Yes, well, don't get too excited: it's an automatic. I know: a slushbox Porsche is like a manual Rolls Royce. But that's all The Sultans of Stuttgart could swing my way on short notice, and I'm far too much of an adrenalin addict to just say no. Oh, in case you didn't notice, it's red. Considering the Boxsters' ongoing struggle against the forces of girliness, Porsche NA would have been well-advised to spec-up the press car in Darth Vader black. Never mind. Click through and I'll tell you how she drives.

My initial impression was Holy ****, is that the back end coming around? As a C4 owner, I?m not used to tail wagging at anything less than extra extra-legal velocities. But when I hammered the Boxster S through my local twisties, the roadster?s red rump suddenly swung out to say hello. It greeted me very politely, then snapped back with all the subtlety of a linebacker tackling the opposing QB. (You can see a bit of this behavior on Autocar?s website.) So, it?s more of a driver?s car, yes? That remains to be seen?

Meanwhile, despite all the talk about the upgraded interior, the battleship gray plastic surrounding the Boxster?s HVAC/audio controls is irredeemably cheap and nasty. (Buyers: talk to your salesman about an alternative material.) The tiny buttons are glove-aversive and do nothing to help ameliorate the aforementioned CCPP (Chick Car Perception Problem).

Sam, Enzo vet that she is, thinks the S needs more grunt. (The lack of bottom end torque is particularly noticeable in automatic mode.) She also wonders why power seats aren?t standard. Good question.