All-Star: 2008 Porsche Boxster/Cayman
By Jason Cammisa
We've combined the Boxster and the Cayman into one All-Star this year because, frankly, we couldn't decide between the two. Whether you prefer your sports car in convertible (Boxster) or hardtop (Cayman) flavor, no one will question your judgment if you arrive at their front door in either mid-engine Porsche.
What's that, you say? You're afraid people will think your Boxster isn't a real Porsche? Worried they'll think you bought a Cayman because you can't afford a 911? The staff of Automobile Magazine hereby informs you that those people are fools, and their opinions don't count.
The Boxster and the Cayman received more votes than any other car on this list, and it's no wonder: every time one arrives at our editorial office, we fight like adolescent siblings for the privilege of driving it home. The reason for that is simple: they are exquisite to drive. Their steering is so communicative, you'll feel more of the road's surface only if you crawl along it on your hands and knees. Brake feel is the stuff legends are made of, and the mechanical symphony created by the six horizontally opposed cylinders is more addictive than a reality TV show.
Neither the base 245-hp 2.7-liter nor the S-models' 295-hp 3.4-liter engine produces sufficient grunt for a sub-five-second 0-to-60-mph time, but straight-line acceleration is rarely a Porsche's primary goal. The fact is, when the road goes squiggly, there are few cars on this planet that can keep up.
At the same time, few cars are as entertaining to drive at school-zone speeds. And with two trunks and rich interior appointments, the Boxster and the Cayman make terrific daily drivers.
The whole point of owning a sports car is to put a smile on your face. And few can do that every day as well as these sultry twins from Stuttgart.