718 Boxster GTS

About a year ago, I had the chance to drive a friend of my husband’s 718 Boxster GTS (MT). However, at that time, I wasn’t very confident driving a manual car, so my husband warned me on the spot:

Mina, better not. You’ll break the clutch.

Reluctantly, I gave up on driving the 718 Boxster GTS.

That moment became the trigger for me to say, “I absolutely must learn to drive a manual!” Within about two weeks, I bought a BMW 320i and practiced almost every day.

Thanks to that, I can now comfortably drive the Boxster and even the GT3.

And now, a big turning point for me: I’ve had the opportunity to drive the 718 Boxster GTS again. The previous owner was coming to Royu Driveway after a long time, so I decided to join them.

A year ago, just sitting in the driver’s seat of the 718 GTS and pressing the clutch or moving the shift lever made my heart race. This time, I found myself thinking, “The clutch is light, and the shift lever moves smoothly! This feels easy to drive.”

However, having just driven a left-hand drive MT Boxster, when I got into the right-hand drive 718 GTS and tried to shift, I accidentally went into 5th gear instead of 1st.

What’s going on? I’m way too nervous (lol).

I started the engine and focused on not stalling… but to me, it felt easier to get going than the 981 Boxster GTS, gliding forward smoothly and lightly.

I’d heard rumors that the 718 stalls easily when starting, but I didn’t experience that at all. Maybe the GTS is different?

Also, the steering felt somewhat lighter than the 981’s (my husband said, “Really?” though), and overall, I found it very easy to drive.

Test Driving the 718 Boxster GTS

What surprised me most when driving the 718 was how quiet the engine sounded. …Or maybe our 981 is just really loud?

Even with the sport exhaust switch on, the engine noise remained very subdued. When I downshifted and pressed the accelerator a bit, I could hear a low rumble, but the revving engine sound didn’t really jump up as much.

Also, the “bobbobobo” sound when letting off the accelerator and the auto-blip sound were much more restrained compared to the 981. I was amazed at how different two GTS models could be. The 718 Boxster GTS owner also said,

“After driving the 981 again recently, I was shocked at how quiet my 718’s engine sounds. Honestly, it was a bit of a shock…”

While the engine noise is quiet, the car is very easy to drive, with precise cornering and a confidence-inspiring feel everywhere. My husband said,

“Maybe the quieter sound feels that way because it’s lower-pitched. It’s a sound focused on deep tones, almost like a V8. From what I feel, there are certain gear and RPM combinations where the sound feels louder, and others where it doesn’t. I’ll need to drive more to pinpoint exactly which RPM and gear that is. Another big difference between the 718 and 981 is the suspension. The 718 is definitely superior here. The 981 isn’t bad, but the 718 feels much more solid, clearing up the vague feeling the 981 sometimes has. Especially the rear’s grip and stability are noticeably different while driving.”

Even though they’re both Boxsters, the generations are totally different. I’d love to try driving the 986 Boxster and earlier generations too!

Thank you so much to Mr. K for kindly letting me drive this time!