A Refreshing Drive in the Boxster

The other day, I drove the Boxster for the first time in a while. Although it was just a short drive of about 30 minutes around the neighborhood while my husband watched the kids, driving it again was truly moving.

I really felt what a great car it is.

Even though I’ve driven it many times before and know its performance and comfort well, I wonder why I’m so impressed every single time.

In a recent article, I wrote that “since becoming pregnant, I haven’t felt like driving as much as before,” but it was probably because I’d been cooped up at home and feeling down. Due to COVID-19, going out freely was difficult, the kids’ schools and daycare were closed, and with online classes and computer work, I had no time alone at all. I think the stress had been building up.

That day, going out for a short 30-minute round trip drive in the Boxster lifted my spirits and brought a smile to my face. I deeply felt that “a car is not just a means of transportation. The effect a car can have is truly amazing.”

Our Family’s Porsches

Thanks to my husband’s hard work, we currently have four Porsches at home, and I’m fortunate to be able to drive various Porsches regularly. (Boxster GTS, 911 GT3, 964 C2, Panamera Turbo)

Also, because I write a Porsche blog, I often get the chance to drive Porsches owned by my husband’s acquaintances and readers, so I’ve driven many different Porsches over time.

On social media and online, there are all sorts of opinions like “Boxster and Cayman are inferior Porsches,” “Panamera and Cayenne aren’t real Porsches,” “Air-cooled Porsches are the true Porsches,” “Porsche should be manual, not automatic,” or “911 is supreme.”

But from my experience driving many Porsches,

every model is unquestionably a Porsche, each with its own unique charm that can’t be simply compared.

That’s how I feel deeply.

There’s a poem by Misuzu Kaneko that says, “Everyone is different, and everyone is good,” and that really sums it up.

Speaking of our family’s Porsches, the Boxster’s biggest appeal is undoubtedly being able to drive with the top down. Even on the same old roads, opening the roof lets you experience something extraordinary anytime. Plus, the naturally aspirated engine sound of the 981 is so smooth and thrilling it gives me goosebumps.

Our Boxster is a manual, and the fun it brings is such that my husband and I often say,

“Once you drive the Boxster, you might not even need the GT3…”

But even as I say that, when I get behind the wheel of the GT3, I’m amazed again, thinking, “Wow, this is incredible—something you just can’t experience in any other car.” I was intimidated by the GT3 (manual) for a long time and couldn’t drive it well, but recently I’ve started to understand its fun. It offers a completely different kind of enjoyment than the Boxster.

The thrill of “driving a race car,” the sensation of controlling a beast with terrifying power that might be beyond your control… it’s an intense experience. When I drive the GT3, I can feel adrenaline flooding through me.

My husband and I often talk about how

“The thrill of handling this monster with a manual transmission is something else!”

Yet when I get into the Panamera with PDK, I’m again amazed, thinking, “What is this ride comfort, this smoothness, and this power… it’s amazing!” (Seriously, what’s going on? lol)

Readers who have followed this blog for a while know that the Panamera was the car that sparked my love for Porsche, and I’ve written many articles about the Panamera’s appeal, so you might be thinking, “Here we go again…” lol

But every time, I’m impressed by how this big car achieves a high level of both comfort and performance. I’ve heard there used to be a manual Panamera, but personally, I think the Panamera is best enjoyed with an automatic.

As for the air-cooled Porsche (964), it’s completely different from the others I mentioned. Among our cars, I think it’s the simplest, demands the highest driving skill, and allows the closest connection between car and driver.

I don’t yet feel like I’ve truly mastered driving it, but watching my husband, I can see he’s increasingly captivated the more he drives it.

They’re All Porsche

What amazes me about Porsche is that “despite each having different charms and flavors, you can feel Porsche in every single car,” (though I haven’t driven every model).

Different models and years, but whenever I drive one, I always think, “Ah, this is Porsche.” This was true even when driving the Cayenne or Macan. Why this is so, the depth of it, is something I can’t explain as an amateur, but it’s truly amazing.

By the way, my husband passionately says about our Porsches with their unique charms,

Since we park them in multiple garages, sometimes we switch cars, and that’s when I really feel how amazing Porsche is. For example, if I decide, “Today I want to drive the GT3, so I’ll take the air-cooled 964 from the home garage and swap it with the GT3 parked elsewhere,” I might feel a bit reluctant getting into the 964 at first, but once driving it, I think, “What a great-feeling car. It’s so much fun to drive! Maybe this one is enough.” And as I approach the garage where the GT3 waits, I often think, “Maybe I’ll just turn around and go home in the 964 without swapping.” This really happens every time. I’ve even gone home without swapping many times lol.

And, of course, the opposite happens too. When I head to the garage to swap the 964 for the GT3, I always feel, “What a machine. It’s more like a fighter jet than a car!” and I want to go home without swapping.

It’s the same with the Boxster and the Panamera Turbo. Just the other day, driving the Panamera Turbo to the garage where the Boxster is parked, I thought, “The comfort is amazing, yet it’s so fast and handles like a demon. This car is insane.” And then I hesitate to swap it for the Boxster.

This pattern repeats every time. Even though I know it in my head, I never learn. I think we’re both a bit silly lol. No matter how many times we do it, we never get used to it, and we say the same thing to each other.

This, I believe, is the true charm of Porsche. They all share the common element of being fun and enjoyable to drive, while each model has its own character and flavor that never disappoints.

In conclusion, I think everyone feels that “their own car is the best!” So it’s wonderful to respect each other’s favorites, appreciate their strengths, and enjoy our car life together.