I've said this before about Porsches: you think it and the car does it and there's no better example that the 2007 Boxster S.

The Boxster can be traced back in a direct line to the first post-war car designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche himself as a two seater roadster with drivetrain pieces from a Volkswagen flat-four engine at the rear.

What sets these cars apart is the way they feel like every piece is in sync.

Always famed for slick and fast transmissions, Porsche has taking gear selection to a new height with the new seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission. Optional at $4,660, it combines seven forward gears and two wet clutches in a radial arrangement that is controlled hydraulically.

It works on a pre-selection principle. Say you are in third gear on one clutch. Because you are accelerating the PDK assumes the next gear you want is forth and readies the second clutch to engage. This can be done in either "Drive" or shifted sequentially through a new toggle switch setup. When this happens, the change in gears is so fast that it is imperceptible.

Also an option ($1,800) is the Sport Chrono Package Plus. Down at the bottom of the centre stack are two little buttons marked "Sport" and "Sport Plus".

Selecting the 'Sport' button on the centre console activates "Sport" mode, which makes throttle response significantly more immediate, adjusts the rev-limiter to a higher setting, tunes the engine dynamics for performance driving and activates the optional sports exhaust system.

The optional ($2,720 and fitted to the test car) Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) also switches to "Sport" mode when the button is pushed, which offers firmer damping and more direct steering and, therefore, better road holding.

Using Porsche's words here to describe how it all works, with the PDK in automatic mode, gearshift points are delayed until the upper rev range. The shift times are shorter, the gear changes sportier. At low rates of deceleration, the system initiates a swifter, brake-induced downshift. In manual mode, gear changes are faster and more dynamic.

In "Sport" mode, the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) intervenes later for increased longitudinal and lateral dynamics. PSM makes possible greater maneuverability under braking and exit acceleration, especially at low speeds.

For maximum handling, the PSM can be set to standby while the car is still in "Sport" mode. For safety, it is set to intervene automatically only when ABS assistance is required on both the front wheels.

A key component of the Sport Chrono Package is the swivel-mounted timer in the centre of the dashboard with analogue and digital display. In combination with Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), the Sport Chrono Package offers two additional functions that are activated by the "Sport Plus" button.

First, there is Launch Control that ensures you achieve the fastest possible rate of acceleration from a standing start.

Launch Control is operated via the Sport Plus button with the "D" or "M" drive position selected. While the driver depresses the brake pedal with the left foot, the right foot depresses the accelerator pedal to the floor. With the accelerator in the kickdown position, the system detects the driver's request for Launch Mode and revs the engine to an optimum speed of approximately 6,500 rpm.

Engine torque increases and the clutch closes slightly. The message "Launch Control active" appears on the instrument cluster display. The driver can now quickly release the brake and prepare for maximum acceleration.

Second is what Porsche terms the "motorsport-derived gearshift strategy". Using this, PDK is geared up for maximum shift speed, the shortest possible shift times and optimum shift points for maximum acceleration, ideal for the racetrack.

All this sounds very technical, I know, the payoff is felt the second you hit "Sport".

Instantly you feel the car stiffen and there is a vast change in exhaust note to a harsh rasp. Hit the gas and that changes to a shriek as the big induction ports on each side of the car start gulping in air.

With the "Sport Plus" engaged, and under hard throttle, the speed and sound of the gears changing and engine note is like a Formula One car. The Boxster S goes through the gears to redline after redline. It is quicker from rest to fifth in terms of time than it takes to read this paragraph.

I don't know about getting all the way to the top in seventh because I'm just not brave enough to try it.

The Boxster S differs from the base car primarily by engine and transmission plus some upgraded interior trim bits.

Where the base Boxster has a 2.9-litre horizontally opposed or "boxer" six-cylinder engine producing 265 hp and 221 ft/lb of torque, the Boxster S gets an enlarged 3.4-litre version of the classic Porsche boxer engine that is up in power from 295 hp and 252 lb/ft of torque to 310 hp and 266 lb/ft for 2009. Standard transmission is a six-speed transaxle.

With the PDK, fuel consumption is listed at 10.6L/100 km (27 mpg) city and 6.7L/100 km (42 mpg) highway. I averaged 9.6L/100 km over about 1,000 km.

The Boxster chassis feels solid with no noticeable hood shake even when crossing railroad tracks. The soft-top goes up and down in a scant 12 seconds. A touch of a button on the central tunnel and it's all automatic with the top disappearing just behind the seats. Considering that's where the engine is, engineering the top was a feat.

Porsche has honed the front independent MacStruts and multi-link independent rear suspensions over the last 40 years to the point that the grip and response from the suspension and steering are intuitive to the driver. Like I said, you think it and the Boxster does it.

Making it all happen are a bevy of computers and sensors that keep the ride and handling of the Boxster at the leading edge. These include: Porsche Stability Management (PSM), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS); Anti Slip Regulation (ASR); Engine Drag Torque Control (EDTC) and Active Brake Differential (ABD).

The base price of the Boxster S is $70,600 and with the all options it rose to $91,765 that included a $1,085 shipping fee.

What all this means to you and me is that the Boxster is working several systems at light speed to make sure the maximum power, maximum grip and maximum control are backing the driver up and are ready to step in if the limits are exceeded.

I had a glorious week with the Boxster S painted a bright yellow and the optional ($2,120) 19-inch Carrera S wheels and used my time to attend the Fleetwood Cruize-In near London, Ont. It is without a doubt the best enthusiast car show in this country.

I know the area well and there are scores of flat, open roads where I could push the Boxster S to the limit of the law and discretion. That howling induction note and the grip all come together in a car you feel at one with.

Coming back to drop the car off to Porsche's Canadian front man, Ricky "The Racer" Bye, a long-time Porsche driver and winner of multiple championships, I was reminded what he once said about Porsches, "It kind of spoils you for anything else."

And over the years, I've found out he's right.

PORSCHE BOXSTER S 2009 AT A GLANCE

BODY STYLE: Two-seat performance convertible.

DRIVE METHOD: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive.

ENGINE: 3.4-litre horizontally-opposed, six-cylinder (310 hp, 266 lb/ft)

FUEL ECONOMY: Seven-speed PDK, 10.6L/100 km (27 mpg city), 6.7L/100 km (42 mpg) highway

PRICE: Base, $77,600, as tested, $91,765 including $1,085 shipping charge.

WEBSITE: www.porsche.ca