porsche-de...

Wish this weren't true. Have spent the week ringing around, and had covered over 20 dealers by friday trying to find a build slot, as my own OPC with whom I made a downpayment can't guarantee my build will be this year.

All allocations of the 718 S are taken up at every dealer I've tried thus far.

Whoever said no one is buying them is demonstrably incorrect. They seem to be selling like hot cakes.

Edited by Tim bo on Sunday 23 October 08:27

[Maxym]

Are they selling in big numbers or can Porsche only supply them in small numbers? Anything to do with getting manufacture in Stuttgart (only) up and running or shipping them elsewhere in preference to the UK?

[dreamcar]

Mike Brown said:

Chris is spot on, that's why I will keep my boxster s 987, and I tried the 718 s, it's to refined., and soullless

I wouldn't have called the 718 refined - not with that uncouth racket out the back - 981 and 987 more refined with the smooth sophisticated flat six.

[Tim bo]

Maxym said:

Are they selling in big numbers or can Porsche only supply them in small numbers? Anything to do with getting manufacture in Stuttgart (only) up and running or shipping them elsewhere in preference to the UK?

Am certainly no expert in Porsche's production policies for new models, but I'd imagine the production numbers start quite small, with production ramped up further into the model's lifecycle depending on global uptake?

All I know is, I haven't found another allocation slot anywhere in the UK so far.

[Taffy66]

Lets all calm down and put everything into context!.I sat next to Chris at a dinner function about 14 years ago and the entire conversation revolved around Porsches and i can testify to the fact he's a true petrolhead and articulated in his views.However he is a highly successful auto journalist who's main aim is to create controversy and instigate a wider debate amongst his readers regards the pros and cons of cars he has driven.
Cast your mind back into the not too distant past where in one of his videos he was highly critical of the lethargic real world performance of the 981 Cayman 2.7 manual due to its severe lack of low and mid range torque exasperated by the high gearing which seems to have been solved in the new 718 2l manual.I'm going down to Cardiff this Tuesday and going to drive the 718 and being a GT4 owner will be able to be impartial in my views and will report back to you mid week,au revoir!.

Edited by Taffy66 on Sunday 23 October 10:02

[Sparkyhd]

Taffy66 said:

.I'm going down to Cardiff this Tuesday and going to drive the 718 and being a GT4 owner will be able to be impartial in my views and will report back to you mid week,au revoir!.

Does anyone on the planet have impartial views about anything?

[nickfrog]

DJMC said:

3:58 - 4:30 - Steering not as accurate, even with "slippy diff".

I would have thought the LSD would make matters worse, not better. The added traction might just make the front end the weakest link earlier than without and therefore lower front end adhesion / feel.

[RSVP911]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Surely this whole engine debate is a moot point - no-one at Porsche would have wanted to change the engine from a flat 6 NA to a 4 pot turbo : this is driven by emission regs. They must hate the fact the car is running on a 4 pot Turbo - as such, anyone buying one is compromising IMHO -

[Taffy66]

I think i've heard a rumour that a certain gentleman who goes by the name of Jeremy Clarkson who apparently has made a multimillion pound fortune in the transition from paper journalism to TV journalism will totally agree with my definition rather than yours.Chris Harris has done the exact same transition and it is creating controvesy which separates this type of ambitious celebrity type journalists to the more mundane type.
The same principle applies to celebrity chefs as Gordon Ramsey will testify to,the magic ingredient is the term AMBITIOUS CELEBRITY TYPE.
Regards the comment about a GT4 owner being impartial i take the view IF during the 718 testdrive i'm impressed having jumped straight out've a GT4 then the 718 is not as bad as some people's perception who have never driven it is.Don't believe everything you read is gospel and if i'm not impressed i will report accordingly.

Edited by Taffy66 on Sunday 23 October 13:26

Edited by Taffy66 on Sunday 23 October 13:31

[red997]

RSVP911 said:

Surely this whole engine debate is a moot point - no-one at Porsche would have wanted to change the engine from a flat 6 NA to a 4 pot turbo : this is driven by emission regs. They must hate the fact the car is running on a 4 pot Turbo - as such, anyone buying one is compromising IMHO -

I was talking to someone at Porsche re this yesterday - and you are exactly correct;
they don't like it, we don't like it ;
the tree huggers like it.

[Sparkyhd]

Maybe those who really understand what makes Porsche special could run some training courses to help educate those less fortunate?

[nickfrog]

red997 said:

I was talking to someone at Porsche re this yesterday - and you are exactly correct;
they don't like it, we don't like it ;
the tree huggers like it.

I an sure it's at the top of their shopping list.

[nickfrog]

Sparkyhd said:

Maybe those who really understand what makes Porsche special could run some training courses to help educate those less fortunate?

They certainly couldn't bundle it with a course in humility. Or concision.