We fell in love when we first drove Porsche's Boxster a few years ago. We called it a sweetheart. Well, now we've found another lover: the Porsche Boxster S. It isn't just the powerful new engine, though it sounds great and leaves the standard Boxster in the dust. And it isn't just the Boxster S model's bright red brake calipers, easily seen through the elegant spokes of its specially designed wheels. We love the Porsche Boxster S because it does everything better than the Boxster while maintaining what made the original model wonderful. Like the original, the Boxster S presents a classic sports car visage that reminds us of post-war Porsche Speedsters. Yet it rides better, sounds better, handles better and is substantially faster than the Boxster. We're talking night and day here. More important, it is arguably the most enjoyable sports car in this category.

Fortunately, there's good news for those who cannot justify the extra $8,500 for the Boxster S. Porsche has revised the interior of the standard Boxster for 2000 - a source of disappointment in the 1998-99 Boxsters. Gone are the cheap plastic bits, replaced by high-quality trim. A new headliner presents a more attractive appearance and reduces noise when the top is up. We think everyone should have a Porsche Boxster in the driveway.

For 2000, Porsche has expanded the line to two models: the $41,430 Boxster and the $49,930 Boxster S. All Boxsters are roadsters, convertibles.

The S model comes with Porsche's 3.2-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, a bored out version of the Boxster's 2.7-liter engine. While the Porsche Boxster offers 217 horsepower and 192 foot-pounds of torque, the Porsche Boxster S serves up 250 horsepower and 225 foot-pounds. The Boxster S also comes with a six-speed gearbox in place of the Boxster's 5-speed, plus a headliner for the convertible top.

Boxster looks clean, purposeful, and pure Porsche. From the front, the Porsche Boxster looks just like the 911, and in fact they share front-end sheet metal. But from the rear, it suggests a blend of a couple of ancestors from the 1950s, specifically Porsche's 356 Speedster and 550 Spyder. Naturally, the proportions are different between Boxster and 911. The Boxster is a mid-engine car. Unlike the rear-engine 911, the Boxster engine is mounted ahead of the rear axle - rather than over the rear axle or behind it. This mid-engine configuration yields excellent weight distribution. Just as important, it puts most of the car's mass between the front and rear axles, a big asset when making rapid maneuvers; and that's what cars like this are all about.

Riding a 95-inch wheelbase and measuring 170 inches overall, the Porsche Boxster is about 10 inches longer than the BMW Z3 and Mercedes-Benz SLK. It's also a bit wider, with a wider rear track. Fortunately, the extra dimensions do not translate to a weight penalty. The basic Boxster scales in just over 2,800 pounds, which is a little lighter than its competitors; the Porsche Boxster S model weighs just 55 pounds more than the base.

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Propelling this tidy package is an update on a traditional Porsche design: the horizontally opposed or boxer 6-cylinder engine. With cylinders opposed 180 degrees to one another, boxer engine designs offer packaging advantages, because they lie flat. This flat design helps engineers keep the car's center of gravity low. At a glance, the engine is classic Porsche, with roots that date to Ferdinand Porsche's early work in the 1930s. But there's a key contemporary difference: The Porsche Boxster's flat-6 is liquid-cooled, eliminating the old 911 cooling fans and lending a distinctly new sound to the power delivery. The Boxster engine represents the state of Porsche art with twin overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and variable cam timing. Power on the base engine has been increased from 201 to 217 horsepower for model year 2000. And the new Porsche Boxster S model's 250 horsepower compares well with the BMW M Roadster's 240 horsepower.
Two transmissions are offered: the standard 5-speed manual gearbox and Porsche's 5-speed Tiptronic automatic. The Tiptronic offers its operator the choice of full automatic operation or fingertip push-button self-shifting, similar in concept to a Formula 1 racing car. It's the best compromise between stick and automatic on the market and works extremely well, but at $3,210 it's also the most expensive. The manual gearbox provides better performance and efficiency and seems more fitting for the Boxster. We prefer it.

Braking is superb, with oversize vented discs on all four wheels plus Porsche's latest antilock system. The traction control system, which includes an automatic brake proportioning system, is available as a separate option for $870.

The interior for both models has been substantially improved for 2000. The trim has been upgraded throughout. A luxurious new headliner has been added to the Porsche Boxster S that enhances the appearance and cuts wind noise when the top is up.
Consistent with virtually every Porsche ever made, the Boxster is all business inside, with plenty of room for two, highly supportive leather-surfaced bucket seats, contemporary amenities and excellent control placement. However, the instruments represent something of a departure from Porsche tradition. Three round pods are fused together, with the speedometer on the left, coolant temperature and fuel on the right and a big tachometer dominating the center. The speedometer and tachometer are analog, but there are small digital readouts at the bottom of each pod for the odometer and clock. A digital speedometer at the bottom of the big tachometer provides some useful redundancy. Overall, it's an attractive and effective blend of classic with contemporary.

A pair of steel tube hoops, mounted behind the seats and extending above the seatbacks, provides extra protection for drivers unlucky enough to find themselves upside down. Dual airbags, three-point seatbelts and side-impact protection complete the list of passive safety features.