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REVIEW: 2013 Porsche Boxster

I’m just going to put this out front — formerly known as the “poor man’s Porsche”, the 2013 Boxster blew us away — and this wasn’t even the Boxster S! With an as-tested price of $56,565, the Boxster is a fast, lightweight convertible sports car. The looks we received while driving this — the cyclist who stopped us to say “nice car”, the other Boxster owner who did a thumbs up out of the top of his car when we both had our tops down in 45 degree weather, or the photographers who confused it for a Ferrari — were very satisfying. This car really turns heads.

Our Boxster had 19-inch Boxster S wheels, Porsche’s 7-speed PDK Automatic transmission and the convenience package. The convenience package includes a wind deflector screen, 2-zone automatic air conditioning (two separate control settings for driver and passenger) and dual heated seats. With a black exterior and a black leather interior, our car really shined. The Boxster features auto start-stop, AM/FM/CD player with 4 very loud speakers and a speed-activated rear spoiler. The black cloth top is able to be retracted or put up in just under 10 seconds and even goes up or down at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour — so no having to wait until you’re at a light to drop the top.

With 265 horsepower and a curb weight of under 3,000 pounds, the Boxster was propelled to 60 in 5.4 seconds. Pricing starts at just under $50,000.

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Pros: great looks, great fun and a great price! The Boxster had everything we would really need in a convertible. The performance was excellent and the technology was very easy to work with.

Cons: Tall people won’t be very comfortable in the passenger seat.

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $49,500 || Price as Tested: $56,565

Vehicle Layout: Mid-engine, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible

Engine: 2.7L H6, 265hp, 206-lb. ft. || Transmission: 7-speed PDK Automatic

Curb Weight: 2,954 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 172.2/70.9/50.5 inches

0-60: 5.4 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 22/32 mpg

RATING: 9.2/10

Exterior: 10

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 9 

Braking: 9

Ride: 9

Handling: 10 

Gearbox: 10

Audio: 10

Tech: 9

Value: 8

We’d like to thank Jake Semon at Town Porsche for getting us into the new Boxster. For all your Porsche needs, go check out Town Porsche in Englewood, NJ and online at www.town-motorcar.porschedealer.com. Make sure you tell him Greg and Dave sent you!

REVIEW: 2013 Porsche Panamera 4

One of the most iconic car brands, without a doubt, is Porsche. From the 356 to the Cayenne to the Panamera (and all 50 years of the 911), Porsche has been setting the bar high for competitors and the design of their cars shows no bounds.

Thanks to Jake at Town Porsche in Englewood, we were able to get into the Panamera 4, Porsche’s 4-door fastback sedan and drive it around New Jersey for the day. With a Black exterior and Luxor Beige interior, we were excited to get on the road! Driving around the winding roads of Alpine & Englewood Cliffs’ Palisades Interstate Park (and having to maneuver around crater-sized potholes), the Panamera really hugged the turns and kept its feet planted firmly on the ground.

 

With a 300 horsepower V6 engine, producing 295 lb-ft. of torque, the Panamera 4 shoots to 60 in under 6 seconds. When engaged in Sport Plus mode, the shifts of the transmission were lightning quick and the responsiveness of the vehicle was astronomical.

Our Panamera test car came fully loaded with every option in the book, including the Premium Package which includes Porsche Active Suspension Management and Bi-Xenon headlights with Porsche’s Dynamic Light System and ParkAssist (Front and Rear) with reverse camera. Also included in the Premium Package are heated seats (front and rear), heated steering wheel and Power Steering Plus (where at speed, the steering gets tighter for more control).

Additional interior features included 14-way(!) power-seats with memory, front seat ventilation and an analog/digital stopwatch with driver modes that include engine mapping, steering, suspension, traction control and more. Audio features included SiriusXM, a 6-disc CD changer, and a whopping 14 Bose® speakers and amplifier. Pricing for the base Panamera starts in the high $70k’s and for the Turbo S, it can climb to well over $200,000.

We thought the Panamera 4 was a great car — with all-wheel-drive, performance and the looks, what more could you want from a luxury-performance car?

Pros: Stylish and luxurious, acceleration and shifting in Sport Plus mode, great Bose audio system, sensors around the car letting you know when you are too close to objects or cars.

Cons: Shifting using the buttons on the steering wheel took some getting used to.

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $78,100 || Price as Tested: $92,815

Vehicle Layout: Front-engine, 4-passenger, 4-door sedan

Engine: 3.6L 300hp, 295-lb. ft., V6 || Transmission: 7-speed automated manual

Curb Weight: 4,012 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 195.7/76.0/55.8 inches

0-60: 5.8 seconds  || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 18/26 mpg

RATING: 8.7/10

Exterior: 9

Interior: 9

Acceleration: 9 

Braking: 9

Ride: 8

Handling: 9 

Gearbox: 9

Audio: 10

Tech: 9

Value: 7

We’d like to thank Jake Semon at Town Porsche for getting us into the new Panamera 4! For all your Porsche needs, go check out Town Porsche in Englewood, NJ and online at www.town-motorcar.porschedealer.com. Make sure you tell them Greg and Dave sent you!