If you think you can't dress up a Porsche, think again.
When I was told I was going to be handed the keys to a Porsche Boxster S Black Edition, I was intrigued to say the least. While the Boxster may still be considered the “poor man's Porsche”, it's still a Stuttgart offspring with some serious presence on the road, and this special edition roadster is no exception.
For starters, the newly designed Boxster looks phenomenal, even if it's not dressed up for a black-tie event. In red, blue, yellow, it doesn't matter. Porsche took the Boxster and made it beefier, made it more substantial and, essentially, made it look more like a 911. Where it may have looked “weak” in the past, the Boxster now has as much grunt and chutzpah on the road as its big brothers, and that's just fantastic.
So, add to that a look that's slick, sophisticated and eye-catching and you've got a Porsche that'll get you some serious attention on the road.
And serious attention it most definitely got.
Of course, the most noticeable difference with the Boxster S Black Edition is the fact that every single little thing on this car is dressed up in – you guessed it – black. From the exterior paint to the 19” wheels and even the dual exhaust tips and Boxster S model name on the trunk, everything is coated in a thick, luxurious shade of black. A fully black interior in true Porsche fashion welcomes both driver and passenger, and the Porsche emblem-embossed headrests further solidify this Boxster's prestigious ensemble.
The black cloth top sports a classy “Black Edition” stamp over each door in the traditional Porsche script writing, and the door sills also feature “Black Edition” labels. On the (black) glovebox you'll discover a nifty little chromed plaque announcing you're sitting in a special edition Porsche Black Edition along with a model number: For me, it was 112 of 987 total models made.
Pretty exclusive if you ask me. And how clever of Porsche to make only 987 of these special edition Boxsters (Porsche enthusiasts will get the reference right away).
What's even more interesting to date is the number of Black Editions that have already been sold in Canada in 2011. Since the beginning of the year, Porsche Canada reports selling 31 Black Editions. That might not seem like a lot, but considering they only sold 27 Spyders and 25 Boxster S models, that's rather intriguing. Apparently, being exclusive has become quite trendy.
For anyone who thinks the Boxster S Black Edition is just a fancy-looking roadster, I'll let you in on a little secret: It's also faster. Bet you're paying more attention now.
Built on the Boxster S chassis, the mid-mounted, direct fuel-injected 3.4L 6-cylinder engine is good for 320 hp, which is 10 more ponies than the standard Boxster S. Couple that to Porsche's ever-impressive PDK transmission and you've got yourself a Boxster that seems to go like the wind – and it almost does.
You'll see 0-100 km in just 5.1 seconds and you'll be a streak of black wonder on the track with a top speed of 274 km/h. The Sport Chrono package also means you'll get to experience Porsche's dizzyingly enjoyable launch control for an even faster start off the line as well as more efficient and quicker shifts – just in case they weren't fast enough to begin with.
I absolutely loved driving the Porsche Boxster S Black Edition. Not only did it get some serious attention on the road, but it sounded just phenomenal and stuck to the road no matter what I asked of it. Winding country roads were no match for the black beast, and it ate up long stretches of highway with ease. Add to that the fact that the fully electric retractable roof is operable up to 50km/h, and you never really have to stop moving in your Boxster S Black Edition, no matter what the weather.
It doesn't matter how many times I drive Porsche's PDK transmission, it blows my mind every single time. It is so impressive how truly flawless it is. Upshifts, downshifts it doesn't matter; they're all pure perfection. And the throttle kick to downshift is just so ingenious, it puts a smile on my face every single time I use it. Who needs shifter paddles when you have a gas pedal that can do it for you?! It's a glorious, glorious system and I don't think I've ever been so excited to see three letters together on a shifter before.
Every girl needs a little black dress, and if I had an extra $75,000 lying around for this particular model of black attire, I'd be hard-pressed not to dish out the dollars for it. There's something truly alluring about the package as a whole (which would actually set you back $3,500 more if you wanted all the Black Edition's extras on a standard Boxster S) and Porsche has really played into the attraction side of their vehicle for this one.
Sure, we all know Porsches are incredible to drive, but this Black Edition targets your emotional, visual side more than anything. And it does a fabulous job dragging you in and keeping your attention.
Precisely what that little black dress is meant to do.
