Porsche 718 Boxster S

Only four of the 600 cars in Dream Car Garage pair a flat-four engine with rear wheel drive, and the Porsche 718 Boxster S sits inside that narrow group. Its 2.5 litre turbocharged flat-four layout is not the obvious route among a catalogue filled with different mechanical choices, but it defines the character of this entry. The decision brings a specific combination of compact engine layout, open-top body style and rear wheel drive, while the catalogue position shows where that combination lands against the alternatives.

With 345 bhp, the 718 Boxster S ranks 468th for power among the 600 cars, placing it outside the upper tier for outright output. Yet its 4.6 second 0 to 100 km/h time is quicker than 186 cars in the catalogue, and its 285 km/h top speed sits at rank 330. The numbers point to a car that is not built around dominating the largest figures, but around how its specification works together. The 420 Nm of torque from the turbocharged flat-four supports that balance.

The flat-four itself is the standout detail. Just six cars in the catalogue use this engine layout, and only four combine it with rear wheel drive. The 718 Boxster S is therefore separated less by a headline statistic and more by a technical choice that appears only rarely within this 600-car collection. That makes it a distinctive option for a garage built around variety in engineering approach.

At £45,000 used, it ranks 465th for price, meaning 135 cars in the catalogue are more expensive. Its cost per bhp is £130, placing the purchase in the context of a broad range of performance machines rather than simply chasing the highest numbers available. Porsche contributes 65 cars to the catalogue, while Germany accounts for 197 of the 600, giving the 718 Boxster S a clear place within a significant part of the collection.

For a collector choosing between many different expressions of speed and design, this Porsche represents a focused formula. A two seater convertible with a turbocharged flat-four, rear wheel drive and measured performance brings something specific to a garage. It adds a car whose appeal comes from its unusual combination rather than from trying to match every rival on paper.

The Porsche 718 Boxster S has its own identity.