The Toyota Production System (TPS) is widely known as a
process through which vehicles are produced in a most efficient
manner. Waste is taboo. No muda. The extraneous is
excised. Sometimes, it is claimed, that the characteristics of
the vehicles produced via TPS are sacrificed for the sake of
efficiency. This is why you’ll hear some people deride the
generally bullet-proof products from Toyota as
being “soulless appliances.”
So, does TPS suck the soul out of cars?
In a word: No.
In a word of evidence: Porsche.
That’s right: Porsche. That German company, back in the
early 1990s, transformed itself—saved itself—through the
thoroughgoing implementation of TPS. They brought in the
sensi and learned the lessons of how to create products in
an efficient manner. And if you think that this is a recipe for
the least common denominator, then you’d better think again.
Consider the Boxster S. A two-seat sports car that you wear
like a glove. There is nothing extraneous about it. No waste.
It’s all essential. You get behind the wheel and, if you’ve been
in any number of other cars, even those that don’t have a base
price of $55,700, you begin to wonder where all the “stuff” is
that seems so common in cars today. There is a bit of bowing to
current fashion in that above the glove box there is a horizontal
slice of bright trim that you push in and two cup holders pop
out. I don’t think that anyone who is driving this car is ever
going to avail themselves of those cup holders because with the
six-speed manual transmission and the 295-hp 3.4-liter six,
there’s more than enough to keep your hands full.
The car does offer plenty of amenities in the acronymic area,
however. As in:
PSM: Porsche Stability Management
ABS: Antilock brakes
ASR: Anti Slip Regulation
EDTC: Engine Drag Torque Control
ABD: Active Brake Differential
TPM: Tire pressure monitoring
POSIP: Porsche Side Impact Protection
All of which contribute to a safer driving experience.
And what an experience it is. With the engine mounted behind
the seats (the two seats, covered in leather, were, I found, to
be snugly accommodating and made me wonder about those who have
packed on the avoirdupois: chances are, this is going to be an
übersnug experience for those who are living, ah, the good life)
you can hear the satisfying sound of those horizontally opposed
pistons cranking via the exhaust (the engine has four valves per
cylinder as well as variable valve timing; surprisingly, the EPA
numbers are 18/26 mpg). Put the top down (a rather easy thing to
do by simply pulling back a latch and then pushing a button) and
you achieve the entire wind-in-your-face driving experience.
Even though this is a convertible, top up or down it is as
solid as a safe, thanks in part to the use of high-strength and
really high strength boron steel in the body structure. Of
course, as this is a car that is ostensibly made to go fast, and
as quickness is generally a function of less, rather than more,
mass, there is the use of aluminum sheet for the trunk lids
(that’s right, lids, as there’s one in the front and one
in the rear; both trunks are a bit on the tiny side, with the
front at 4.6cu.-ft. and the rear 5.3 cu.-ft.), but this is a
sports car, not a minivan, so capacity is relative).
There is lots to be said about this lively, lithe vehicle.
Not the least of which is that although it may be on the
expensive side, there’s no muda about it.
Vehicle as Driven
Engine: 3.4-liter. Aluminum block and head
Horsepower: 295 @ 6,250 rpm
Torque: 252 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Wheelbase: 95.1 in.
Overall length: 171.6 in.
Height: 50.9 in.
Width: 70.9 in.
Curb weight: 2,987 lb.
EPA fuel economy: 18 city; 26 highway
MSRP (base): $55,700 (with options—Ruby Red metallic paint
($690), bi-xenon headlamp package ($1,090); heated seats ($500);
18-in. Cayman S wheel ($390); wheel caps with colored crest
($185); Porsche wind deflector ($375); automatic climate control
($550); Bose sound package ($950); color-keyed mats ($90)—and
destination ($860)--$61,380)
