I have never even sat in a Boxter or a Tesla thus I am doing no more than passing time rambling on as opposed to clearing out a slot drain.....!!
Ride comfort.... There was a set of 14 inch Millrace wheels from an early +8 for sale as linked to an ebay add the later dia wheels being 15" with the tyre difference providing the same rolling radius, which seems to suggest that the ride might be more compliant on 14" with larger sidewall tyres...? Porsche did much the same on 911`s of a similar era, going from 15" on the comfort model and to 16" on the sport, while using different shockers for the 15" than for the 16"... I wonder if Morgan might have changed anything in the suspension when they made the decision to go for lower profile tyres..? A change of shocker oil viscosity perhaps..?
I owned a 911 SC with the 15" wheels at the time of the 993 launch and having experienced the 911 SC Sport on 16"as a somewhat stiffer ride, as I walked up to the then new 993, noting the much much lower tyre profile I expected a somewhat jarring ride, given the roads I was about to drive over.... I was most surprised to discover it felt as comfortable and more than my old SC , handling was also greatly improved as was the grunt from low revs... I suspect Porsche have learned a thing or two over the years when it comes to making improvements to the way sports cars handle..?
I suspect the later Aero based Morgans have improved suspension over the Trads and perhaps much more so the CX, thus not quite the rather vintage cart spring and sliding pillar that I have enjoyed over many a year on my old +8, even though it has the "advantage" of Koni shockers front and rear...That typed the +8 fitted my ideal of sports car fun for many a year.. Still does on warm dry days..(-:
I feel fortunate to also own a Porsche 991 at this time, I am told it has an engine, though it is nowhere to be seen when the lid is lifted to try to find it, only to expose a couple of fans and caps for oil and water top up.. Perhaps Porsches half way house strategy to prepare it`s customers for concealed electric motors as a means of rapid propulsion instead of engines.. After all who gets excited at the sight of electric motors and associated circuitry, compared to polished rocker covers and carbs or throttle bodies... OK. OK, so I have been rather impressed with electric motors, their uses, controls and performance other than in the automotive realm.. Sigh!
Tesla with it`s GDI screen and selectable f*rty seat sounds, even a visual of a log burner, yeah ballistic as it might be and despite all it`s toys, perhaps even push button selectable exhaust roar of any supercar you care to chose being available.... Is all much more than a step too far for this old Luddite. It would seem to be a compliant transport system and a computer system on wheels that as with other electric vehicles I could live with if it were efficient affordable and proven to be the right way forward to make he planet more liveable for future generations...
Yeah the 991 too has loads of digital decisions made for the old duffer I have become, with switchable actions to select a tad more sport when in the mood, the exhaust baffles are switchable for a more fruity note, and it even has induction roar fed into the cabin to feed ones yoofull desires... (-:
For sure I would have preferred an air cooled 911 but I suspect that the advanced technology of the 991 while capable of being more of a sports car than I might be able to handle with it`s unnecessary 400 HP, yet my good lady is more than happy to drive it, thus it better matches our all round requirements of a sports car at this time..And can act as a somewhat classy carriage if and when desired.
For me my +8 Morgan provided enough of a vintage driving experience without the high cost of purchase and running of a true vintage sports car of similar performance levels...A zillion miles away from my current Porsche, and all the better for it...Horses for courses... Were it not for my long association with 911`s, when I was considering a tin top replacement for my Mog, I suspect I might have gone for a Cayman.
Peter, if you have read this, might I suggest that you consider it worthwhile to have a look at the ESSENTIAL buyers guides as written by Adrian Streather. I met him a few years back, and as best I can remember he was an aircraft engineer who knows his way around Porsches of many types as a hands on enthusiast.. He has written buyers guides for all sorts of Porsches as well as the 986 Boxter, 987 Boxter&Cayman combined, 2006-2009 and a follow up from 2009-20012. with another version for the 981 Boxter&Cayman from 2012- 2016, all filled with practical information. I have bought a few of his books. published by Veloce.
Good luck in your choices Peter.
