Fifth gear !!!!! No surprise there then ?

Depends what you buy a sports car for. With all the compromise it brings I'd want it to be for a reason, and to drive really well for it's compromise. Throwing a load of weight into one just contradicts the purpose somewhat.

All still shades of grey, but at least with every new generation/facelift of the Boxster they are adding more of the same (love Porsches evolution), rather than BMW doing the Z4 revolution :)

Dave
 
Havent watched the episode yet so cant really comment but i'd like to say that the new Boxster S and Cayman S are very rapid cars off the line and especially if they're specced with the PDK dual clutch box and Sport Chrono thingamajiggy which provides a very handy Launch Control function. The engine layout also helps i would guess.

The Z4 (from what you guys said about the shootout) appears to be just not as happy on a track as the Boxster.. I see nothing wrong with that. By the way did the Porsche also had the optional limited slip diff? That and the 5200 quid's worth of ceramic brakes would go some way in explaining the Boxsters better performance.
 
daviddi said:
WELL SAID paulN :driving:
Click to expand...

Why thank you 8)

For anyone who missed it heres the link.

http://fwd.five.tv/videos/dogfight-boxster-vs-bmw-z4

To be fair i would have liked to see Tiff in the Z4.

Cheers

PaulN
 
PaulN said:
For anyone who missed it heres the link.

http://fwd.five.tv/videos/dogfight-boxster-vs-bmw-z4
Click to expand...


Thanks for that! The first "scientific" test made me laugh out loud. :lol: Pure entertainment. It seems the Boxter S is a better sports car. The Z4 may be better in other aspects. To each his/her own. :thumbsup:


PS. I'd have the Boxter S. :oops:
 
I would rather have a boxster than the new Z4 anyway !........really not a fan of the new one.
 
Crap review. WHY do they keep comparing it to a car BMW has so deliberatley steered away from??? Would LOVE a Boxster (actually half looking for one 8) )

Side note: Was at some traffic lights today crossing the road. To my left the new z4 with the roof down and to my right waiting for me to cross was the old z4 coupe. They both smiled at each other as they drove of! Old one did look better but he couldn't get his roof down :D
 
Just got home and watched the review. I thought it was pretty funny. :P The boxes bit was completely pointless and proved nothing but it was funny watching them spin around like a couple of jackasses.

The head to head race was more indicative of the differences between the two but it isnt really surprising that the Boxster with its better power to weight ratio (same power, less weight), much better brakes and real LSD is faster on a track.. Their conclusion is only regarding track performance and that's what they usually say when doing these "dogfights". Dont see what all the fuss is about. You want a Porsche buy a Boxster, you want a BMW buy a Z4. :thumbsup:
 
[from??? Would LOVE a Boxster (actually half looking for one 8) )

Whatever you do,don t look for anything less then the S (thats the 3.4)....the new 2.9 is good but the S is awesome
Don t get hung up on too many goodies if you buy secondhand just get the right interior and exterior colour for you. BOSE is fantastic but the navs crap ....Xenons are a million dollars to repair and the standard halogens are nt bad. PASM is waste of miney IMO .Cruise ok if motorwaying.PDC is useful. Short shifter is a nice extra but easy to retro fit as standard Boxster gear change is nt up to much.Sports seats look and feel good but then again the standards are pretty good and finally make sure you got the 19" rims that should be standard on the later 987 S pref carrera classics
 
cj10jeeper said:
That's the beauty of choice and thankfully we're all different. Boring world if we all liked and drove the same things. To me the Boxster doesn't really have lines, just an identical front and rear that represent about the minimum metal to cover to components. Granted it's way the better set up with its mid engine and perfect balance, but never did it for me. The 911 - that's a different story - that really is a better look.
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Mmm I have to agree on the looks, for me the old Z4 was always far more handsome than the push-me/pull-you looks of the Boxster. The Cayman improves on it but in profile it stills looks a bit odd to me.

If you really want to push the limits of driver enjoyment then Pork is the only option, but in a world where most of my time I am held up by some idiot I would rather be driving my SLK or the E89 Z4 auto. FFS for a minimum of 90% of my time driving my Micra I can't drive it as I would like, never mind anything faster.

So no need to fear the fact that the E89 is closer to the SLK - the SLK (350 anyway) is a fabulous car and only a few people will find it too soft, I would bet most people who knock it have never even been in one, let alone at full pelt. Recently I've done a couple of 70 mile A-road blasts leaving Leeds at 4:30 AM so the sun is just up - and I've hardly even touched the limits of the car and had an awesome time doing so.

BMW SLK - fine by me :sweetheart:
 
Don't think you can compare the Boxter with the new Z4. They are so very different. The Z4 is headed away from the Boxter and firmly towards Mercedes Sl/SLK. The new Z4 is not really a sports car any more, it's a cruiser. As the meercat says.....simples.....
 
Boxster, Z4 and SLK :thumbsup:

Id have one of each if i could. Love them all in different ways.

Oh sorry back on track... FFS hate Fifth gear!

Cheers

PaulN
 
Personally I prefer to have the extra sports car nature for that 5-10% of the time when I *can* use it, than drive around in something that is moving really into the 'flawed' driver-scape for fun back-road hoonage...

My old hot hatch on my daily commute felt a waste, and I sold it. It was ultimately a good move because it was just a 'normal car' day to day when not being revved etc, so I saved a bit of money running a different but similar car more biased for normal road driving (diesel, but still as fast)

The Boxster for me looked crap for the same age Z4's, but the new Z4 vs new Boxster, well I think it's ahead now on looks and dynamics, so the kinda thing I'd take next (or a Tamora, better still in every way :D )

Point is, if you flaw a sports car too much for the purpose of being a sports car, why not just get a normal car? If you are biasing/compromising the sports car for your day to day driving, then it is ultimately turning into a compromised day to day car (2 seats, small boot etc), while offering little beyond a good fast saloon, when on the boil having a bit of a hoon.

Tis finding a good balance I rekon, but if BMW will bias there sports cars to people who don't want them, they are leaving a gap I just really REALLY hope they fill with a decent Z2!
 
If ya really want a "fairer" comparison, then you gotsa pit the new Boxster S to the old Z4M. It wasn't a surprise the Boxster S whooped the E89. :roll:

But it was nice to finally see the new gen reviewed on the telly. Still waiting for Top Gear now for their entertainment report of the E89. :driving:
 
July What Car puts the Z4 Sdrive 23i clean above the TT roadster 2.0TFSI 200 and the SLK 200 Kompressor

Seems a better comparitive tests than a few power slides of ill matched models around cardboard boxes.

Guess it depends if your a serious buyer looking to compare or just a bit of TV fun.

Personally I don't care too much - I enjoy what I'm driving knowing there are faster, better balanced more powerful, more fun cars on the road. :)
 
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