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We’ll get to the handling later though. First, we’ve got to get out of the city. I open the Boxster’s door (unlocking it with the fob first – there’s no smart key here, surprisingly) and settle into the driver’s seat. Our test car is loaded with options and the pews specified by Porsche Middle East adjust electrically 14 different ways. It’s therefore little effort to get into a great driving position; sat low on the floorpan, the back upright enough to bring me close to the dashboard, and the steering column extends to meet me. Perfect.
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The interior isn’t particularly radical, but there’s a dominant rev counter in the centre of the three-gauge dashboard, and the steering wheel is purposefully devoid of buttons. It says, in a quiet but unmistakable voice, “performance”. Two silver paddles lurk behind the wheel – proper left-down, right-up paddles too, not the silly push-me pull-you nonsense we’ve seen on some other models recently. The centre console rises from the back to the front in the fashion of the Panamera and latest 997 911, and the material quality is similarly excellent. If I’m being fussy, then there are too many buttons behind the gear stick that operate the optional navigation module, but overall this is a top-quality cabin.
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In traditional Porsche fashion, the Boxster starts by twisting the car-shaped key fob in a slot to the left of the wheel. The flat six catches with a muted, hard-edged sound so typical of a boxer configuration and settles into a refined idle. Stick into D, off we go.
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Of major concern for Boxster fans is the new steering in this new generation car. Gone is the hydraulic steering in favour of a more fuel-efficient electric system. Driving enthusiasts will rightly be terrified that this will rob them of one of the Boxster’s major attractions – the feel of direct interaction with the front wheels. So as we emerge from crankandpiston Towers onto Dubai’s main thoroughfare, it’s the first thing I’m thinking about. Is the new system as good as the old one when it comes to feel? Immediately, the answer is clear – no. It feels slightly disconnected, like there’s a layer of foam between the front wheels and my hand. But did I think about it for more than five minutes? Nope. It’s still one of the best electrical systems and does a great job within the inherent limitations of the technology. A technology that, for all our moaning, is here to stay whether we like it or not – the global demand for the best possible fuel efficiency isn’t dying down any time soon. Accepting that, the Porsche engineers have done a great job replicating the feel of helming the older model cars. Moving on.
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Our car is equipped with the optional Porsche Active Suspension Management system, which means a button next to the gear lever can tweak the damper settings. With the sport setting disabled for our cruise away from the skyscrapers and into the sand, I can barely tell I’m in a sports car. It soaks up lumps and bumps in the road like a sponge. And it’s so quiet. With cruise control on at 120kph, the road and wind noise is no louder than a coupe to my (admittedly slightly failing) ears. If you didn’t know that the Boxster had a soft top, you’d swear it was a hard-top and a well insulated one at that.
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James and I swap over – it’s time to try the SLK. This new model, even in its generic non-AMG form, has had a much more radical overhaul than the Porsche. Perhaps unfairly tarnished with the “girly” brush since the original bubble-like R170, the SLK has been on the weights and become more macho with design elements of the SLS incorporated on all models. And especially in the SLK55 AMG. Gaping vents, aggressive lines and black wheels adorn it like tattoos and pumped up bicep veins, going someway to make up for its still-dinky appearance. From the front it looks more like an SL, but move to the side and its diminutive profile becomes clear. It’s a little awkward, like a midget on steroids pushing for a fight, and seems to sit very high on its wheels.
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Inside there are more SLS inspirations, such as the silver centre console, Alcantara-lined flat-bottomed steering wheel and turbine-like fan vents. It’s certainly more interesting to look at than the Porsche, but it doesn’t feel quite as solidly put together. Touch points like the sun shades feel plasticky, although I like the hefty, textured metal paddles behind the wheel. The seating position feels higher than the Boxster, but still just about acceptable for the man (or woman) wanting their posterior as close to the road surface as possible.
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A stab of the round metal start button to the right of the wheel coaxes the big AMG engine into life. It’s a massive unit to put in a car this small, and symptomatic of the car’s character. Think AMG and you think brute power, whereas with Porsche, finesse is the name of the game. The Boxster is the all-round technical fighter, but the SLK has the roar of a knockout artist.
