Random Car Wednesday: Porsche Boxster

Welcome to this week's RCW on Shifting Gears. Today's car is one of the sportiest performance machines to come out of Germany, the Porsche Boxster. Originally introduced in 1996, the Boxster was the little brother to the 911 model. Visually, the two cars had much in common, but the Boxster was a dedicated roadster, similar to the classic 550 Spyder. The Boxster also utilized the same flat-six powerplant as the 911, but it was mounted in the middle for better weight distribution. This particular Boxster is a 2003 model, one of the last years for the first generation model. The color is standard Porsche fare, a medium grey that suits the car nicely. This Boxster also has nicer wheels than the base model. Whether they are factory options or aftermarket equipment with Porsche center caps I don't know for sure, but they're very attractive on this car. The Boxster is a well-balanced performance car that driving enthusiasts have learned to love, and there's a reason why it's still in production today: It's absolutely excellent.

2003 Porsche Boxster