Canadian Porsche 981 Event at Mosport Race Track

[Hawk]

So the good folks at Pfaff Porsche were kind enough to put on this test drive event at Mosport today. With two instructors from Porsche Canada, 8 new 981 Boxsters and a track + skidpad, we got a fun introduction to the car.

I'm not going to write a long-winded review. Suffice it to say the car is amazing.

Few key things:

1) The steering is a non-issue. I tried it back to back with my Cayman and could not feel a difference. If you can, you're a better man than me.

2) Pictures don't do the car justice. I'll go so far to say it doesn't photograph well. Just by moving up or down slightly you can get a totally different impression of it.

3) The stock exhaust is plenty loud.

Also, Launch Control is awesome. On a side note, I drove the 997.2 Turbo S with launch control at a track event last fall and the instructor laughed when I asked him about the durability of it. He said they'd run a diagnostic on that car and after travelling around the world to different Porsche events it had been launched 14,000 times without damage.

I love the Boxster so much I'm going to buy the hardtop version (Cayman) this fall. Done and done.

[2.0_Mazda]

Wow, absolutely love the new Boxter

Thanks for sharing

[302W]

Those wheels make a big difference, looks way better than those 20's I've been seeing.

[Hawk]

Those are the 20s.

[302W]

The other 20's?

[Preppy]

Lucky sob!

[Hawk]

Nothing like driving someone else's brand new Porsche (fuel, tires, brakes etc) around the track as fast as you can.

[JOHNS92JETTA]

They did not let you out on the big track?

Cool pics.

[Hawk]

The other 20's?

Ah yes, those ones. I'm a little sick of seeing those too. The 19s are actually quite nice too. Talking to some of the drivers from Porsche Canada and they set the suspension has been beefed up and calibrated for 20" wheels so there are no issues the way there would be if say you went and threw 20" wheels on a 986.

[Hawk]

They did not let you out on the big track?

Nope. Just the skid pad and the smaller driver's development one. It was cool though that we were at an actual track. Mercedes Benz Canada just uses a parking lot downtown for their experience Mercedes day. I feel bad for them. Also the Porsche instructors were constantly yelling at everyone to go faster!

[8v_gti777]

Well that was a good day.

[Double-V]

Looks great. Those photos are possibly better than most of the press photos.

[JOHNS92JETTA]

Nope. Just the skid pad and the smaller driver's development one. It was cool though that we were at an actual track. Mercedes Benz Canada just uses a parking lot downtown for their experience Mercedes day. I feel bad for them. Also the Porsche instructors were constantly yelling at everyone to go faster!

Still a good track.

As for Benz, this was at the big track last year.



Not sure what event it was for though.

[Markov79]

Looks very cool, but sadly a 5 horsepower increase over a 2012 Boxster is just not enough.

Porsche salesmen keep telling me: ''yeah only 5HP more but the car is A LOT lighter than before so the acceleration is MUCH faster!''

Really? About 30-40 pounds will make the car accelerate faster? Not according to Porsche's own acceleration times....

Porsche still refuses to give this car the HP it deserves and we all know why...

[Hawk]

Porsche still refuses to give this car the HP it deserves and we all know why...

Because then men would buy it?

I kid!

There will always be someone who wants more power. I think the S make 315hp. To me that's plenty. It's a very balanced package. The Cayman/Boxster have always been about handling the 911S is more about power. With 5 speeding tickets in 3 years I guess more power isn't the number 1 thing on my list right now. But I don't disagree with you. I test drove a 135i last year and it was crazy fast.

[Professor Gascan]

1) The steering is a non-issue. I tried it back to back with my Cayman and could not feel a difference. If you can, you're a better man than me.

3) The stock exhaust is plenty loud.

I took a manual 991 for a drive last week, and back to back with my Cayman S these were my two biggest points. The steering is great: more stable in a straight line, quicker and more accurate off centre with just as much feel once loaded up in a corner. Likewise, given the sound in the cabin, it's one of the few cars I can say I wouldn't change the exhaust on.

Porsche still refuses to give this car the HP it deserves and we all know why...

This tired argument really needs to stop. It's Porsche's entry level car, therefore it has entry level Porsche power. There has to be some separation, that's how model lineups work.

[Markov79]

I took a manual 991 for a drive last week, and back to back with my Cayman S these were my two biggest points. The steering is great: more stable in a straight line, quicker and more accurate off centre with just as much feel once loaded up in a corner. Likewise, given the sound in the cabin, it's one of the few cars I can say I wouldn't change the exhaust on.



This tired argument really needs to stop. It's Porsche's entry level car, therefore it has entry level Porsche power. There has to be some separation, that's how model lineups work.

I would be willing to pay more money for a more powerful Boxster S and Porsche could easily up the HP. If I want more HP, I have to go 911 even though I prefer the Boxster S platform. Bleah.

But what really bugs me is the 5 HP ''increase'' and the fact that this ''new'' car has the exact same acceleration time as a 2009 Boxster S. At least the 2000 and 2005 Boxster S saw big increases compared to their previous gens.

(I have owned a 2000, 2006 and 2012 Black Edition Boxster S and am currently shopping for my next car...)

[C4 A6]

Because then men would buy it?

I kid!

There will always be someone who wants more power. I think the S make 315hp. To me that's plenty. It's a very balanced package. The Cayman/Boxster have always been about handling the 911S is more about power. With 5 speeding tickets in 3 years I guess more power isn't the number 1 thing on my list right now. But I don't disagree with you. I test drove a 135i last year and it was crazy fast.

There will always be someone with more power (for 99% of us.)

Besides, races aren't won on the straights--they're won in the turns. I'd rather have a lighter, weaker car that, with a proper brake set up, can slow from 130 to 60 in half the distance it takes another car with double the HP but 1.5x the weight to do the same.

[Remedy]

[Hawk]

^^^ Speaking of the 'boot', there was a guy who brought his golf clubs to see if they'd fit in the new Boxster's trunk and they didn't!

He said that was a deal breaker.

Go buy a Cadillac.

[titleist1976]

Why even bring the clubs? That's a "duhhh" answer every time.

[Mike!]

Love it, love it, love it.

[MrRoboto]

^^^ Speaking of the 'boot', there was a guy who brought his golf clubs to see if they'd fit in the new Boxster's trunk and they didn't!

He said that was a deal breaker.

Go buy a Cadillac.

It's funny that you mention that. A buddy of mine did the same thing at the dealership with the last gen Boxster, went and got a Z4 35is instead.

Hey, can't argue with the guy, he only uses the car on the weekends, and guess what he does on both of those days.

[Mike!]

It's funny that you mention that. A buddy of mine did the same thing at the dealership with the last gen Boxster, went and got a Z4 35is instead.

Hey, can't argue with the guy, he only uses the car on the weekends, and guess what he does on both of those days.

Different priorities I guess, but I can't imagine a life where chasing a ball around for hours is more important than driving my preferred car

[2VWatatime]

^^^ Speaking of the 'boot', there was a guy who brought his golf clubs to see if they'd fit in the new Boxster's trunk and they didn't!

He said that was a deal breaker.

Go buy a Cadillac.

Unless he's dragging a cart bag or one of those "stand up" putters, then he's wrong - sticks fit just fine in each gen Boxster (you just have to know how...)

[John Y]

Hey, can't argue with the guy, he only uses the car on the weekends, and guess what he does on both of those days.

So he's spending 60K, or however much it is, on a fancy golf cart? sounds like a pretty senseless waste of money.

[Hawk]

Here are a few more pics from the day:

[MrRoboto]

So he's spending 60K, or however much it is, on a fancy golf cart? sounds like a pretty senseless waste of money.

No, he's spent money on a weekend car he can drive briskly to and from the golf course (which includes some very nice roads). How you came to the golf cart conclusion is beyond me.

[RacingManiac]

Its Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.....don't worry, I make the dame mistake....

I've only seen mildly camo-ed ones around here, and it is still a nicer looking car than the one it replaces, looks more "special".

[1Point8TDan]

Makes me want a new Boxster! Great pics!

[Son]

The rear brakes.

Still, beautiful car and I'd happily take mine with the stock 19s.

BTW, were these Canadian spec cars already or will there be bigger rear bumperettes replacing that plate frame thing?

[Mike!]

No, he's spent money on a weekend car he can drive briskly to and from the golf course (which includes some very nice roads). How you came to the golf cart conclusion is beyond me.

Vehicle used for transporting golf clubs = golf cart?

That's all I've got. I know it's nice to have practicality in your sports car. Porsche's two-trunk system in the 914, Boxster, and Cayman is great for that reason... they're certainly not Elises or C3 Corvettes.

BTW, were these Canadian spec cars already or will there be bigger rear bumperettes replacing that plate frame thing?

Georgia plates for Porsche Cars North America... but I suppose they could be European spec. If they were US spec cars, Canada's bumper requirements are homogenized with the US now (hence why you see .:R32s, GTOs, and MR-2 Spyders imported now... it applied retroactively).

[RacingManiac]

(hence why you see .:R32s, GTOs, and MR-2 Spyders imported now... it applied retroactively).

That explains a lot....I kept seeing these Ontario plate MR Spyder in Canada when I go home to visit...

[8v_gti777]

^^^ Speaking of the 'boot', there was a guy who brought his golf clubs to see if they'd fit in the new Boxster's trunk and they didn't!

He said that was a deal breaker.

Go buy a Cadillac.

[Mike!]

That explains a lot....I kept seeing these Ontario plate MR Spyder in Canada when I go home to visit...

It's funny seeing the asking prices on Autotrader for the novelty of a car that wasn't originally sold here. '02 MR-2 Spyder with a speedo in MPH that will drive you crazy, yours for the price of an '02 2.7l Canadian Boxster!