PRICED from £52,879, the Boxster GTS is the new go- faster version of one of the best roadsters ever made.

But has Porsche managed to keep the car’s harmonious balance of power, ride and handling?

In short, yes. The GTS feels wonderfully poised and a specially-tuned chassis means the car dispatches corners with ease.

The power hike over the Boxster S is a mere 15bhp, but the difference is especially notice¬ able as you near the 7,800rpm limit. It’s when the needle climbs over 4,000rpm that the 3.4-litre flat six really comes alive. Flat out the 330 horses will propel you to 174mph.

The six-speed manual gearbox gives a greater involvement in the driving experience, but paying the extra £2,351 for Porsche’s seven-speed PDK semi-automatic gives a quicker sprint to 62mph; 4.7 seconds compared with five seconds flat.

Storage space is limited, as you’d expect from a mid-engine two-seat convertible, but the boot offers enough room for your weekly shop or a weekend away. The soft top takes around nine seconds to raise or lower, and can be operated on the move up to 30mph.

Porsche has also ensured its latest Boxster is the first to meet the Euro 6 emissions standard, managing a combined figure of 34.4mpg with PDK or 31.4mpg for the manual.

Customers are also offered the chance to experience the car’s capabilities and develop their driving skills during a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.

And if you’re willing to shell out, you can tailor the car to your own personal tastes. Porsche Exclusive offers the chance to have your vehicle coated in any shade you desire, even if you’ve seen it on another manufacturer’s car.

Active Suspension Management is fitted as standard, allowing you to modify damper stiffness and subtly change the throttle characteristics of the engine.

Also standard are dynamic engine mounts that stiffen automatically under the G-forces of acceleration, braking or cornering. These reduce the effects of mass transfer and increase the car’s agility.

But the real triumph of the GTS is the difference in sound compared with previous models.

Porsche is rightly proud of its new sports exhaust system. At the touch of a button you can make the already loud soundtrack transform into a cacophony of bewitching noises.

Plant your foot and the engine releases an angry howl, take it off again and the car pops and crackles its way back down the rev range. Change down a gear and a loud bark is emitted from the centrally-mounted dual exhausts.

The GTS merits both its illustrious badge and the £5,000 premium on top of the Boxster S. It’s a sharper, louder version of one of the most intuitive driving cars money can buy.