In previous The Next Big Thing videos we’ve watched Magnus Walker explore turbocharged Saabs, high-revving V8 Ferraris and cruise around New York City in a plutocratic Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC.
For his latest video though, Walker is back in more familiar territory, behind the wheel of a a sports car from Stuttgart – delving into why the first-generation or “986” Porsche Boxster is the perfect first Porsche.
With Porsche values constantly in flux, the answer to the “first Porsche” question has changed significantly. It was the mid-engined 914 for a time, the basic four-cylinder roadster’s strong Volkswagen vibes ensuring affordability for those denied a 911 lifestyle. Then it was the front-engined 924, for many of the same reasons.
And while today the most affordable way into a Porsche is probably a well-used Cayenne, nobody who grew up dreaming of Porsche ownership imagined putting an SUV on the driveway, which leaves the Boxster – which start at around £4,000 in the UK, and go for similar money in the US – as the perfect entry point.
Compared to previous best-first-Porsches, you’re getting something pretty special too, with a full complement of six cylinders in a boxer configuration (if you didn’t know, Boxster was an amalgamation of “boxer” and “roadster”), and even most of the body panels of the 996 Porsche 911 from the same era (indeed, the shared parts helped cash-poor Porsche cut costs in the 1990s).
Contemporary road tests even suggested the Boxster was a better driver’s car than the 993 that was still around on the roadster’s debut, and Walker notes just how friendly the car’s handling is, before sharing seat time with Porsche Club of America instructor and the car’s owner, Tiffani Marie Lewis to hear more about why she chose the Boxster herself.
The Hagerty Price Guide now lists Boxster values, so to get a handle on the mid-engined star, click here to find out more. Meanwhile, you can watch the car in action in the video above.
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I was tempted to buy one a while back. I never did but kept with my Eunos roadster, the Mazda Mx5. Two different cars but the smiles are the same with open top driving and low centre of gravity handling.
I’ve not enjoyed a Porsche as much as my ‘65 c coupe or my old ‘58 Speedster. The Boxster has been reliable and major fun for 4 years and moving on.