I recently had the chance to drive a 986 Boxster S with a six-speed manual transmission, which my husband introduced on the blog earlier, on the Royu Driveway. It’s a charming little Boxster with a mid-mounted engine, 252 horsepower, and a compact, lightweight body.

My verdict? It’s a Porsche that reflects the driver’s skill in every move. The way it drives is a direct expression of the person behind the wheel. It was a truly memorable experience.

Getting Behind the Wheel of the 986 Boxster S

From the moment I started the engine, the car felt mild-mannered and refined. The engine started quietly, while the silver exterior and brown interior came together beautifully to create a sophisticated, grown-up feel.

Once I got moving, though, the analog character was so pronounced that our 981 Boxster GTS felt almost like a cyborg by comparison. The 986 offered a wonderfully engaging, old-school driving experience.

The clutch was light, and the gear lever moved smoothly and easily. The biggest surprise was the handling: it turned far more eagerly than I expected. Compared with the 991 Carrera I’d driven before and our 964 Carrera 2, the 986 felt more nimble and easier to steer through corners.

My drive lasted about ten minutes. When I returned to the Royu overlook, I said, “It was so smooth and refined!” My husband had this to say:

“You probably drove it cautiously, like you always do, and came back without experiencing even a tiny fraction of what the 986 Boxster S can do, right? Haha.”

He was absolutely right… (laughs)

When it’s someone else’s cherished car, it’s hard to think, “All right, let’s put my foot down and see what it can do!” And, as usual, despite being in a manual, I’d been driving it like an automatic, sticking to third and fourth gear. So next, the owner took the wheel while I rode along and experienced the 986 Boxster S from the passenger seat.

The Owner Unleashes the Boxster S

The moment the owner took over, I was blown away.

“Wait, it sounds this good? That engine sounds amazing! And it’s so light! It turns so well! Incredible!” I couldn’t help getting excited.

No wonder: the car seemed to transform into something completely different. The engine felt light and lively—almost like a living thing.

When I was driving, the Boxster had seemed quiet and docile. In the owner’s hands, it came alive, diving into corners with gusto.

“Wait—this car can turn this sharply?”

I blurted it out before I could stop myself. The Boxster seemed to be enjoying itself, darting through the corners like a fish in water.

Well, that was humbling. I felt embarrassed by my own driving.

After the drive, the owner shared some thoughts:

“Cars from this era are compact and light. They’re not especially powerful, and they don’t have the electronic driving aids you get in modern Porsches. Make a mistake because you get carried away, and things can go badly—that’s part of what makes these cars demanding. But that’s also what makes them fun.
“By contrast, a Taycan like the one you drive now feels incredibly stable, even through corners in the rain, and its weight gives you a real sense of security. If you’re often driving with your children, modern Porsches are safer and definitely a better choice than a demanding car like the 986 (laughs). But if you’d like to improve your manual-driving skills and master a car like this someday, I’d love for you to give one a try. It’s a genuinely fun car!”

Even though it’s an older Porsche, I suspect its limits are higher than I’d imagined. But I don’t usually think about weight transfer when I drive, so in a more analog car like this, I found myself being cautious.

I haven’t been to a driving school lately, so this experience has me thinking it might be fun to visit the Porsche Experience Center (PEC) and try a base 718 Cayman or Boxster. (Though, of course, even the 718 is incredibly capable.)

Always Room to Improve as a Driver

This drive gave me a real appreciation for the way a Porsche can reflect the driver’s skill. I doubt I’ll ever be able to fully explore this car’s limits, but the experience was a reminder of just how much depth a Porsche has to offer.

Thank you to the owner for letting me drive such a special car!