Ken Garff - Your Used Porsche Boxster Dealer

Porsche Boxster & Dodge Viper Comparison

Porsche Boxster Overview

Although often eclipsed by the larger Porsche 911, the two-seater Boxster holds a special appeal with its honed handling, willing and efficient six-cylinder engine, top-down capability, and palatable price relative to other Porsches.

The Porsche Boxster is a sports car distilled to its purest form: a sleek, seductive, and uncluttered body wrapped around a superbly balanced chassis and exciting engine. The Boxster’s mid-engine layout is considered by many enthusiasts to be the quintessential sports-car setup, allowing for ideal weight distribution and excellent handling.

There are two Boxster models: base and higher-performance S. The base version’s 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine got a 5-hp boost in 2007, which brings its output up to 245 hp. With a relatively low curb weight of around 3,000 pounds, the base Porsche Boxster sprints to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.9 seconds with its standard five-speed manual transmission.

The Porsche Boxster S features larger and more powerful 3.4-liter 295-hp six-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission that allows a zero-to-60-mph dash in 5.2 seconds. The base version can be optionally fitted with the six-speed manual, and both models can be equipped with a revised five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that offers manual gear selection.

The Tiptronic transmission now includes user-selectable shift patterns that afford either more- or less-aggressive shifting. When ordered with the optional Sport Chrono Package, it works even more forcefully in automatic mode by shifting only at engine speeds higher than 3,000 rpm, for example; and the transmission no longer automatically shifts into a higher gear when the engine reaches the rpm redline. The Porsche Boxster is one of the most fuel-efficient sports cars on the market.

Handling is impressive, thanks to the rear-wheel-drive, mid-engine layout. The car rides on a sophisticated suspension and has variable-ratio power steering. Porsche’s Active Suspension Management System is optional and allows the driver to select suspension stiffness and ride height (variable by 10 mm). Seventeen-inch wheels and performance tires are standard, with optional sizes up to 19 inches in diameter.

The power top is easy to use and features full sound and weather insulation and a heated glass rear window. An optional removable hardtop is available for winter driving. Porsche Boxsters come decently equipped with such standard features as head-curtain airbags, the power-operated top, heated washer nozzles, and a speed-dependent extendable rear spoiler. However, luxury items such as power seats, heated seats, and high-intensity discharge headlamps, which are standard on luxury sedans costing less than the Boxster, are expensive options.

Porsche offers a European delivery program for buyers who wish to immerse themselves in the Porsche experience. It entails flying to Germany to pick up the new car and taking a tour of the factory, if desired, then driving through the countryside to an international port and having the car shipped overseas as you fly home.

You want a sleek and nimble two-seat roadster with true Porsche performance and heritage; you prefer balance to brute force and don’t want to sacrifice comfort for performance; fuel economy is a concern.

Released in the midst of a ragtop renaissance, the Boxster was an instant hit, noteworthy for having its engine ahead of the rear axle, unlike the 911 with its engine behind the back wheels. While the Boxster’s performance and handling are lauded by auto enthusiasts, it also appeals to non-enthusiasts who simply want a sleek-looking sports car with Porsche cachet but who can’t afford or don’t appreciate the pricier 911.
A costlier hardtop model, called the Cayman, was spun off of the Boxster in 2006 and sits between the Boxster and 911 in both performance and price.

Dodge Viper  vs. Porsche Boxster Comparison

Performance

In terms of horsepower, the Dodge Viper packs quite a punch and will knock the Porsche down a few rungs. On the flip side, note that high horsepower engines often command higher insurance premiums.

Handling

The Dodge Viper has significantly wider tires than the Porsche Boxster. Remember that wider tires might improve handling, while narrower tires could improve gas mileage.

Drivetrain

The Dodge Viper's engine is tremendously more massive than the Porsche Boxster's. Keep in mind that larger engines may use more gas than smaller ones. Torque is roughly equivalent to acceleration, and in this respect, the Dodge Viper is tremendously more powerful than the Porsche Boxster. The Dodge packs quite a punch compared to the Porsche Boxster when it comes to torque, which is roughly equivalent to acceleration.

Utility

The Porsche Boxster is likely a better choice than the Dodge Viper when it comes to hauling capacity, especially if you frequently need to carry a lot of luggage or sizeable beasts. Neither the Dodge Viper nor the Boxster has a marked advantage regarding seating capacity.

Dimensions

The Dodge is markedly more ponderous than the Porsche. The Boxster's tank is approximately the same size as the Dodge Viper's, though the Dodge Viper's is slightly larger. The Porsche Boxster and the Viper compete for the same parking spaces.

Cost

The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. It costs about the same to get the Porsche to the dealership as the Dodge Viper. The Dodge is tremendously more expensive than the Porsche regarding MSRP.

Overview

The basic warranty that comes with the Dodge Viper isn't quite as generous as the Porsche Boxster's.

Ken Garff - Your Used Porsche Boxster Dealer!

Thank you for visiting Ken Garff West Valley Chrysler Jeep Dodge Auto Review site - your used Porsche Boxster Dealer. This site has been designed to assist you in your automotive sales, service and parts experience, as well as provide easy, low-pressure, online buying. We will find your car at Ken Garff  since we are your used Porshe Boxster Dealer and an Elite Five Star dealer!