Driving the Boxster After experiencing a dead battery at the end of last year, I felt like taking the Boxster out for a drive again. So, early in the new year, I decided on a short touring trip. For a day trip from Kansai, somewhere with no snow worries this season and where driving an open car feels great, Awaji Island naturally came to mind. Honestly, as someone who loves driving, the roads on Awaji...
The other day, I had the chance to borrow a base model 718 Cayman as a loaner. And just about a month ago, I also happened to drive a base model 981 Cayman. This time, rather than a test drive report or review, I want to focus on the characteristics I feel these two 98x-series cars have, and what exactly sets them apart. The 718 and 981 Caymans To be precise, 718 is the model...
Three Boxster GTS (981) Cars Owning multiple Porsches and often switching between them weekly, as well as frequently test-driving the latest models, I still have my number one Porsche in my heart: the 981 Boxster GTS. Especially when it comes to touring, I often debate whether to take the 964 or the 981, but usually end up choosing the Boxster. The reason is clear: it has the smoothest engine, an incredibly sensual exhaust note, supple...
911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet This time, I had the chance to test drive the 991.1 (early 991) Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet. The name is a bit of a mouthful, but to sum it up, it’s the all-wheel-drive GTS model in an open-top version—basically the convertible counterpart to my own Carrera 4 GTS coupe. It’s an extremely rare model. Just the Carrera 4 GTS and the AWD GTS are already scarce, but add the convertible...
Swift Sport One-Month Inspection My beloved Suzuki Swift Sport arrived at our home in early October. Time has flown by, and it was already time for the one-month inspection. By the way, when I called to make the inspection appointment, I was a bit absent-minded (I’m basically always absent-minded) and accidentally said, “I’d like to book the one-year inspection, please!“… The person on the other end politely corrected me, “Yes, the one-month inspection… right?” which...
Recently, I wrote a test drive article on the current 718 Spyder, but this time, it’s a review of the previous generation 981 Spyder. I’ve known several people around me who own the 981 Spyder, so I’ve seen it many times and felt familiar with the car. Also, since it’s a sibling model to the 981 Boxster GTS that we have at home, it always felt very close to me. Perhaps because of that, I...
Which Porsche Grade and Model to Choose Among Porsches, my husband often gets asked by people around him about which grade and model to buy. Recently, I introduced an article titled How to Choose a Porsche Grade: Organized by Usage and Situation, and my husband always says, When it comes to Porsche, choosing a higher grade doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be more satisfied. Each grade, model, and year has its own unique appeal, so what’s...
Back Behind the Wheel of the Manual Boxster GTS The other day, I took the Boxster GTS (981, MT) for a drive on the Royu Driveway after quite some time. Since I usually travel with my kids, I don’t often get to drive a sporty Porsche, so this was my first Boxster drive in several months. I’ve written extensively about how great the Boxster GTS is, so today I want to share a slightly different...
Comparing the 991.1 Carrera S Cabriolet and the 981 Boxster GTS If you’ve ever considered buying a Porsche convertible, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at least once: “What’s the difference between the 911 Cabriolet and the Boxster?” I used to wonder about this a lot myself. I understand the difference between a 4-seater and a 2-seater, and I get the difference between RR and MR layouts. But how do they differ in terms of...
The Tohoku Grand Touring article is finally reaching its last chapter. Please take a look if you’re interested. Driving the Hachinohe-Sendai Large-Scale Forest Road in the Boxster The tour is now in its final stages. Although the wind was a bit strong that day, the weather was clear and sunny. I prepared early and left the hotel by 7 a.m. I pressed the accelerator of the Boxster and escaped from Morioka city. First, I headed...
