freeways, we were none the worse for wear, and would sign up to do it again instantly.
#718 spyder full#
Ride quality is quite firm, but after a full day of canyon carving and navigating L.A. It was like a magical first date where you’re instantly in sync, skipping right through small talk and going directly to more meaningful conversation. It’s a true treat for all of your senses, and makes the estimated 4.2-seconds that Porsche claims for 0-60 a certainty.įor our exclusive drive time in the Los Angeles area, we quickly headed for the canyons, and the twistier the road got, the more the Spyder felt in its element. Max torque arrives at 5,000 RPM, but you’ll probably find yourself running it up to its 8,000 RPM max as often as possible. Pushing noise through those pipes is a beefed-up, naturally-aspirated version of the 911 Carrera S’s 4.0-liter flat-6 with 414-horsepower and 309 lb-ft. The active rear spoiler behind it, is larger than on the standard 718, deploying at 75 miles-per-hour to add a significant amount of downforce.Īnd underneath all of that, is a new single-muffler exhaust system optimized for both performanc and aerodynamic efficiency, packaged in a new rear diffuser. The deck itself, is surprisingly light, and of course features a twin hump design that is as sexy-looking as it is functional. Then it’s a matter of lifting up the large one-piece rear deck and folding the top under it, and closing everything up. It’s a multi-step process that starts by releasing the header latch with the press of a button on the console or the key fob, followed by detaching each side wing. In the interest of weight savings, the top is manually operated. Updates to the front bodywork are all about airflow, channeling as much as possible for cooling, as well as using it to push the front wheels into the pavement.
Wheels are lightweight 20s, with ultra-high performance Michelin PilotSport Cup 2 tires.īrakes are upgraded too, but you can opt to go the full ceramic composite route as well. That means lightweight track-worthy struts, springs, and ball joints as well as Porsche Active Suspension Management with ride height lowered by over an inch compared to the standard 718. Thus, it shares the Cayman GT4’s chassis with sub-frames straight off of the 911 GT3. So obviously, this one’s for the drivers.
#718 spyder manual#
Why? That’s because no PDK is available, all Spyders come with a 6-speed manual with short throw shifter from over in the GT race shop. The first thing we noticed inside is a steering wheel that is gloriously devoid of controls, possibly from the Bauhaus school of functionality and simplicity of design.
#718 spyder plus#
This one follows much the same formula: less weight plus more power times a full chassis revision equals a Boxster that can’t be beat! The Spyder name is not new to the Boxster family of course, with examples released in 20 not to mention other legendary Porsche examples, such as the 550 Spyder, which inspired the Boxster in the first place. Well, Porsche, being Porsche, continues to refine the heck out of it and for 2020, we get the most capable Boxster ever, in the form of this 718 Spyder. With the Cayman GT4 RS already in production, we expect it won't be long before we hear more about its Boxster equivalent, though as behind as Porsche's current production queue is, there's a chance we won't see these in the real world for quite some time.Now in the third year of its fourth generation, the Porsche Boxster has become today’s preeminent mid-engine roadster. We expect the Spyder RS will get an output to match that of the Cayman GT4's since both will utilize the same exhaust routing, which is slightly more restrictive than the 911's.
It does pack wheels and brakes befitting what we expect to be found under the Spyder's engine cover - namely a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six that revs to 9,000 rpm and makes 502 horsepower at 8,400 rpm in the 911 GT3 and 493 in the Cayman GT4 RS. This prototype lacks its Cayman sibling's track-ready rear aero treatment, but as popular as the Spyder's ducktail profile is, we're inclined to believe this will carry over to production. If Porsche's engineers are hard at work cramming that 500-plus horsepower into a lightweight Spyder model, what you're looking at is sure to be one of the most impressive machines Stuttgart's finest have ever churned out. Porsche appears to be testing a new RS variant of the 718 Spyder that will likely be powered by the same 4.0-liter flat-six found in the 911 GT3 and the spectacular Cayman GT4 RS.
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