Boxster vs 911 - worth the extra? - Page 3 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

I've had many Boxsters and Caymans - 986/987 now in a really nice 2013 2.7 981, love it to bits. However my head has been turned................same specialist I got my Boxster from has a lovely 991.1 2012 Carrera S Cabriolet, Platinum Silver with blue hood and interior. Never even driven a 911, so I dont really know what the £20k extra gives me - lots more power, more toys and to some "its a 911" is enough? If I were to test drive it, what should I expect? A 911 has never really been on my radar but this particular one has got me thinking.......................... Any input would be great!

The fact after owning all those you still hanker after a 911 suggests it would be worth a go, in my experiance there is nothing like a 911 and i owned a 987 Cayman R for 6 years.

I can give you my experience, but not in a 991... I owned a 986 2.7 for 5 years and loved it. My first Porsche and used as a daily for the first 3 years. It was already 15 years old when I bought it. Had to sell it due to our wedding but later on bought a 987 2.7. The 987 was in excellent condition and again about 15 years old when I bought it. It was immaculate and although it was probably the nicer car, compared to the 986 it felt a little too polished and well planted. The limit of its ability in terms of the handling seemed very safe - or maybe I just didn't push it hard enough on the road. A year ago I decided to sell the 987 and but a well used but mechanically looked after 996.2 911. C2 manual and pretty basic spec. Compared to the Boxsters it gets more comments and compliments which is nice but not important to me. What I do find it is you can feel it is a faster car, is a little more roomy for me (I'm 6'3) and the extra interior space is more practical that a small rear boot was. We can put 2 small cases in the back of the 911 with the rear seats down along with various other items such as camping chairs, coats etc. The front boot is the same size as the 986 so plenty of room (not as large if you opt for a C4/C4S). The all round visibility is better than the Boxster was with the roof up and it is a better long distance GT car - could be be due to having more room for me to fit in. Driving the 911 feels more special. Very hard to explain why and the Boxster is an excellent car if taken in isolation. It's just the 996 feels like more of an event and is feels like you're driving an icon more of the time. It makes me feel I have something more interesting in the garage. I think the only way you'll know is to drive the 991. Very different to a 996 but you may still have the same conclusions. Having said that I sometimes miss having the roof down and would still love another Boxster to sit alongside the 996... I owned the both the 996 and 987 in Seal Grey for about a week before the 987 was sold.

A Cayman or Boxster won't try and send you off into the scenery as easily as a 911. Went around a roundabout in my 911 on a misty morning, slightly damp road, not doing anything silly, I assume I hit some diesel on the road which created an instant unexpected tank slapper I found the Cayman just too competent and the 911 much more challenging/interesting.

FMOB said: A Cayman or Boxster won't try and send you off into the scenery as easily as a 911. Went around a roundabout in my 911 on a misty morning, slightly damp road, not doing anything silly, I assume I hit some diesel on the road which created an instant unexpected tank slapper I found the Cayman just too competent and the 911 much more challenging/interesting. Are you talking about the 991 there? I find their handling benign, like that of a 981 and every other modern car. I'm not saying thats a bad thing, mind.

Gerber1 said: FMOB said: A Cayman or Boxster won't try and send you off into the scenery as easily as a 911. Went around a roundabout in my 911 on a misty morning, slightly damp road, not doing anything silly, I assume I hit some diesel on the road which created an instant unexpected tank slapper I found the Cayman just too competent and the 911 much more challenging/interesting. Are you talking about the 991 there? I find their handling benign, like that of a 981 and every other modern car. I'm not saying thats a bad thing, mind. It was a 997.2 C4S, as an illustration of how they can let go in slippery conditions it was an eye opener, in the dry I have no worries about pushing on. IIRC on the test drive, the chap was an PEC driver and said you apply the power earlier in a corner so the weight in the rear digs in and the car grips more. Still with the engine hanging out the back, it will dominate the handling dynamics, Porsche have been moving the engine further inboard with every generation trying to tame the natural tendency.

The 911 will be better as an all rounder. They cost almost double the price of a Boxster for a reason , because it is significantly better. Folk will say the Boxster handles better, you can jump in it and floor it everywhere safe in the knowledge that the superior dynamics will get you through. They’ll say it is more alive, the right size, perfect for country road hooning and they’ll probably be right. What the 911 does so well is in its refinement, yes refinement. You can potter around listening to the stereo, enjoy the suspension, the exhaust, soaking in admiring glances because it’s an iconic 911. Then when you fancy a proper drive it’ll do that too, the way it makes you feel, the noise, the history. And then you’ll park it up walk away and turn your head round to take another look. That’s a 911 in a nutshell - Boxster, Caymans, Panamera, Cayenne, Macan, Taycan or whatever are all Porsches but the 911 is the first, the rest are following in its footsteps. I honestly didn’t know what all the 911 fuss was about until I bought one, then another - I love them, honestly.

Test drive it and then think about it over a weekend. I sold my 981c 2.7 to move into a 991T for the rear seats and now I'm looking to get back into a 981. They are just great cars, the right size for UK roads, cheap to run and practical. If you need to scratch the 911 itch then do it and stomach the 10-20k it will cost in depreciation, running costs and dealer margin if you want to go back to a 981 in a year or so.

You might want to test drive the 991 before committing - I understand they provide a more comfortable drive than earlier models. I've not tried a Boxster but I knew someone with a 986 and a 996, and he said that the 986 was more fun to drive. Thing is, the 911 is iconic so it's something worthwhile trying... and you can sell it later, anyway. Edit: you might prefer a 997. I understand these were the last 911 before Audi levels of driver comfort came into play for 911s. Edited by Hoofy on Tuesday 20th August 09:59

Not a fair comparison given your scenario but I ran a 997 C2S for 3 years that I absolutely adored, loved that car, it was an absolute drivers delight. But after that I had a 981 GTS and now have a 718 4.0 GTS…… and for pure driving thrills they’re on another level again. So I think it depends on what you need and what means the most to you! For me personally I’m looking for the best road driving experienced, with reasonable practicality - and I don’t think there’s any contest for that, if you don’t need the seats and don’t have hang ups about it not being a 911.

It's an automotive icon, if you have the means and the chance to do so you should definitely at least try the 911 on for size.

maz8062 said: The 911 will be better as an all rounder. They cost almost double the price of a Boxster for a reason , because it is significantly better. Folk will say the Boxster handles better, you can jump in it and floor it everywhere safe in the knowledge that the superior dynamics will get you through. They’ll say it is more alive, the right size, perfect for country road hooning and they’ll probably be right. What the 911 does so well is in its refinement, yes refinement. You can potter around listening to the stereo, enjoy the suspension, the exhaust, soaking in admiring glances because it’s an iconic 911. Then when you fancy a proper drive it’ll do that too, the way it makes you feel, the noise, the history. And then you’ll park it up walk away and turn your head round to take another look. That’s a 911 in a nutshell - Boxster, Caymans, Panamera, Cayenne, Macan, Taycan or whatever are all Porsches but the 911 is the first, the rest are following in its footsteps. I honestly didn’t know what all the 911 fuss was about until I bought one, then another - I love them, honestly. I do like the 911 but the 356 was actually the first Porsche sportscar.

Aeons back I moved from after a 986 and a 986S to a 9971.S. The 911 was clearly a more mature and faster car with mroe interesting hadnling. Value for money, Boxsters are hard to beat. IMO you need to be willing to pay a premium for a car that is mostly different but not that much "better" when moving to a 911. It's a different story if you get into a GT3. Since I got my first in 2010, I never went back to vanilla 911s. To me GT3s are what 911s should be in the first place

7184c said: Test drive it and then think about it over a weekend. I sold my 981c 2.7 to move into a 991T for the rear seats and now I'm looking to get back into a 981. They are just great cars, the right size for UK roads, cheap to run and practical. If you need to scratch the 911 itch then do it and stomach the 10-20k it will cost in depreciation, running costs and dealer margin if you want to go back to a 981 in a year or so. And don't take your wallet with you when visiting the dealer for the test drive, if you do you might come home with it.

MOBB said: I've had many Boxsters and Caymans - 986/987 now in a really nice 2013 2.7 981, love it to bits. However my head has been turned................same specialist I got my Boxster from has a lovely 991.1 2012 Carrera S Cabriolet, Platinum Silver with blue hood and interior. I'm not sure that moving from a Box to a 911 cabriolet will be worth it unless you want to use the back seats. Whereas a C2 Coupe might press your buttons. It will also depend on how you use your cars - how often you might use the extra pace, space and long-distance refinement of the 911.

braddo said: MOBB said: I've had many Boxsters and Caymans - 986/987 now in a really nice 2013 2.7 981, love it to bits. However my head has been turned................same specialist I got my Boxster from has a lovely 991.1 2012 Carrera S Cabriolet, Platinum Silver with blue hood and interior. I'm not sure that moving from a Box to a 911 cabriolet will be worth it unless you want to use the back seats. Whereas a C2 Coupe might press your buttons. It will also depend on how you use your cars - how often you might use the extra pace, space and long-distance refinement of the 911. I would agree with this, don't see the point in a convertible 911 when there is the Boxster available. The rear seats are less useable than the coupe version too. Coming from a 2.7 though, I think you will notice the fairly significant power bump but would it really be double the fun for double the price? Not so sure.

Well it's all purely subjective but if anyone was building the ultimate sports car now it's likely to be mid-engined. So I do not think a £20k premium would be worth it. But alas, cars are largely emotive purchases and you can have all the stats & 'on paper' points on the world, it's unlikely to override how you feel about a car. I guess it's the definition of how strongly you, and others feel about that to justify the extra cash. Ultimately we can all argue until we are blue in the face but the market indicates both models continue to perform strongly, so there's a market for both

The only way you're going to know is to drive one and make your own mind up. Other than that the short answer is no.

911 cabrio vs Boxtser? Boxster. 911 vs Cayman or Boxster? Well... After a 993 some while back I had a 981 Cayman S, followed by a 981 CGTS. Both Caymans great cars. After the GTS I fancied a 911 again. Liked the idea of a sunroof as opposed to a full top-down Boxster experience, plus manual as opposed to PDK. Currently have a 991 Carrera T with the right spec for me. I don't think I'd go back to a Cayman, not least because whatever comes after the current generation will be electric. The 911 is special, although the heavy-looking 992 is less so in my view. But they are all great cars. Drive some and see what you get off on. You may find the 911 worth the 'premium'. On the other hand you might not.

I’ve had my 981 CS for 4 years. It’s got more or less every option bar PCCB, so I’m very hesitant at the idea of letting it go, as it’s just such a good, good thing, and as good an example of the car as you’ll find. I tested a 991.1S last summer, prepared to make the leap. Honestly, I preferred it less - for my purposes. The engine was great, and as a daily proposition it is less noisy in the cabin and has back seats (which I don’t care about). It really didn’t feel as playful as my cayman. Everyone’s needs are different, but this highlights the need to test them, ideally as close to back to back as you can. They are all very different and we all crave different things. I’m happy with my choice. Once you’ve driven one, you’ll know what the answer is.

The test drive should demonstrate a hugely competent car, comfortable and a nice place to be. They drive really well and have a good turn of speed when you keep your foot in. Things start happening beyond 3k. I could imagine the 991 feeling less nimble than a Boxster or Cayman but more grown up. But, it’s a 911. If you have one in mind you’ll need to do it sometime. Superb cars.

Maxus said: But, it’s a 911. If you have one in mind you’ll need to do it sometime. Superb cars. As so many of us do… I wasn’t at all disappointed in the 991.1 that I drove - it just didn’t fit my brief as well. It’ll be a 997.2 for me when the time comes, I suspect.

Dont expect to jump into a 911 and expect to rag it like a cayman The later ones might be different, but the essential character of a 911 is different from most cars and needs to be driven a little differently at the limit to get the most out of them. My Carrera will understeer if you don't transfer the weight but when you learn how to trailbrak in to get some weight on the nose for the turn in, then rely on the weight of the engine to provide the traction out of the bend you will have fun. The top right hand bend on the Porsche silverstone track is a great example, barrel into it under power and the nose goes light and you understeer to the outside of the bend, lift slightly to get some weight on the nose and it grips and then continues to hold the line as you bring in the power. Its 'wrong' but so much fun (its also 'fun' when you finally lose it and the back tries to overtake the front, but even in my 35 year old 3.2, its not as bad as its reputation suggests)

The smaller engined 911 cabs are a bit underwhelming. A 996 cab doesn’t feel barely quicker than a 986S. A 991.2 cab, non S feels a bit breathless. If you just want to waft about they might be OK but the S model always feels a lot more pokey.

The only problem with test driving a 911 after owning the Boxster is that you won’t immediately get it. It’ll underwhelm you compared to the dynamics of the Boxster. You’ll ask yourself what all the fuss is all about, but you’ve got to appreciate that a 991.1 S Cab had a list price starting at £95k vs £59k for the Boxster (without options) so there’s a big gap there, a gap that you’ll notice over time but not immediately. The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is, hence the reason why you want one.

It’s really an individual thing, some prefer the 911 over the Boxster and vice versa. I’ve had a dozen or so 911 cars ( including Turbo and RS models ) and 1 Boxster. The 911 is a terrific car absolutely does everything super well… However when the sun is shining and the roads quieter I’m almost always tempted more by the Boxster than the 911…never expect this to be the case… As above, you need to drive the 911 and find out for yourself.

maz8062 said: The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is How?

DarkVeil said: maz8062 said: The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is How? I personally thought the bit about the admiration you’ll receive better myself.

Having had a 996.1 C2 manual coupe I decided to change it for a 986.2S manual. Tbh I prefer the latter. Less demanding and in a way more engaging. Both have their strong points but I’m glad I got the 911 itch out of the way first.

Really depends on what you're looking for. 911s have this magic feeling because of that rear engine layout, nothing else on the market offers the sensations it does. On the right road and in the right conditions 911s are magic. But you do need to approach with caution and learn the quirks of its handling, which I get isn't for everyone. Boxster/Caymans are fantastic cars that give you one of the best sportscar sensations on the market. The mid engine layout just works and is much more friendly than a 911. You will learn and love a Boxster/Cayman within 5 minutes, a 911 will take much longer. Most people find 911s overrated because they haven't spent enough time in them or driven them hard. I don't really think they can be compared, yes they are made by the same manufacturer and share some of the same parts, but they are very different propositions. Is the 911 worth the extra? Yes if you want a rear engined car, if not i'd probably steer clear.

Youforreal. said: DarkVeil said: maz8062 said: The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is How? I personally thought the bit about the admiration you’ll receive better myself. They are admiring the car, not the driver.

DarkVeil said: Youforreal. said: DarkVeil said: maz8062 said: The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is How? I personally thought the bit about the admiration you’ll receive better myself. They are admiring the car, not the driver. Isn't that obvious? Mind you, I suppose different people think in different ways. I couldn't care less who is driving it - I'm looking at the car not the driver as you say. There are so many reasons why someone might be driving say a 992 GT3 - successful business, lottery winner, scamming old people, inheritance, highly paid job, trust fund, rich parents (bought for, or borrowed dad's car), influencer, rented. If one was to admire the driver, one would need to know how they made the money. I'm just grateful that they brought the car to a car meet so I could hear it hit 9000rpm on the way out.

MOBB said: However my head has been turned................same specialist I got my Boxster from has a lovely 991.1 2012 Carrera S Cabriolet, Platinum Silver with blue hood and interior. Never even driven a 911, so I dont really know what the £20k extra gives me - lots more power, more toys and to some "its a 911" is enough? I took delivery of my new (to me) 991.1 C4S Cabriolet yesterday. So far I have only driven about 1/4 of a tank of fuel - so not far! I am told that the 718 GTS Boxter is just as good as a 911 and I can believe it. However I wanted an instant classic and also the last of the non turbo 3.8 engines.

Hoofy said: DarkVeil said: Youforreal. said: DarkVeil said: maz8062 said: The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is How? I personally thought the bit about the admiration you’ll receive better myself. They are admiring the car, not the driver. Isn't that obvious? Mind you, I suppose different people think in different ways. I couldn't care less who is driving it - I'm looking at the car not the driver as you say. There are so many reasons why someone might be driving say a 992 GT3 - successful business, lottery winner, scamming old people, inheritance, highly paid job, trust fund, rich parents (bought for, or borrowed dad's car), influencer, rented. If one was to admire the driver, one would need to know how they made the money. I'm just grateful that they brought the car to a car meet so I could hear it hit 9000rpm on the way out. Yes, exactly. But the way it was phrased implied that it was the driver getting the admiration.

DarkVeil said: Yes, exactly. But the way it was phrased implied that it was the driver getting the admiration. Yeah, true.

Thanks for all the replies everyone, really interesting! The dealer has made it easy for me by offering a very poor price for mine, so I'm not even going to take a look at it. I will try one sometime though just to see what they are about :-)

I suspect that a good proportion of the general public couldn't tell the difference between a 911, Cayman or Boxster based on the number of times I've heard people at car shows mistake one for the other without seeing the badges on the back. The people that really know are generally invested in the brand either physically, emotionally or both and because of that can likely see and understand what each model brings to the party. I personally don't get 911s because the weight is in the wrong place but that's just my opinion after driving many examples. But like others I like to see and hear them in action because they're a Porsche and that's the only reason I need. 911s cost more because the bean counters and marketeers know people will pay more, Porsche haven't had the best margins in the business because they're doing their customers a favour. And I think it's generally accepted that they held back giving Caysters too much power because they wanted to keep milking the cash cow. That doesn't mean the 911 is a bad car, far from it, they've spent several decades refining and developing it winning multiple accolades on and off the track along the way and from that perspective it is an icon. But it's smaller brothers have also grown in stature through each iteration over the last 3 decades where it's no longer seen as a car bought by hairdressers (not that that was ever really true anyway) and now stands next to it's older brother as a serious alternative to the traditional view with the power in the 4.0 versions to really demonstrate what that chassis is really capable of. If you judge how good a car is by what it costs I think you've missed the point.

maz8062 said: but you’ve got to appreciate that a 991.1 S Cab had a list price starting at £95k vs £59k for the Boxster (without options) so there’s a big gap there, a gap that you’ll notice over time but not immediately. The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is, hence the reason why you want one. Slightly different take on this... The cost to make the cars is not that different. The difference in pricing is market positioning and perception. Horses for courses, but having owned many versions of each car, the 911 is not in a different league... it's just different. The 911 will always have the halo draw yes, but by many measures, it's not necessarily the better car in my opinion. Still love a 911, even thinking about buying one of my old cars back again. As said above, see if you can get a decent test drive in one. You'll only know then.

DarkVeil said: Hoofy said: DarkVeil said: Youforreal. said: DarkVeil said: maz8062 said: The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is How? I personally thought the bit about the admiration you’ll receive better myself. They are admiring the car, not the driver. Isn't that obvious? Mind you, I suppose different people think in different ways. I couldn't care less who is driving it - I'm looking at the car not the driver as you say. There are so many reasons why someone might be driving say a 992 GT3 - successful business, lottery winner, scamming old people, inheritance, highly paid job, trust fund, rich parents (bought for, or borrowed dad's car), influencer, rented. If one was to admire the driver, one would need to know how they made the money. I'm just grateful that they brought the car to a car meet so I could hear it hit 9000rpm on the way out. Yes, exactly. But the way it was phrased implied that it was the driver getting the admiration. No, I’m not getting the admiration, it’s the car. It also attracts knobheads that want a race - RS3’s, Golf R’s, anything, youngsuns. Kids point at it - their eyes wide open. The 911 has a weird impact on some people, not all. That said, a kid identified my 911 Cab as a Boxster the other day. I was just about to correct him and suggest a visit to spec savers - I didn’t, but it made me think that the public perhaps can’t tell the difference. Driving and owning one, the difference is clear as day. Boxsters are vying for attention with TT’s, SLK’s, Z4’s, 370z - 911’s are competing with SL’s, M6, Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8 etc. Different target markets but at least Porsche have all bases covered. We’re all Porsche owners that’s why I flash my lights at Boxsters, Caymans, but not Cayenne’s.

When I first got my 911 Turbo (I only mention the T word so you know it has a larger wing on the back and has the turbo badge), my neighbour while standing behind the car said something like, "Nice car. Is it a Boxster?" Haven't spoken to him since. Kidding. It does show that many non-car people don't really know the difference.

maz8062 said: No, I’m not getting the admiration, it’s the car. It also attracts knobheads that want a race - RS3’s, Golf R’s, anything, youngsuns. Kids point at it - their eyes wide open. The 911 has a weird impact on some people, not all. That said, a kid identified my 911 Cab as a Boxster the other day. I was just about to correct him and suggest a visit to spec savers - I didn’t, but it made me think that the public perhaps can’t tell the difference. Driving and owning one, the difference is clear as day. Boxsters are vying for attention with TT’s, SLK’s, Z4’s, 370z - 911’s are competing with SL’s, M6, Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8 etc. Different target markets but at least Porsche have all bases covered. We’re all Porsche owners that’s why I flash my lights at Boxsters, Caymans, but not Cayenne’s. I dunno where you live, but here in London nobody gives two hoots about a 911 - in fact the discreteness is one of the reasons I've owned quite a few of them over the more attention grabbing brands. 90% of people will have no idea of the difference between a Boxster/Cayman and a 911, let alone what markets they are supposedly competing in.

When buying my Porsche, I was looking at both. Owner of Cridfords in Surrey was spot on.... he said a 911 comes into its own above 80mph. The Boxster will bring a smile to your face in everyday situations.

Shaoxter said: maz8062 said: No, I’m not getting the admiration, it’s the car. It also attracts knobheads that want a race - RS3’s, Golf R’s, anything, youngsuns. Kids point at it - their eyes wide open. The 911 has a weird impact on some people, not all. That said, a kid identified my 911 Cab as a Boxster the other day. I was just about to correct him and suggest a visit to spec savers - I didn’t, but it made me think that the public perhaps can’t tell the difference. Driving and owning one, the difference is clear as day. Boxsters are vying for attention with TT’s, SLK’s, Z4’s, 370z - 911’s are competing with SL’s, M6, Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8 etc. Different target markets but at least Porsche have all bases covered. We’re all Porsche owners that’s why I flash my lights at Boxsters, Caymans, but not Cayenne’s. I dunno where you live, but here in London nobody gives two hoots about a 911 - in fact the discreteness is one of the reasons I've owned quite a few of them over the more attention grabbing brands. 90% of people will have no idea of the difference between a Boxster/Cayman and a 911, let alone what markets they are supposedly competing in. Exactly, nobody really turns a head at my c4s but the gt4 get quite a bit of attention which i find a bit embarrassing truth be told, if I can avoid towns and public I’m a happy man with a road to myself.

Shaoxter said: I dunno where you live, but here in London nobody gives two hoots about a 911 - in fact the discreteness is one of the reasons I've owned quite a few of them over the more attention grabbing brands. 90% of people will have no idea of the difference between a Boxster/Cayman and a 911, let alone what markets they are supposedly competing in. I've been asked if my car was a Ferrari and another time the chap just assumed that it was. I was also asked if I'd bought it new, even though I'd advised the woman that I'd only had it 6 months at the time. What car is it? A 986 that just happens to be guards red. Your average person is clueless about cars. A number of weeks ago I had someone ask it it was a 4 cylinder engine, and then when I said it was 6, he assumed it was a 3.4. That was from a 992 GT3 Touring driver.

If only Porsche still made the 944/968, sigh!

andy97 said: If only Porsche still made the 944/968, sigh! They would have gone broke

maz8062 said: DarkVeil said: Hoofy said: DarkVeil said: Youforreal. said: DarkVeil said: maz8062 said: The 911 is in a different league to the Boxster. It just is How? I personally thought the bit about the admiration you’ll receive better myself. They are admiring the car, not the driver. Isn't that obvious? Mind you, I suppose different people think in different ways. I couldn't care less who is driving it - I'm looking at the car not the driver as you say. There are so many reasons why someone might be driving say a 992 GT3 - successful business, lottery winner, scamming old people, inheritance, highly paid job, trust fund, rich parents (bought for, or borrowed dad's car), influencer, rented. If one was to admire the driver, one would need to know how they made the money. I'm just grateful that they brought the car to a car meet so I could hear it hit 9000rpm on the way out. Yes, exactly. But the way it was phrased implied that it was the driver getting the admiration. No, I’m not getting the admiration, it’s the car. It also attracts knobheads that want a race - RS3’s, Golf R’s, anything, youngsuns. Kids point at it - their eyes wide open. The 911 has a weird impact on some people, not all. That said, a kid identified my 911 Cab as a Boxster the other day. I was just about to correct him and suggest a visit to spec savers - I didn’t, but it made me think that the public perhaps can’t tell the difference. Driving and owning one, the difference is clear as day. Boxsters are vying for attention with TT’s, SLK’s, Z4’s, 370z - 911’s are competing with SL’s, M6, Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8 etc. Different target markets but at least Porsche have all bases covered. We’re all Porsche owners that’s why I flash my lights at Boxsters, Caymans, but not Cayenne’s. I think you are focusing too much on the artificially created market positioning. I have a soft-spot for the TT and drove one for over 2 years, but the Boxster/Cayman is in a completely different league and it's not close. The majority of the parts in the Cayman/Boxster have 911 part numbers, but of course from a business perspective Porsche wouldn't want two models cannibalising each other by being in too similar a market position.

Having driven my 981 Cayman for 9 years without much attention from other road users I was surprised how differently I was treated in the Macan S we (my wife's car) added from October last year. Suddenly everyone wants a race, or to cut us up, or block us, or cut in. What's that all about? Fortunately the Gen II Macan had so many faults, was so impractical (huge, but tiny inside), and less than nimble to drive, we sent it packing and have gone back to BMW. Conclusion: The Macan is a pseudo-Porsche and others seem to hate them. As for the 911. I've never like the shape of any of them. Drove my BIL's 997 years ago but have no memory of it being good or bad.