The Boxster and Cayman are underpowered on purpose by Porsche because it is a superior chassis to the 911 in terms of maximum potential.
Porsche would never let the 911 be dethroned.
If you can accept that, then you have on of the best chassis on the market.
It's like "you can have this hot chick, but we have to castrate you". Pretty tough trade off to accept, all because someone said so and not for physical or mechanical reasons.
I know personally for fact it cost them at least one customer in 2003. Best chassis in the world wouldn't make up for being embarrassed by a stock Nissan Altima/Maxima type car on the way home in your $50,000+ Porsche. When I was in the market for a new car, the one glaring thing lacking and burned permanently into my psyche was the lack of power in my then 100 HP car. I wasn't about to half ass increase it to 260 HP when other cars of the same price or cheaper were packing 300-400. That's the reason I nerd rage so bad on the topic of Porsche and Boxsters; I loved that car to death, but in the end, it just wasn't the 180 degree diametrically opposite flip in power that I wanted over my old car.
It's all relative. What's wrong with giving the Boxster the power it needs, then bump the 911 up the same amount if that's the problem? Oh wait then they couldn't sell marginally faster 911 Turbos for 3x the price. God it's like Intel releasing CPUs in 10 MHz increments once a year and dragging it out. This stupid political market segmenting game they like to play is exactly why I didn't get one.
Compare that to other auto makers who give you 25%+ increased performance over last year with 5% increase in price, and little touches like wheel hub inserts and embroidered seats and leather shifter boot/knob are standard and not $3,000 each options.... I'm honestly surprised the damn car (Boxster) came with tires standard and not an "option" : /
Every time I see a Boxster I can't help but sigh and shake my head. Such an awesome car in every way, but I know I wouldn't be happy in one dealing daily with the 50/50 chance of being passed effortlessly by any average non-sports car on the road. Putting your foot down as far as it will go all for naught and feeling helpless as some lard ass in a lifted SUV or backwards baseball cap punk in a riced out 4 door blows you away and cuts you off.... it's the worst feeling in the world; unbearable as it is in a $9,000 Camry. Absolutely not acceptable in a $50,000 Porsche.
I thought I was over those childish e-peen road games, but seriously, people are absolute DICKS when they know you aren't capable of putting up a fight (speeding up to ride your ass and blow by you when you are already doing 20 over, just to get in front of you and turn, and stupid shit like that). The difference in other driver's attitudes is night and day when your car looks and sounds like it can eat their brand new Lexus alive in 1 swallow (same asshole above will hide behind a school bus or garbage truck rather than roll next to you). I'm totally not making this shit up, that's how people are around here. I get more people starting shit with my beater speeding than I do in my fast car going slow. I guess it's human nature to squish ants but hide from the lion. More motivation to get that 3SGTE...but so not worth that kind of money on that car.
My eyes are worn out from rolling so hard all this week being punked left and right in my work beater by little tiny penis douchebags who think their car is fast. Screw it, I'm driving the Cobra tomorrow.
TLDR: blah blah blah Boxster needs more power blah blah blah.