The 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 Is Basically Perfect (2024)

Four-cylinder haters, this car is for you. Enthusiasts, journalists among them, almost universally criticized Porsche's decision to fit the Boxster and Cayman with turbocharged flat-fours in place of a naturally aspirated flat six. Most 718 reviews could be summed up as "one of the best chassis in the world is let down by an uninspiring four-cylinder."

I'm one of the four-cylinder's few defenders. It's a clever engine with surprisingly great throttle response, excellent power and torque, and a sound that's characterful if nothing else. And in China, where engines are taxed by displacement, the 2.0-liter base model sells strongly enough to justify the 718’s existence. But many Europeans and Americans don't want a four-cylinder 718. To shut them up, Porsche now offers a 4.0-liter flat-six. Not a bad substitute.

We knew the 718 Spyder and Cayman GT4 were always going to get some sort of six, but the new GTS 4.0 models came as a very pleasant surprise early last year. It appeared then that they'd hit the sweet spot: cheaper and more road-oriented than the Spyder and GT4 with little sacrifice in performance. Both Boxster and Cayman GTS 4.0 also undercut the base turbocharged 911 Carrera in pricing, which is intriguing indeed.

I thought about this car a lot before I drove it. I've always enjoyed the 718; good as it is with a four-cylinder, what would it be like with a six? And a four-liter six with a 7800-rpm redline, at that. In my mind, this car sounded basically perfect, though I have to admit that as a longtime Porsche fan and a current Boxster owner I'm predisposed to like the GTS 4.0. Call me biased if you want, though I'll counter by saying my expectations for this car were extremely high.

But you know where this is going. The 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 is one of the best sports cars on sale now. It's everything you hope it is. I imagine you're less than shocked by this conclusion, which in fairness was somewhat foregone. Porsche simply put a killer engine in a car we already love.

Perhaps we'll get the bad points out of the way first:

1. As ever with a Porsche, the first three gears are too long. First takes you to 49 mph, second to 84, third to 116 mph. This means you can't legally take the engine out to redline beyond first gear on the road, except on that one 85-mph highway in Texas.
2. The exhaust note is a little strange. The US-spec cars don't have the noise-muting gasoline particulate filters that some others do, but the exhaust baffles still remain shut until around 3800 rpm, even in the two Sport modes. The car also has cylinder deactivation, which is neat but further contributes to the same tones.
3. Academically, I know the 718 Spyder is better because it's got a bit more power, and more importantly, a chassis developed by Porsche Motorsport. However, it's also more expensive and the top is fiddly. What I really want is this car with that chassis.

And that's about it. This is that rare thing, a car that feels right the moment you drive away. The seating position and the control weights are absolutely spot on, as you'd expect from a Porsche, and the car immediately feels lightweight and poised. This is gonna be good.

What's interesting is that the 718 GTS 4.0 is hardly revolutionary. It evolved from the 981 Boxster, which debuted nine years ago, an age in the automotive world. And that car was available with a flat six. This car is really just an evolution of the 981.

And that's why it's so good. The 981 Boxster and Cayman had brilliant chassis from day one, and they were notably improved with the launch of the 982-generation 718 Boxster and Cayman. The chassis of the GTS 4.0 is largely the same as the old four-cylinder 718 GTS, and it's sublime. Even with the GTS's standard lowered Sport suspension, the ride is incredibly comfortable, the damping just about perfect. Interestingly, this 718 Boxster rode far better than any Sport suspension-equipped 992-generation 911 I've yet driven. I suspect that's down to the car weighing in at 3156 pounds, 142 pounds lighter than a manual-transmission 992 Carrera S, which likely allows Porsche to use a softer setup. This particular car was riding on downsized 19-inch wheels with winter tires, though my experiences in older 718 GTSes with 20s tell me that ride quality won't suffer much with the larger standard wheels.

As ever, the 718 is a faithful companion on good roads. You revel in the sensation of the car seemingly pivoting around your seat, and the feedback you get from the steering and the chassis remind you what a sports car should feel like. And then there's the engine. I noted earlier that the exhaust note is a little strange, but with the top up it doesn't matter because you get great intake noise. I was surprised by the free-revving nature of this flat-six given its relatively large displacement. Blip the throttle and it responds instantly; keep your foot in it and it'll charge towards the redline with ease. It's also remarkably linear, with a smooth powerband from top to bottom. You don't miss the turbo four-cylinder's torque either, thanks to the six's large displacement providing great flexibility.

Output is 394 hp at 7000 rpm and 309 lb-ft of torque from 5000 to 6500 rpm, with a redline set at 7800. By using a slightly different software tune, the 718 GT4 and Spyder rev all the way to 8000 rpm and offer 414 hp; but in almost all scenarios, I think you'd be hard pressed to notice the difference. Plus, 394 hp is more than plenty in a car this size.

The standard six-speed manual and $3730 seven-speed dual-clutch are identical across both models, and this Boxster has the manual. I'm certain the PDK is great, but you owe it to yourself and the car community at large to get the manual. Porsche's six-speed is a sweetheart, with short throws, delightfully positive engagement and total precision. The only other modern manual shift I like more is a Mazda Miata's, but the Boxster runs it close, especially impressive given that this is a transaxle. Pedals are well laid out for heel-and-toe as well, though in Sport and Sport + modes the car will automatically rev-match for you. I want to hate systems like this, but it works so well here that I can only be impressed.

And just with every Boxster before it, this GTS 4.0 is remarkably easy to live with for a two-seat sports car. It's no harder to daily-drive than, well, anything else, and you'd be surprised at how much stuff you can get into the two trunks. That's where this car has a clear edge over the Lotus Evora, another mid-engine car I adore and one that might be just a little more engaging, but is a pain to deal with for a variety of reasons. And unlike the C8 Corvette, the 718 still gets a manual and actually looks good.

I'd really like to drive this back-to-back with a 718 Spyder. I only drove the Spyder briefly last year, and in very different conditions. And while the GTS 4.0 didn't strike me as being all too different on the road, there's a part of me that thinks the Spyder has to be better. It has a more sophisticated suspension setup, but how much difference does that really make in most use cases? And in any case, the easy power-folding top makes this Boxster a better buy than the Spyder and its fiddly manual roof.

This particular test car stickered at $100,000 exactly, and while that may seem like a lot for a Boxster, I believe it's one of Porsche's best values. For starters, the only other manual-transmission mid-engine sports car on sale in this price range is the coupe-only Lotus Evora (soon to be replaced with a new model, the Emira). And the only other new manual-transmission naturally aspirated car is the $3 million Gordon Murray Automotive T.50… which is sold out.

I also think the 718 GTS 4.0 is better than the mighty 911. Yes, the 911 has back seats and a more modern interior, but the 718 4.0 counters with a sweeter engine, a nicer gearbox, and much better ride than a Sport Suspension 992. Though at least two of my colleagues disagree, I think the 718 GTS 4.0 is a better sports car and daily driver, and its base price is over $10,000 less than a base 911's. And you can't get a manual on a base Carrera; for that you need to step up to the $118,450 911.

No car is perfect, but in swapping out the 2.5-liter four for this lovely six, Porsche has pushed the 718 Boxster GTS closer to perfection. As I said, this is likely a forgone conclusion. But don't let that take anything away from one of the best sports cars you can buy right now.