of 1993, the production version is clean, purposeful and distinctively

Porsche.

From the front, the Boxster design is reminiscent of the evergreen 911,

particularly some of the 911 special appearance packages. But from the

rear, it suggests a blend of a couple of '50s ancestors, specifically Porsche's

356 Speedster and the 550 Spyder.

Naturally, the proportions are a little different. This is a mid-engine

car, as distinct from the rear-engined 356 and the 911, which means the

engine is mounted ahead of the rear axle rather than over or behind it.

This configuration yields excellent weight distribution, and just as

significant, puts most of the car's mass between the front and rear axles,

a big asset in the department of rapid maneuvers. Which, of course, is

what cars like this are all about.

Riding a 95.1-inch wheelbase and almost 170 inches long, the Boxster

is about 10 inches longer than the BMW Z3 and Mercedes-Benz SLK, its Teutonic

rivals. It's also a tad wider, with a wider rear track. However, the extra

dimensions don't translate as a weight penalty. The basic Boxster scales

in a tad over 2800 pounds, which is a little lighter than its competitors.

Propelling this tidy package is an update on a classic Porsche design--the

opposed or "boxter" six. With their cylinders opposed 180 degrees

to one another, boxter designs offer packaging advantages, because they

lie flat. And because they lie flat, they also help designers keep the

car's center of gravity low.

At a glance, the new 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 Boxster's flat-six is liquid-cooled, eliminating the old

911 cooling fans and lending a distinctly new sound to its power delivery.

As you'd expect of a Porsche, the new engine is mechanically au courant,

with twin overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and variable cam timing.

And as you'd also expect, peak power--201 horsepower from 2.5 liters--is

plentiful, though both the Z3 2.8 and supercharged SLK are a little more

robust in the torque department.

Two transmissions are offered--the standard five-speed manual and Porsche's

Tiptronic automatic, also with five speeds. The Tiptronic offers its operator

the choice of full automatic operation or fingertip pushbutton self-shifting,

similar in concept to a Formula One racing car. It's the best compromise

between stick and automatic on the market, but at $3150 it's also the most

expensive and the manual gearbox provides better performance.

Braking, with oversize vented discs on all four wheels plus Porsche's

latest antilock system, is superb.

Our basic Boxster was equipped with the standard wheel/tire package--P205/55ZR

front, P225/50ZR rear, on handsome 16-inch aluminum wheels. Optional 17-inch

wheels add a bit more grip at the rear of the car, but also add $1450 to

the bottom line.

Other chassis/performance related goodies on the option list include

a $3235 Sport package (17-inch wheel/tire combination, wind deflector,

cruise control, alarm system and in-dash CD player) and a Technic Sport

package (stiffer suspension components, 17-inch wheels and tires, automatic

brake differential and traction control) for $1901.

The traction control system, which includes the automatic brake proportioning

system, is also available as a separate option for $847.