The first examples of the Porsche 718 GTS 4.0 have begun arriving in the UK - it's a miracle that the ship bringing them didn't sink, really, given the weight of expectation on the Boxsters and Caymans aboard. Because, in case you hadn't heard, a flat-six is back in the middle of a non-GT, mid-engined Porsche sports car, and the world can continue turning again. It replaces the old four-cylinder in the GTS, an engine you'd think was fuelled by the tears of abandoned puppies given how some responded to it.
Of course the old 2.5-litre turbo was never going to capture the hearts and minds like a big-capacity six, but it wasn't without merit. Not only did its response make all other forced induction, small-capacity engines look a bit asthmatic, the additional torque woke up a 981/718 chassis that could - whisper it - sometimes feel a bit too composed for its own good in naturally aspirated format.
Which means the new 4.0-litre cars have something to prove. Because not only must they replace the turbo GTS that, whatever the detractors want to say, was very good to drive, they must be as good as the old 3.4-litre GTS 981s, since that's where the comparisons will begin. Which is quite some bar, especially in a WLTP world which has wreaked havoc on exhaust noise, and with the 4.0-litre perhaps not having received quite as rapturous a reception as some of previous flat-sixes.
Back at the 2012 launch of the 981 Boxster discussion of a four-cylinder engine was nothing more than that - discussion. It might happen, it might not. At the time the Boxster had been six-cylinder for the 15 years - why change what's worked so well? It'll come as little surprise that the 315hp Boxster S was favourably received on launch: lighter, stiffer, more powerful and better looking than ever, it was described as "possibly the most complete open-top sports car ever made, and it is possibly the best car Porsche currently produces". Electric steering notwithstanding, the 981 was a resounding success. Which you may have read about in the past few years...
Now, excitingly, the six-cylinder 981 experience is available for less than £30k. Which, given how much is shared between 981 and 718, looks like a good way of solving any GTS 4.0 FOMO issues you might be having. This is a Boxster S, well worth having over the 265hp standard car, and notable for more than just its Racing Yellow paint; it's been specced with Porsche Torque Vectoring and the limited-slip diff, PASM, the sports exhaust and the Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts. With a manual gearbox as well, it's real driver's spec, which makes more sense a little further down the spec sheet...
'741 Launch Model Vehicle for Press', it reads, which will be enough to put the fear of God into some. And if you search around, there are pictures of a Racing Yellow Boxster back in 2012 being used in what might be termed an 'enthusiastic' manner. Of course the flip side, and the way to allay a lot of fears, is to know that press cars are maintained better than any other during their time with the manufacturer; since it left the Porsche fleet, this was has only been serviced at Official Porsche Centres, with the most recent done in June, and isn't due another until 2022. Just as relevantly, the Boxster S still looks as good as it would have at the time of the London Olympics; it would take a keener eye than ours to spot more than 70,000 miles of use.
Yep, really, the odo currently reads 73,700, which is a chunk more than pretty much every other 981 Boxster S currently available. And prospective buyers are spoilt for choice at a little more money when it comes to nicely specced, lower mileage Boxsters. That said, it's very unlikely that many other manuals will come with quite such a list of extras fitted, which should hold its own appeal, and being a little bit of Porsche GB history is a talking point as well. Even without the additional power of the new 4.0-litre, it looks about as good as six-cylinder Boxster motoring gets.
SPECIFICATION | PORSCHE BOXSTER S (981)
Engine: 3,463cc flat-six
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 315@6,700rpm
Torque (lb ft): 265@4,800rpm
MPG: 32.1 (NEDC)
CO2: 206g/km
Year registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 74,000
Price new: £45,384 (before options)
Yours for: £29,500
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