Back Behind the Wheel of the Boxster

Lately, my husband has often said things that make him sound like a saint:

I’ll watch the kids. Go take the car out for a drive. It’ll be a nice change of pace.

Of course, he often goes out for a solo drive himself on his days off. But now, when he gets home, he’ll say, “Why don’t you take the car out?” before I even have a chance to bring it up. I’m truly grateful.

So the other day, I got to drive our Boxster GTS (981, manual) for the first time in a while. I’d been staying with my parents before and after giving birth, so I hadn’t driven during that time. When I counted it up, it had been two months.

Two months without the Boxster also meant two months without driving a manual. I couldn’t help wondering: “Can I really still drive it? I finally learned to drive a manual—what if I’ve forgotten how while I was away and end up stalling over and over?” I was a little nervous…

When I asked my husband, “Are you sure I’ll be okay?” he laughed and said:

It’s like riding a bike. Once you know how to drive, your body remembers, even if you haven’t done it for a while. And if you’ve forgotten, you can always buy your 320i back and practice! (laughs)

I mean, that’s taking it a bit far…!

The Boxster and the 992

Getting back into the Boxster, I was greeted by that familiar Boxster scent. It’s funny: the GT3 has its own unmistakable smell, and when I get into an air-cooled 911 (964), I think, “Wow, this really smells like an air-cooled Porsche!”

I’m not exactly sure where these scents come from—maybe the seats (when I wrote about the smell of air-cooled Porsches, I got lots of comments from readers). Whatever the source, each one feels nostalgic and comforting, and I love them.

I settled into the driver’s seat, took hold of the steering wheel, carefully adjusted my seat position, and started the engine.

Vroom!

I love the sound of the engine starting. It’s as if the car is waking up from a nap, practically announcing, “All right, let’s hit the road!” Then I let instinct take over instead of thinking through every move, and I drove just fine.

It turns out that once you’ve learned something, your body really does remember. I didn’t need to worry so much after all.

Now that I’ve got the hang of it, though, I find myself wanting to try an older manual Porsche—or a manual car from another manufacturer with a heavier clutch and a more demanding feel. (I do have a habit of getting carried away.)

What I felt driving the Boxster again was a little different from before. The day prior, I’d had the chance to drive a newly delivered 911 Cabriolet (992), and the experience had made a powerful impression.

I used to think, “The 981 Boxster GTS feels very planted. Its suspension is supple, but still firm and composed.” But after driving the 992 911 Cabriolet, the 981 Boxster felt a little less connected to the road.

The 992 gave me a strong sense of its tires gripping the pavement, and it felt solid in every way. At the same time, it was supple—“solid yet supple” is the best way I can put it (I can’t think of a better description). By comparison, the Boxster’s ride felt very soft.

The Boxster’s handling is certainly not lacking. It turns exactly where I want it to, which feels fantastic. But the 992’s handling is even more precise: it stays planted through tight corners, with no hint of deviation. Compared with that, the Boxster felt as though it drifted a little wider.

Though, to be fair, my driving ability probably has a lot to do with it…

Even so, when I find my rhythm on a road full of sweeping curves, it feels as exhilarating as skiing. Driving the Boxster is an absolute joy, and I found myself thinking, “It would be amazing to explore all kinds of roads across Japan in this car.” (So far, I’ve only driven it on Royu and the Thunder Dull Circuit.)

After a while, I put the top down and drove along Royu Driveway. The sound of this 981 is still incredible. Compared with older Porsches, it sounds less mechanical and more deliberately engineered for effect—but personally, I absolutely love it.

It stimulates all my senses, and I can feel the adrenaline rising. Driving a manual convertible that sounds this good—being the one in control—is so much fun that I can hardly find the words.

It’s just pure fun.

Of course, a PDK would be smoother, and I’d probably drive it better. My manual-driving skills still have a long way to go, and I imagine the Boxster uses more fuel than a PDK-equipped car. But still—still—it’s fun.

I was enjoying the drive when my eldest, who tends to send me a string of messages whenever I go out, started texting:

“The baby’s awake.” “I’m holding the baby, but they’re crying.” “I think they’re hungry.” “Mom, come home soon!”

So I headed home earlier than planned.

Still, even a short drive close to home gave me a chance to enjoy myself, reset, and remember all over again how special a sports car can be.

Cars change as they accumulate miles. And when we drive the same car after experiencing others, we may find ourselves feeling differently about it. A car is an industrial product, yet it changes almost like a living thing—which is what makes cars so fascinating and endlessly rewarding.

And yes, by ordinary standards, a mother driving a manual convertible just one month after giving birth might seem a little unusual. But having time like this helps me enjoy time with my family, too, and makes me even more grateful for them.

Now that I have more things that matter to me, I hope we can keep enjoying our own kind of Porsche ownership while being mindful of how we balance it all.