Porsche 718 Boxster almost does not have any direct competitors on the market. Just think about it. It is a mid-engined car, powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged engine and it sends its power to the back. The closest competitors may be the Alfa Romeo 4C and, more or less, the Lotus Elise. True, these are far less refined, but they tick all the right boxes to play in the same ballpark.
Here, we can finally watch the comparison we never really knew would happen – between the posh, rather luxurious and cool Porsche 718 Boxster and the Lotus Elise Cup. In principle, the cars are simple, but in reality, the two cannot be more different. Lotus Elise Cup is a lightweight, simple machine with all the luxury amenities actually lacking from its interior. It is far less sophisticated, but far more honest and brutal in its driving than the Porsche. If the track driving is the thing than the Lotus Elise Cup is the unfiltered machine to give one the most thrilling experience and the purest driving nirvana. Porsche, on the other hand, is faster. Yet, it does have that German car smell meaning that every single bit about it is refined to perfection. It has a multitude of advanced driving aids and features that give it the appearance and feel of an expensive car. And it is expensive. Much more than the Lotus Elise Cup is. These are the reasons these two cars attract such different people and play in different markets.
As for the comparison test, the Porsche 718 Boxster S goes with a 2.5-liter four cylinder engine developing 350 hp. That is 100 hp more compared to the 1.8-liter supercharged engine in the Lotus.
In short, the Lotus is a manually operated machine – more track focused than almost anything else, while the Porsche is a capable performer, faster than the Lotus, but it can also be a daily driver in the city. It is up to you to decide.
