I’m currently renting out a 981 Boxster S for 3 days and I gotta say it’s an amazing car to drive. The car has 100k miles on it, and the interior looks beat but the way it drives and the willingness to turn is just amazing.
I rented this car out to get the feel of a faster car, I’m hoping to acquire a 718 S/GTS or a 991S in the future.
Question for all: Does the handling get better with higher models? Or is the car just faster & same handling?
I doubt you can notice much difference street driving, since it’s lunacy to approach the car’s capacity on the road. Straight line horse power excepting.
On the track, yes, higher trims, later models will out perform.
And tires. Tires and driver skill are often more limiting than the car.
Has the suspension been refreshed after 100k? Handling might get better with some fresh bits as well. Higher trims also come with better suspension bits, not just power.
Handling can be impacted by many factors. If all is equal (tyres, suspension…) The steering feel should be similar since its electric power assisted steering. All the Porsches from factory are tuned to be capable of “handling” the power they have.
If it has 100k miles and the shocks and bushings have never been replaced, it could feel a little looser and sloppier than one with newer bushings and shocks. There are 3 tiers of suspension. Regular fixed shocks, and then PASM, and Sport PASM. PASM has electronic adjustable shocks and lowers ride height by 10mm. Sport PASM has the same electronic adjustable shocks, 20 mm lowered ride height, stiffer springs, and stiffer anti-roll bars. Sport PASM being the most sporty and aggressive.
If you drove one with Sport PASM, then the only 981 that would handle better is the Cayman GT4. The GTS has Sport PASM as standard, but it is identical to what you can option on the S trim.
It depends on what you want to experience while driving. If you want to feel the road fully and have fun like you’re driving a go-kart, then you should go for an early, manual 986. I tried several sport cars and didn’t find anything that gave me the same feeling of freedom and handling. On the other hand, if you want to be more comfortable and electronically assisted, go for a newer model. In the end it really depends on what you like and your driving style. Hope to see your purchase soon!😉
You are asking the wrong question. The real question is “at my level of driving skill am I able to discern a handling difference from a 1999 base Boxster and a new GT3 RS? (Presuming you have no track experience).
In my 2002 Boxster S, with only suspension mods, I regularly left “Advanced drivers” from other parts of the country in the dust at Sebring raceway at winter track events they attended. The difference being it’s my home track. I have thousands of laps there over past couple decades, and they are experienced at other tracks but unfamiliar with Sebring.
My point is that Boxster has all the handling capability you will ever need or be able to realize safely in a street scenario. So buy a newer, “better” Porsche for other reasons, but not for handling reasons.