Actually, testing the Boxster in sub-zero temperatures wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Because, if I had driven this latest generation of Boxster during a heat wave, I’d been totally seduced by the prospect of open-top motoring and might never had noticed how serenely quiet and, most importantly, snug (I’m such a cold weather nebbuch) the cabin remained, lid closed, when the elements were a little more inclement.
Not only have Porsche now upped the ante on the inside with a classy new interior and super-insulated canvas hood, they’ve also restyled the bodywork, stiffened-up its chassis so handling characteristics are now nothing short of sublime (Porsche fans take note: the 917 exceeds all driving expectations) and replaced the old six-pot engine with a new four-cylinder one. It gains a turbo, too, which means there’s now more low-rev oomph on offer, and it’s faster. In fact, the Boxster S takes just 4.2 seconds to reach 62mph and goes on to 177mph.
It also remains modestly priced, relatively speaking, with the basic 2.0-litre model costing upwards of forty grand. There’s not as much standard kit as before, but even in this guise it still represents one heck of a lot of Porsche.
To get more from Life, click here to sign up for our free Life newsletter.