Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 2017 review

The Porsche 718 Boxster is already a compelling car, but a few tweaks on the dynamics and power fronts make the GTS almost the perfect roadster Here is the Porsche 718 Boxster GTS, the latest incarnation of a car that's held in very high regard here at Autocar.Revealed to the public at the Los Angeles motor show, the new open-top roadster is set for UK delivery in mid-December. With a starting price of £59,866, it's priced £1861 below its fixed-roof sibling, the 718 Cayman GTS, with which it shares its upgraded mechanical package.Over the years, Porsche has reserved the GTS name for some very memorable models. Again it has on this occasion. The 718 Boxster GTS slots into the line-up above the 718 Boxster S, bringing with it a number of subtle styling changes, a more powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine and detailed changes to its chassis.  Among the more important changes brought to the car's 2.5-litre flat-four is the adoption of a larger intake duct, providing a greater volume of air for the combustion process, as well as a revised variable-vane turbocharger that operates at a maximum 1.3bar. The result is a subtle 15bhp and 7lb ft lift in output, with 361bhp arriving at 6500rpm and, in combination with the optional seven-speed dual clutch gearbox fitted to our test car, 317lb ft of torque available from 1900rpm through to 5500rpm.By way of comparison, the previous Boxster GTS delivered 335bhp at 7400rpm and just 280lb ft at 4750rpm, so despite ditching two cylinders, the new engine is not only more powerful but brings a load more torque to the party, too.Porsche says the four-cylinder is similar in weight to the old six-cylinder, owing to the plumbing associated with its turbocharger and larger exhaust. Even so, the new 718 Boxster GTS is 30kg heavier than the old Boxster GTS, at 1405kg. Interestingly, this is the same weight as the 718 Cayman GTS, so despite its folding roof, the Boxster apparently gives nothing away to its coupé sibling.Distinguishing the GTS from the S are a series of subtle styling changes. These include a lightly altered front bumper, black tinted lights, a more prominent diffuser and centrally mounted black tailpipes as part of a standard sports exhaust system.There are also black GTS badges at the base of the doors, black 20in alloy wheels shod with 235/35 tyres up front and 265/35 tyres at the rear and a 10mm reduction in ride height as part of the chassis changes brought on by the standard adoption of Porsche’s Active Suspension Management (PASM) system.