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19 March 2024

This Porsche will drive UAE female motorists round the bend... nice and easy

Published
By Bindu Suresh Rai

Planning a roadtrip with me comes with its own bucket list of 'essentials'; and not surprisingly, a convertible finds itself in the top three - wedged between a no-plan philosophy and some killer rock music on the iPod.

So it was much enthusiasm I pocketed the keys to a shiny red Porsche Boxster S to test drive the car on a trip to the Banyan Tree Al Wadi, Ras Al Khaimah.

The 2013 model is a more sleeker, meaner machine, with its 3.4-litre flat-six engine's growl akin to that of a crouching tiger, ready to break free on the wide open road.

And why not, when the zippy little two-seater comes packed with 315 horsepower at 6,700rpm and accelerates from 0-100kmph in a mere 4.8 seconds. The 266 lb-ft at 4500 rpm Torque lends it more power.

We were informed before the keys of the 981, as its internally called, that the new models are now lighter in weight, with the Boxster S now nearly 35kg lighter than its predecessor to come in at 1345kg.

The new generation car is styled to perfection, with the car's front overhang losing an inch, while the windshield has moved forward to give it a sportier, yet aggressive feel to obviously appeal to ‘the darker sex’ as a mean machine.

Another dramatic change are the front headlights, while the tailights now streak the width of the car in a design overhaul of the 981.

What had us pleasantly surprised was the roomy interior space.

Albeit a two-seater, the car, with its trademark bucket seats, has added a few inches for the seats in the rear to allow long journeys, especially with tall drivers, to go off with as few crinks as possible.

A perfect drive for a weekend away to Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah or even Oman for that matter, don't be fooled by the car's tiny size or its inability to accommodate those who don't travel light.

With two boots, yes two, the car quietly manages to tuck away those extra pairs of shoes and that vanity case with easy, both in the front and in the back.

In case you're wondering, no, the car doesn't run of mere air, with a powerful engine tucked away between the seats and the rear trunk.

Our little Thelma (yes, I'm obvious that way),  proved to be a sturdy drive through pockets of potholes and uneven tracks en route to RAK, allowing us to easily experiment with the car's three drive modes: regular, sport and sport plus.

The electric power steering is easy to the touch, with the car's lighter weight obviously adding to the smoothness of the drive.

I must say, I was a tad disappointed that the engine's roar in the plus mode was barely discernible with the car's top down; but the power that extended from its steering was an easy compromise.

For a mid-engine roadster, the Boxster S may be priced on the steeper side with a starting price of Dh217,400, than the competition in its class.

But for power, precision and perfection in design, you can't ask for something better.

Well, maybe a four-cylinder engine...

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