Since it first arrived in 1997, the Porsche Boxster has served as a fun, "attainable" entry point into the illustrious automaker's sports car line. After a protracted model generation, our staff has been anxious to experience the redesigned 2013 Boxster. The wait is over.

Just as the Boxster has matured over time, the price has likewise grown. The 2013 Boxster starts at $49,500, and even our base version with relatively few options rang in at $59,600. Clearly, "affordable" is relative only to buyers considering the Porsche 911, which these days quickly crests $100,000. Had we opted for the sportier Boxster S, with its larger engine and automated manual transmission, the car would have scratched $70,000.

Although the 265-hp, 2.7-liter, horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine in our Boxster doesn't feel particularly brawny, it revs freely, sounds exciting, and delivers immediate thrust to every throttle input. For more grunt, you'd have to get the Boxster S with its 315-hp, 3.4-liter boxer Six.

After logging the prerequisite break-in miles, mostly with the top down and wide grins, we'll put the Boxster through our more than 50 tests to see how it measures up, not only to the previous car, but to the other European convertibles we've been enjoying this summer: Audi TT, BMW Z4, and Mercedes-Benz SLK.