| B&M has been around forever and knows a thing or two about shifters. They have owned the market for many years. Fortunately for us Boxster owners, they offer a short shift kit for our beloved roadster. There has been a little debate as to whether the B&M brand shifter manufacturers the Porsche brand short shift kit but I haven’t read any definitive conclusions. Fortunately for me, my Boxster had a B&M Short Shift kit installed from the previous owner. However, I have driven enough Boxsters to know that I don’t want to do without a short shifter. Basically, the B&M short shifter shortens the throw (the distance between the gears) and firms up some of the slop and vagueness.
Standard shifting in a Boxster, or most Porsches for that matter, required a lot of arm. The feeling is like rowing a boat from the distance your arm travels from the top of first or third to the bottom of second or fourth. The B&M claims to shorten that distance around 35-40% and I believe it. What was done with a lot of arm movement can now be done more or less by flexing the wrist. The B&M Short shifter also firms up the shifting gate. What I mean is that there is a slight vague feeling with the standard shifter going into and out of gear. The B&M almost “clicks” into gear, making a solid, positive connection.
The short shift kit is especially helpful at the track. The shorter throw comes in very handy when you are pulling some good g's on a fast right-hander and you need to shift away from your body going from second to third. Also, the solid shift gate gives fantasic feedback since most of the time you are shifting by feel when everything is happening so fast around you.
The B&M is for people who want to firm up the shifting and give the Boxster more of a race car feel. It requires a little more effort to shift but the shortness of the throw is outstanding. Fortunately for me the Boxster I purchased came with a B&M installed. Otherwise, it would have been my first mod. |
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