Porsche has unveiled the 718 Spyder RS, the final 718 iteration with a combustion engine, ahead of its transition to a pure-electric drivetrain in 2025. The petrol-powered 718 was first introduced as the Porsche Boxster back in 1995 and has been a popular choice for many buyers globally.
- 718 Spyder RS gets the same GT3-based 4.0-litre flat six as 718 Cayman GT4 RS
- Has a 30mm lower ground clearance
- Comes with Porsche’s active suspension management (PASM)
Porsche 718 Spyder RS: the swansong
The 718 Spyder RS is the most powerful derivative of the Boxster since production began in 1995. It takes 500hp and 450Nm from the same GT3-based atmo 4.0-litre flat six engine that powers its hard-top sibling, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. Redlining at an ear-splitting 9,000rpm and sending its reserves through a “lightning-speed” 7-speed PDK gearbox, it propels the roadster from 0-100kph in just 3.4sec, with a top speed of 308kph.
Porsche says the open roof “makes the highly evocative sound of the engine an even more compelling experience”, particularly given the fitment of a lightweight stainless steel sports exhaust and new air intakes mounted just next to the headrests.
Porsche 718 Spyder RS platform
Below the beltline, the Spyder RS is visually almost identical to the hottest Cayman, complete with gaping air ducts, aggressive downforce-boosting addenda, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) bonnet and wings, and race-style, 20-inch centre-locking forged alloy wheels.
The car also brings the same track-honed chassis upgrade package as the the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. Sitting 30mm closer to the ground on stiffer shocks, it is equipped as standard with Porsche’s active suspension management (PASM) system and features a corner-carving torque-vectoring package with a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle.
Porsche 718 Spyder RS design
Up top, meanwhile, the RS takes its lead from the ‘standard’ (but barely less powerful) 718 Spyder in gaining a pair of distinctive buttresses on its rear deck and a prominent ‘ducktail’ rear wing in the name of enhanced aerodynamics.
The striking soft-top has been designed to incur an absolutely minimal weight penalty. Manually operated and made of a lightweight single-layer canvas, the entire structure – comprising a separate ‘sun sail’ and weather protector – weighs just 18.3kg, 7.6kg less than the non-RS Spyder’s and 16.5kg less than the standard Boxster’s. The canvas element can be stowed in the car or removed entirely to save 8kg on the move.
Porsche GT project manager Markus Atz told our sister publication Autocar UK that the familiar styling belies the amount of work that went into refining the Spyder RS’s roof. He said: “If you reduce it to a few words, it’s just the open version of the GT4 RS. In detail, there was much more to do. We had to look at how we could have a soft-top on the car together with the intake system of the GT4 RS.
All up, the Spyder RS tips the scales at 1,410kg – 40kg lighter than the non-RS car – for a power-to-weight ratio of 354hp per tonne, very slightly up on the Cayman’s 352hp.
The focus on shaving every kilogram possible extends to the cabin, where the seats are swapped for CFRP buckets upholstered in leather and microfibre, the door handles make way for pull straps and the steering wheel is swapped for a minimalist RS unit with the telltale ‘12 o’clock’ yellow marking. Production numbers will not be strictly limited, and nor has Porsche put an end date on production of the new variant. Pricing will, however, command a small premium over the coupe.
The 718 Spyder RS will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK in the coming weeks.
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