I had the chance ( this is fluke ) to drive a co-workers 97 Boxter 5 spd today, and I bought my P5 two weeks ago. Its my first outing in a Porsche, and I can say with ease that any competant driver will spank the P5 in this car. It is smooth and fast. It is way faster than the P5, expecially after 70 km/h. ( I'm a canuck, eh. ). It has a HEAVY ass clutch, and the pedals and drivers footwell are cramped for 6'4" of me, the shifter is tight and nothcy, but deadly precise.
I would trade the P5 for one of these in a heart beat. I really don't see, even with 0-60 specs, HP, weight, that anyone could beat this car. It has too much low end torque, and the power is too much through the entire band, unlike the 3000+ RPM's where the P5 gets its big ( relatively speaking ) power.
I want a Porsche now dammit!