2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder
Ever since the brash Cayenne utility hit dealers in 2003, Porsche purists have been understandably uneasy, and with the arrival of the front-engine, four-door Panacea earlier this year, perhaps more so now than ever. But the new Boxster Spyder should be reassuring. With bare bones styling from the iconic 550 Spyder, it’s a 100% classic, but modern, Porsche.
The Boxster’s basic sports car shape is becoming iconic in its own right, but the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder cranks it up a notch. Carrera GT-style twin-hump fairings aft of padded roll bars replace the Boxster’s simple deckled. A nicely done stoplight bridges the gap between the fairings.
And for even more fun, a Spartan two-piece manual soft-top gives the Boxster Spyder a definite ‘50s speedster look. And those vintage rocker panel stripes, especially on our sleek black tester, are easily as cool as the ones you get on the 911 GT3 RS. The stripes connect lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels that are unique to the Boxster Spyder.
The Spyder’s front fascia gets only a subtle freshening from the regular Boxster. While, out back, there’s a fixed spoiler and rear fascia borrowed from the Boxster S. But the Boxster sits 8/10ths of an inch lower than the S, and is 176 pounds lighter. Without the power top, and with new aluminum doors and trunk lid, the Spyder is the lightest of current Porsches.
Top down reveals much of the same cozy two-seat cockpit we’ve come to expect in a Boxster. But a closer look reveals red seatbelts, and more weight saving details like GT3RS-style pull-strap door releases, doors stripped of their storage bins, and a gauge cluster stripped of its shroud.
Seriously track-ready Alcan Tara-trimmed, well-bolstered bucket seats prove more comfortable than they have any right to be. Radio and cupholders are no-cost options, but you’ll have to pay for the privilege of A/C. Like any Boxster, there’s meager trunk space split front and rear, displacing 9.9 cubic feet, total.
The sole engine is a direct-injected 3.4-liter horizontally opposed six borrowed from the tintop Cayman S. Output is the same, at 320 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. And we’ve gotta say, the Spyder’s exhaust note is pitch-perfect.
A six-speed manual transaxle is standard, but Porsche’s excellent seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic is a worthy, quick-shifting alternative. Both transmit power through a mechanical locking differential.
Running through our manual Spyder’s precise ratios at the track resulted in a 5.1-second sprint to 60. That’s the same as the last Boxster S we tested. A result we blame on our tester’s heavy option list. But the quarter mile arrived quicker—13.5 seconds at 106 miles per hour, even with an unavoidable last-minute shift into fourth gear.
The Spyder was much happier in the slalom. The Boxster’s mid-engined layout allows near perfect 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution, and the Spyder adds to that a lower center of gravity, not to mention tires pumped to a lower PSI for more grip. The high-speed lane change couldn’t faze this chop-top Boxster, either. Inputs and outputs were near-telepathic. The Spyder is the best handling production Porsche we’ve ever driven.
Braking was also impressive, with stops from 60 averaging a concise 113 feet with firm, short pedal travel and very little nosedive. Credit for all the fade-free stopping goes to our Spyder’s large rotors and four piston calipers.
The Boxster Spyder’s short, stiff springs, anti-roll bars, and dampers tuned to near bone-jarring levels of sportiness never let you forget that this car is most at home on the track.
Government fuel economy ratings for the Boxster Spyder are as good or better than its less focused Boxster stablemates. The automatic rates 20 mpg city/29 highway, while the manual rates 19 city/27 highway. We averaged a respectable 23.9 miles per gallon on premium gas.
Including destination, the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder starts at $62,150. That’s four grand more than the much better equipped S. But then the Spyder is much rarer.
So, less car, but more performance, and more head turning, for more money. That’s the Porsche way, and we can’t help coming back for more. Plus, the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder is a total reassurance that Porsche is still committed to building true, and cozy, sports cars.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.4-Liter Six
- Horsepower: 320
- Torque: 273 Lb Feet
- 0-60 MPH: 5.1 Seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 13.5 Seconds @ 106 MPH
- 60-0 MPH: 113 Feet
- EPA: 19 MPG City/ 27 MPG Highway
- Mixed Loop: 23.9 MPG
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport
It Does Truck-Like Things Better Than Ever
Honda brought something truly unique to the pickup truck scene when their mid-size Ridgeline debuted for 2006. In 2017, it moved towards becoming a little more true truck-like, both in form and capability, now with yet another step in that direction for 2024. So, let’s see if the Ridgeline is really hitting its stride.
For 2024, it’s all about making this Honda Ridgeline better than ever. There are styling tweaks outside, along with tech and functional improvements inside, but the biggest news is the Ridgeline has now joined Honda’s TrailSport family of off-road inspired vehicles. This more-true-trucklike, second-gen Ridgeline been around since 2017, receiving periodic updates over the years; but joining the TrailSport family is the biggest leap yet.
Primarily, the TrailSport transformation includes General Grabber all-terrain tires, mounted on new Pewter Gray 18-inch wheels, steel underbody protection, and retuning the strut front, and multi-link rear suspension for added wheel articulation. And while we always appreciate the additional traction of off-road tires, the Ridgeline’s standard i-VTM4 all-wheel drive, with Intelligent Traction Management and snow, sand, and mud settings, was already quite capable of handling all but the most extreme off-roading, ground clearance of just 7.6 inches being it’s only real hinderance.
A 3.5-liter V6 remains under the hood as it has since the Ridgeline debuted for 2006; the current version outputs 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, plenty enough muscle to handle its 5,000-lbs. towing capacity. A nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and bevy of push and pull buttons on the console replaced the six-speed automatic back in 2020.
In addition to adding TrailSport capability, a big focus for this update was making it more user-friendly inside, starting with the central touchscreen growing from 8 to 9 inches. It also gets faster processing speeds, menus have been simplified, and the native navigation system is improved with better graphics. It’s accompanied by a new digital instrument cluster, along with an upgraded center console with more storage space. Unique TrailSport touches include heavy duty floormats, leather-trimmed seats, orange stitching throughout the cabin, and orange ambient lighting.
The Ridgeline continues to offer things available nowhere else in the pickup truck market.
Exterior styling doesn’t exactly shout “macho big rig coming your way,” but the more vertical face and larger grille that arrived for 2021, along with this year’s added TrailSport elements, do continue to toughen up the Ridgeline’s image. The 5’4” bed remains highly functional with no large wheel well intrusions, multiple tie-downs points, lighting and even speakers. And of course, the Ridgeline continues to offer things available nowhere else in the pickup truck market, like the dual-action tailgate, and large, lockable, drainable, underbed storage. Not to mention being able to drive around in true car-like comfort, something we took full advantage of on our way to our Mason Dixon Dragway test track.
There was great grip off the line, with full power arriving smoothly but quickly, helping us to get to 60 in 7.0 seconds flat, a tenth quicker than the last Ridgeline we tested. That power delivery stayed fairly consistent the whole way down the track, barely interrupted by the nine-speed automatic’s smooth shifting. Our best quarter-mile run was 15.5 seconds at 90 mph.
The revised suspension and knobbier tires didn’t really seem to add or detract from handling prowess, as it felt as solid, nimble, and car-like as it always has through our cone course. Perhaps a little less stiff than before, but good feedback, tight steering, and minimal body roll for a pickup, made for a very confidence inspiring experience. In our braking test, we stopped in a respectable average of 123 feet from 60, with only moderate amounts of nosedive and good feel through the pedal.
There is, however, a slight reduction in Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the all-terrain tires; 18-City, 23-Highway, and 20-Combined, our average, right on, at 20.4 mpg of Regular. That’s a slightly below average Energy Impact Score of 14.9 barrels of yearly oil use, with CO2 emissions of 7.4 tons.
TrailSport pricing falls in line just under the Ridgeline’s top Black Edition trim with a starting price of $46,375, about five grand over a base Ridgeline Sport.
So, whether you consider the Honda Ridgeline to be a “real” truck or not, this ruggedly smooth 2024 TrailSport does truck-like things better than ever. And we’re not just talking about the slight upgrade in off-road performance, we’re talking about a flexible bed to help you get chores done, and the ability to tow or haul with comfort and flexibility other trucks can only wish for. It’s why the Ridgeline brings more first-time buyers to Honda than any other vehicle, and why it continues to be a great choice in the growing midsize truck realm.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.5-liter V6
- Transmission: 9-speed automatic
- Horsepower: 280
- Torque: 262 lb-ft
- EPA: 18 City | 23 Highway | 20 Combined
- 0-60 mph: 7.0 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 15.5 seconds at 90 mph
- 60-0 Braking (avg): 123 feet
- MW Fuel Economy: 20.4 mpg (Regular)
- Max Towing Capacity: 5,000-lbs