All Without a Clutch Pedal? That's Unbelievable!
Like other automated manual transmissions, you can either leave the PDK in Drive for automatic shifting or select manual mode, the latter accomplished by moving the shift lever on the center console into the manual gate or by using the buttons on the steering wheel. On the high-speed track at Willow Springs, we found ourselves leaving the PDK in Drive. Partially, this is because Porsche has chosen the Bizarro-world orientation for the gearlever, because you push forward for upshifts and pull back for downshifts. But we'll also admit that Drive mode meant there would be less of a chance that we'd make an ass of ourselves in front of professional racers Derek Bell and Hurley Haywood, who were Porsche's driving instructors for the day.
If we had been driving a car with a manual transmission, for sure we would have blown a heel-and-toe downshift in front of Hurley. With PDK, however, you are Hurley. Every upshift clicks off with the crispness of a rifle shot, and every downshift is rev-matched with expert precision. There are three modes for shift action in Drive — Normal, Sport and Sport Plus. Porsche has programmed Sport Plus to deliver max-attack shifts at redline, the perfect strategy for track duty.
Meanwhile, since PDK is doing the shifting, you'll be free to concentrate on the Boxster's exceptional balance in the corners. No question, this has been the most compelling attribute on the midengine Boxster's resumé since the car was first introduced in 1997. The 911's rear-engine layout will always have a special place in a car enthusiast's heart because of the exceptional traction and braking it offers, but the Boxster's handling through corners is as sharp as a knife from J.A. Henckels — and it's so free of vices that you won't mess up and cut off your thumb, either.
A few suspension changes make the Boxster even better in the corners for 2009. The base-model Boxster gets a slightly wider front track and the same uprated brakes as the S model, and both the base car and S have revised suspension tuning and grippier tires. As before, the Boxster can be specified with the PASM option with its adjustable dampers and a slightly lower ride height.
But Wait, There's More!
Just as with the 2009 Porsche 911, the Boxster also incorporates some magic in the engine compartment that might be even more significant than the addition of PDK.
The base-model Boxster now has a 2.9-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine that delivers 255 horsepower at 7,200 rpm, 10 hp more than the former 2.7-liter six. (Remember when only the Boxster S had 255 hp?) It also produces 214 pound-feet of torque, 14 lb-ft more than before.
Meanwhile, the 2009 Porsche Boxster S still features a 3.4-liter flat-6, but the addition of direct fuel injection works magic, permitting a combination of features that produces more output without compromising fuel-efficiency. The S model's engine is rated at 310 hp at 7,200 rpm and 265 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm. The S model accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.3 seconds when you're rowing the six-speed manual transmission. This isn't much quicker than before, but the benefits of direct injection are tangible in the real world, as there's more midrange torque for better tractability, and there's less of a drop-off in power as the engine nears redline.
