Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0

After 8000 miles in the best sports car on sale, we bid farewell to this versatile, engaging flat-six gem

- James Taylor

IT'S JUST A CAR. YOUR PROBLEMS ARE still your problems, your worries are still there. Driving a truly great sports car shrinks them a little, though; temporarily puts them on pause. And I'd say the GTS 4.0 is one of the best sports cars on sale today. In fact, according to last issue's group test, the best. Shame it's about to go off sale. And an even bigger shame – for me – that this long-term test has come to an end.

Being bumped into in traffic a few weeks into this test brought a silver lining for our silver sports car: since it underwent lengthier-than-expected repairs (see evo 333), Porsche kindly extended the loan by a few weeks. As a result, the Boxster joined Fast Fleet in the depths of winter but leaves during a sweltering heatwave. Roof down, the bite of cold air above and the billow of hot air from the vents inside the cabin, or roof down, balmy air all around and blue skies above: both are experiences to lift a journey – any journey – out of the ordinary.