You know, it's very rare that I hop on here looking to lambast some poor review but this one just takes the cake. A publication actually came together a brought the BMW Z4 sDrive35is up against the 2013 Porsche Boxster.
While they can be considered rivals because they both are German-built vehicles, sport six cylinder motors, are rear-wheel drive and the roofs come off, that's about where the similarities end. The BMW is a through-and-through cruiser, while the Boxster is a proper driver's car. No ands, ifs or buts.
One of my favorite parts has to be when the writer notes that the Boxster has been "maligned" by the automotive press since its launch? Really? I guess that's why it continued to win most comparison tests against cars like the BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Audi TT and whatever else you could throw at it.
Actually, I lied. My favorite part actually is when the Bimmerphile compares both organization's "Racing" and "Corporate Power." Really? In a review?
While he states the BMW cleans the Porsche's clock in the tech department, he really misses the big picture. The Boxster weighs approximately 600 pounds less, gets better fuel efficiency and can be optioned with a proper six-speed gearbox. Not to mention it looks unbelievable.
To even hint that the BMW can keep up in the styling department is simply a ridiculous statement.
Ultimately, the Porsche wins the showdown in this guy's eyes but I think if he wrote otherwise he would have been banished from driving for eternity.
I think I've made it quite clear which vehicle I'd plop down my coin to have but in case you want to hear the other side, here are some excerpts:
With the launch of an all new 2013 Porsche Boxster S, BMWBLOG figured it would be a good time to compare its natural rival: the BMW Z4 sDrive35is. An unfair comparison you say? Both two seat German droptops can be well optioned for just under $70,000, and both rear-wheel drivers can get you from 0-60 mph in about 4.8 seconds. However, both provide a rather different driving experiences and get you there in rather different ways via divergent philosophies...
...Base price for the Z4 sDrive35is is $64,200 and the one I drove had a MSRP around $68,000. The base price of the 2013 Boxster S is surprisingly less at $60,900. Granted the Porsche doesn’t come standard with the double clutch gearbox and if you add $3,200 to get it, the cost differential nearly evaporates. However, if you start to go crazy with the options on the Porsche, the price can shoot up easily into 911 territory. Just out of curiosity I started clicking every option available on the 2013 Porsche’s Boxster S’ configurator and jacked the price up to $103,535 before I got bored and quit. Nuts huh? Tie if you can control yourself on the options list for Porsche or BMW is the winner if you cant...
Corporate Power:
I won’t rehash what we all know about BMW being an independent company, but this gives BMW the ability to develop unique products with a single focus on providing the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” It leaves BMW very flexible to make what they want, where they want. Where BMW looses on this is perhaps cost savings on shared parts. For Porsche, however, Volkswagen officially completes its takeover of them August 1st. Even before the takeover, Volkswagen had appointed Matthias Mu¨ller as Porsche CEO in 2010...
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