The other day, my husband had the opportunity to drive a 981 Boxster GTS with the Sports Chassis option, and he wrote about his impressions. Please have a look if you’re interested.

Porsche Boxster with Sports Chassis

One afternoon, when we went to Royu Driveway in the 981 Boxster GTS (MT), we happened to meet a blog reader who was driving a Boxster GTS (981, PDK).

While chatting, we learned that this reader’s Boxster GTS had the rare Sports Chassis option. The Sports Chassis means it doesn’t have PASM (adaptive dampers), the suspension is stiffer, and the ride height is lowered by about 1 cm.

It’s a tough, no-nonsense setup for the Boxster, and I remember hesitating a bit about it when I bought mine.

Moreover, this Boxster GTS had the Sports Design Package, with the exterior plastic parts painted in piano black, making it look very sharp.

The reader mentioned, “The Sports Chassis is stiff and the ride isn’t very comfortable,” and since I usually drive the PASM version, he asked me to compare them. I gratefully accepted and took it for a short test on my usual route.

Test Driving the Boxster

Right from the start, I didn’t notice any difference from my PASM-equipped Boxster. For reference, my tires are Michelin, while this car had Pirelli. On smooth, well-paved roads, the ride quality is almost identical.

As I gradually increased speed and took a curve or two, the difference became clear. The front end is incredibly sharp and responsive. It felt about 10% more precise, similar to the 718 Boxster GTS I drove a while ago.

The 718 feels even more stable at the rear, but the front-end feel is quite similar—that was my first impression.

Body roll is noticeably less than with PASM. It feels even stiffer than PASM’s Sport Plus mode. Compared to a GT3, it still rolls a bit more, but among regular Porsche models, it’s quite minimal.

For example, when driving the S-curves at Suzuka Circuit in PASM Sport Plus mode, I sometimes wish for less roll. With the Sports Chassis, I think it would handle those corners quite confidently. Naturally, it’s also very enjoyable on winding public roads. There’s no nervousness in corners, just precise, on-the-rails handling.

Regarding ride comfort, my impression was that on rougher surfaces, the vertical jolts feel a bit stronger than PASM Sport Plus mode. However, the aftershocks are minimal, so it wasn’t unpleasant.

On city roads and at lower speeds, it might feel a bit more unsettled, but compared to a GT3, the low-speed vibrations are much less.

If you’re buying a 981 Boxster, choose PASM if you prioritize comfort, but if you mostly drive solo and want sportiness, the Sports Chassis is highly recommended. Personally, if I were to buy another 981 Boxster GTS, I’d pick the Sports Chassis.

Differences Between Boxster MT and PDK?

Another memorable part of this experience was getting to drive the Boxster GTS with PDK. My Boxster GTS is a manual (MT), and the last time I drove a PDK was at the dealer’s test drive when I first bought mine.

The right-hand drive was also a fresh experience, but I was reminded how fun PDK is. The thrill of upshifting with the paddles is something you can’t get with a manual. Shifting up without lifting off the throttle, with a crisp “pshuhn! pshuhn!” sound, feels fantastic.

The 3.8L engine in the 911 GTS or the PDK upshifts in the GT3 sound more like a “baffoon!” but the 3.4L in the 981 GTS produces an exhaust note that’s not too deep, with a higher pitch due to the smaller displacement. It was very pleasant to listen to. The 981 GTS engine truly is a beautifully voiced masterpiece.

Overall acceleration felt nearly identical to the manual, though mid-range acceleration in 2nd and 3rd gears seemed a bit quicker in the manual. I suspect this is due to gear ratio differences. That said, there’s no doubt PDK is faster in outright speed. It’s overwhelmingly so.

Actually, after returning home, I told my wife, “Maybe I should get another 981 Boxster GTS PDK before they become impossible to find…” She responded:

“Two of the same car, one MT and one PDK? You’re crazy lol”

I don’t think I’ll actually buy another one given space constraints, but that’s how much I loved this engine and PDK combo.

Finally, thank you so much to the owner who kindly let me drive this ultra-rare Sports Chassis Boxster GTS. As he said, the 981 GTS sound is simply the best. Being able to enjoy that with this fantastic Sports Chassis suspension is truly enviable. This engine sound will likely never be matched again due to environmental and noise regulations. Please take great care of it.

Thank you again for this precious experience.