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If you chose to sit on the sidelines and wait for all the two-seatroadsters to arrive before making your decision, Boxster will reward you forcooling your heels.

Boxster is a blast.

It’s a breed apart from the other new roadsters. They all focus on styling,performance or the prestige image, but not at the same time like Boxsterdoes.

Dodge Viper has flash and dash, but is awfully crude around the edges for acar that will set you back $60,000.

BMW Z3 is cute and cuddly, but so is your toddler’s favorite securityblanket, and bankey doesn’t cost $30,000. And the Z3 measures performance witha sundial rather than a stopwatch.

Plymouth Prowler is a design masterpiece but the suspension has neitherbeen mastered nor does it provide much peace.

The Mercedes-Benz SLK has a metal top that powers out of sight on its own,but the top seems to have more power than the car underneath it.

The one car with the same appeal as Boxster is the redesigned 1997Chevrolet Corvette. These two are major league.

‘Vette and Boxster share the same philosophy–a sports car that looks goodand performs exceptionally well, but one that doesn’t have to torture itsoccupants in the quest to bury the speedometer needle.

Boxster offers room and comfort; a wide array of safety features from dualbags to anti-lock brakes to traction control; a potent engine; a friendly,road-hugging suspension; and spacious bucket seats that hug driver andpassenger to keep them in place in high-speed or aggressive lateralmaneuvering.

Style and substance, not style or substance. Fun and function. No gimmicks.No *.

But, like the ‘Vette, the Porsche trunk will for the first time hold a setof golf clubs, though “squeeze in” is a more apt term than “hold.”

And while Boxster’s front end can be stuffed into an optional bra,available through dealers, you’ll have to hold your favorite beverage in yourhand because there are no cupholders (unless you stick a plastic clip in thedriver’s side duct and block your supply of hot/cold air).

Boxster picks up on the theme of the Porsche 924 that appeared in roughlythe 1977-1982 time frame, when the German automaker tried to lure more folksinto showrooms with a $20,000 model for those who couldn’t afford a $50,000machine. Only problem is that the 924 had an Audi 4-cylinder–sacrilege to aPorsche aficionado.

Boxster is another attempt to gain acceptance from those who don’t frequentPorsche shops–a $39,980 roadster that’s about $20,000 less than the cheapest911 coupe and can to lure folks to visit the family in the hopes they’llstay.

We tested Boxster through the Arizona desert. Its powerful 2.5-liter,201-horsepower, 24-valve 6-cylinder located amidships provides optimum weightdistribution for any-speed maneuvering.

Unlike sports cars that intimidate, Boxster exhilarates. An intake port inthe quarter panel behind the driver’s door directs the flow of air into theengine. When we pressed the accelerator to pass a slower-moving (65 m.p.h.)car, the rush of air into that port was a symphony that made the hair on theback of our neck stand.

Boxster was breathing easy when cruising at 85 m.p.h. Better still, between85 and 100 m.p.h. there’s no unnecessary motion or movement, no shake orshudder. Perfect balance and harmony.

A plastic shield runs the length of the underbody (metal under the mufflerand converter) to further keep any wind turbulence from disturbing bodymovement at high speed.

And once you reach 75 m.p.h., a spoiler lifts from its hiding place in therear end so air pushes down on the spoiler to keep the car pressed to theroad. When you ease back below 50 m.p.h. the spoiler retracts, or as FredSchwab, president of Porsche Cars of North America, notes, “you destroy theevidence.”

Takeoff is very quick. Whether moving straight ahead or to either side, thebody sits flat, the 17-inch radial paws sl ap down on the pavement and you movein whatever direction you choose without body quivering. At no time does thecar snap on you as if it wants to choose its own direction.

Steering is power sensitive, meaning that it measures input in the wheeland the more effort you give it, such as in a parking lot, the more assist itprovides.

Boxster comes with a standard 5-speed manual or 5-speed Tiptronic, theso-called clutchless manual that operates like an automatic to shift on itsown but allows you to move through the gears by pressing the + or – fingercontrol on the steering column.

Only drawback was some transmission commotion with Tiptronic in a low-speedjaunt in stop-and-go city traffic.

Tiptronic will account for about 30 percent of sales to entice folks whohaven’t mastered a 5-speed manual into a sports car. But the smooth-shiftingmanual is the preferred choice, especially at playtime.

Downshift, pull out to pass, listen to the air screaming into the intakeport and watch the clumps of sagebrush, which line the road every 20 to 30feet, appear to be a solid wall as you gain speed–with confidence that you’rein control of the car and the car is in control of its environment.

The mileage rating is a most respectable 19 m.p.g. city/27 m.p.g. highway;17/26 with Tiptronic. And a 300-mile plus pilgrimage through the desert andmountain trails here–not taken gingerly–was accomplished on just about atank (15 gallons) of fuel.

We must note, however, that 16-inch treads are standard, 17-inch tires arepart of the optional sport package that also includes a plastic wind deflectorthat snaps in between the driver/passenger headrests to keep the breezeblowing over this open topper from slapping at the back of your head. Thedeflector works very well. Will 16-inch tires hold as well? Whether 16- or17-inch, Porsche advises the use of four snow tires for a Midwest winter.

The claimed zero- to 60-m.p.h. acceleration time is 6.7 seconds (top speed149 m.p.h.). Even more impressive is how quickly the disc brakes bring youdown from 60 to zero without having to stand on the pedal. Stops are straightand true without leaving a telltale radial streak on the road.

Traction control is available, but as an option. Porsche insists weightdistribution in this mid-engine car reduces the need for traction assist undermost conditions because you have weight over the rear wheels to help keepcontact with the road. But, if you live in the Snow Belt and choose not togarage your vehicle in the winter, traction control is an extra $847.

Boxster comes with a canvas top with power control that takes only 12seconds to lower or raise. While most of the top ends up hidden under a cover,part is left exposed behind the seat backs. Looks nice when clean, but if youlet garbage accumulate, you’ll expose passersby to the dirt on the canvas.

A metal hardtop with a glass backlite and defroster is optional for $2,249.Should you pass on the top, holders built in to the body will allow you to addit if you want to add it later.

Other notable features include power seat backs (not bottoms) and anoil-reading gauge in the dash to quickly determine oil level when the engineis hot or cold.

Problems included sideview mirrors that are just a tad too small and limitrear vision when trying to spot a car bearing mars lights; brake-light lensesthat reflect glare, making it difficult at times to tell whether the Boxsterahead is braking–and most Boxsters will be ahead of you; limited rear/sidevision when backing up with the top raised; reports that those who rushed toget on a Boxster waiting list are selling their spots for $500 to $10,000; andfinally (and probably worst of all), trying to find a Boxster not spoken for,unless you waive $500 to $10,000 in the face of the person ahead of you inline.

Boxster starts at $39,980. There are two option packages, the technic sportat $ 1,901, which includes 17-inch wheels and tires plus rigidly tunedsprings/shocks/stabilizer bars, which even Porsche sources say can be mightystiff and a bit rough on undulating pavement; and the sport package at $3,235with the larger wheels and tires, wind deflector, cruise control, upgradedsound system with CD player and alarm.

Individual options find headlight washers at $224; wind deflector, $360;heated seats, $390; cruise control, $550; 17-inch wheels, $1,450; leatherinterior, $1,951; and Tiptronic, $3,150.

Oh, add $10,000 to move up in line.