Driven: Porsche Boxster RS 60, Special

September 5, 11:19 AMAuto Review ExaminerJohn Matras

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 When a carmaker has a model that has been around for a while, it start’s making special models, such as Porsche has done with the 2008 Boxster RS60 Spyder. But then, aren’t all Porsches special?

Still, with a mid-cycle update due in January, 2009, Porsche was able to tweak a bit of extra interest in its “budget” Boxster line by creating a limited edition run dubbed the RS60.

The appellation recalls Sebring 1960 when a special Porsche of that name—and powered by a diminutive 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine—was able to outlast and outrun the 12-cylinder Ferraris and other larger-engined rivals in the notoriously punishing 12-hour event.

Unlike the racer of yore, the 2008 is aimed at the street instead of the track, and like most special editions, it comes in special trim, in this case a silver finish close to that of the original RS60, and special red leather interior. At least the convertible top is optional, available in black or our favorite, red. A special shift knob, slightly modified instrument panel and a stainless-steel kickplate for the doorsill complete the cosmetics.

Bumping horses  With output bumped to 303 horsepower, the RS60 becomes the first of the Boxster and Cayman (Boxster’s coupe equivalent) line to have more than 300 horsepower. It’s really only a minor nudge over the 295 horses of the Boxster S.

Porsche staged track comparison for a select group of internet journalists at the new and impressive Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Alabama, bring one of each Boxster and Cayman models, including the RS60, for the writers to drive in a round-robin with a well-qualified instructor in the co-pilot’s seat. The instructor is there in part to preserve Porsche’s assets because the assorted scribes don’t always get their jobs because of their race track driving talents (fair enough, because most readers spend little time on the track either). And although we (ahem) have earned a sports car competition license, it’s always good to have an experienced hand on board to show you the line on a newly experienced track.

Especially when that instructor is Hurley Haywood, who’s won the Le Mans 24-hour classic and certainly can teach even us a thing or two. Or three. Or…well, never mind.

Cut to the chase: Our personal g-meters were unable to sense the difference in performance from the eight additional horsepower, particularly with the complication of learning a new and highly technical (read difficult and fun to drive) race track.

Intuitively supple  However, making the track easier to learn, in addition to my esteemed co-pilot, was the supple intuitiveness of the Boxsters. It shouldn’t be surprising that the manufacturer of everything from Le Mans winning race cars to classic truly budget sports car such as the Porsche 914 and Porsche 924 (better, really, than sniffy purists would have one believe) would have the basics of a sports car down pat.

Indeed, indeed. Porsche bills the 0-60 mph time of the RS60 at 5.1 seconds, easily bested by high performance cars with engines bigger than Porsche’s 3.4-liter horizontally-opposed six. While that’s definitely quick, drag racing has never been the forte of a Porsche, and with the demise of the “Le Mans start,” it’s wholly academic anyway.

Instead the engine delivers the responsiveness and supple integration with the powertrain that gets the most from every pony on the payroll. And we’ll wager the Boxster RS60 will fare better on rolling starts against those rivals with a better dead-start launch than the Porsche’s raw 0-60 numbers would suggest.

Passed out in the gutter  Anyway, the sound: If those good vibrations could be bottled, you’d see sports car enthusiasts lying passed out in the gutter. It’s that intoxicating, in part due to exhaust tuning but also, from the driver’s standpoint, the air intake for the engine is in the fender just aft of the driver’s left shoulder. Ah, honeyed mead.

Porsche’s six-speed manual transmission, its shift linkage, clutch takeup and pedal positioning are simply in the none-finer category. To the experienced driver, it’s instant second nature. The balance, resistance and spacing of the gearshift detents is perfect, pedal height and spacing of the pedals perfect for heel-and-toeing, and clutch engagement that makes jerk-free up- and down-shifts, well, perfectly easy.

Porsche’s PASM (active suspension), otherwise optional, is standard on the RS60, and no doubt helps in the hero-driver self-assessment. But the Boxster’s underlying balance and suspension calibration (again, there’s that whole sports car/race car experience thing) that make it less necessary.

The subtlety of PASM  Anyway, unlike some systems that kick in like a slap on the wrist (or worse) for bad behavior, PASM is subtle, and unless one gets way out of sorts, it can’t be felt doing its magic. We earlier had the opportunity to drive a PASM-equipped 911 Carrera and invariably, the lap times with the system turned off couldn’t match those with it on. So much for our self-installed laurel wreaths. At least it was the same with our colleages, and Porsche tactfully suggests that it’s the same even with the best of drivers. We’re skeptical, but it’s balm for our wounded egos.

The RS60-equipped Boxster moves the price out of as-close-to-budget-as-a-Porsche-gets, the base price for a no-option Boxster is $45,800, easily optioned up to $51,415 in our Barber race track Boxster comparison car. The track-tested Boxster S listed at $55,700, and was up to $61,380 after order sheet additions. Our test 2008 Porsche Boxster RS60 Spyder starts at $64,900, and with self-dimming mirrors and rain-sensing wipers ($690), heated front seats ($500), wind deflector ($375), automatic climate control ($550), and the sport chronometer package (which among other things can record lap times, for $960), end up with a bottom line of $69,065.

That’s a number that sucks more oxygen out of the lower-priced-Porsche room than a Viper V-10 at full throttle, and perilously close to a base Porsche 911 Carrera, a $75,600 bauble. Of course, it’s just as easy (assuming a sufficiently strong line of credit) and equally likely (ditto) to play the option game with that classic rear-engined Porsche as well.

In the end, the 2008 Porsche Boxster RS60 Spyder offers exclusivity to the owner—only 800 out of 1,960 to be sold worldwide will come to the United States—and an oh so slight edge in performance. It will also make the RS60 Spyder more “collectible” for those who value such things. Because while all Porsches are equally special, some are more especially equal than other.

It’s either that or wait for the next equally special Porsche Boxster.