A First Look At The Porsche 718 Spyder RS
Porsche 718 Spyder RS has the same 4-liter six-cylinder boxer used in the 911 GT3 and GT3 Cup race ... [+] car. It revs to 9000 rpm, producing up to 493 hp and 331 lb.-ft. of torque. Porsche will present the 718 Spyder RS in Stuttgart next month when the company will celebrate 75 years as a sports car manufacturer.
Porsche has slipped the 493-horsepower naturally aspirated flat-six engine of the 911 GT3 into the smaller 718 to create the Spyder RS, a purist sports car so potent that it should prove one of the most exciting of the year and likely of this decade. I drove an early 718 Spyder when it launched a few years ago, and after I took an artist friend from Santa Barbara for a ride, he ran down to his Porsche dealer and bought the 718 Spyder’s fraternal twin, the Cayman GT4. Yes, this chassis with a big naturally aspirated 4-liter engine is so good that normally rational men throw cash on the table to own one. The 718 with 4-liter is my favorite Porsche.
Power feeds through a short-ratio7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The combination of all the ... [+] stability/traction control, a dual-clutch gearbox, and plenty of power is a 0-60 mph sprint of…3.2 seconds.
Porsche’s GT3 engine adds 79 horsepower. To best exploit that power and the engine’s 9000 rpm rev limit, Porsche tucked a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox behind the engine. Thanks to short, tightly stacked gears, the smooth, utterly flawless action of a dual-clutch gearbox, and of course Porsche’s slick Launch Control software, the Spyder RS can hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds.
Seats are formed in lightweight CFRP with significant side bolsters. Seat covers are black leather ... [+] with perforated Race-Tex seat centers. Race-Tex covered GT Sport steering wheel features a yellow 12 O’clock marking.
Most internal combustion European sports cars capable of such speed cost at least twice as much. With an MSRP of $160,000 and change, Spyder RS represents serious value for money. If ordered with the Weissach option package and Porsche Design 718 RS Swiss watch, this will be a highly sought-after vehicle at auctions in the coming years, a car to buy, hold, enjoy and eventually cash-in for a little profit.
The 718 Spyder RS has 79 more horsepower than the previous 414-hp 718 Spyder that I drove a few ... [+] years ago and loved beyond all measure. It’s a half-second quicker to 60 mph, too.
Spyder RS aero has the expected tricks of Porsche’s Motorsport toy shop, with front bodywork nearly identical to the Cayman GT4 RS. The frunklid is formed in CFRP composite with two NACA ducts to help cool the front brakes, and a wide air outlet above the bumper to channel airflow.
The 718 Spyder RS has plenty of aero addenda, which are obvious in these photos. If you prefer a ... [+] more integrated look, order in black, dark blue or a deep shade of silver-grey, which will mask some of the composite add-ons.
Sideblades on the outer ends of the lower front panel contribute downforce; those blades can be seen clearly in the lead photo. The front spoiler lip is slightly shorter than on the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, which is equipped with a large rear wing and therefore requires a larger front spoiler lip to achieve aerodynamic balance. The Cayman RS is a road-legal car aimed at track day events. The Spyder RS is for mountain-driving romantics like me.
Spyder RS aero has the expected tricks of Porsche’s Motorsport toy shop, with front bodywork nearly ... [+] identical to the Cayman GT4 RS. The frunklid is formed in CFRP composite with two NACA ducts to help cool the front brakes, and a wide air outlet above the bumper to channel airflow. Sideblades on the outer ends of the lower front panel contribute downforce; those blades can be seen clearly in the lead photo. The front spoiler lip is slightly shorter than on the 718 Cayman GT4 RS.
Out back, 718 Spyder RS has a larger and more pronounced ducktail spoiler compared to the 718 Spyder. For an open car, you simply don’t want a big wing like the Cayman GT4 RS’s—it would ruin the view, cause aero backspill and buffeting problems into the cockpit, and probably add a considerable bit of wind ruffle that would spoil open-air ambience.
Spyder RS’s soft top is like a 21st Century designed-in-the-tube update of 1950s and ‘60s roadster tops. It consists of two parts that can be stowed in the vehicle in case of unexpected weather: a sunshield and a weather protector. The single-layer top weighs slightly more than 40 lbs., a weight-savings of more than 16 lbs. compared to the 718 Spyder and more than 36 lbs. versus the 718 Boxster. That’s enough to lower center of gravity if only by a nudge.
In a serious and expensive nod to the Porsche Club track day folks, the ride height, toe, camber, ... [+] and anti-roll bars are all adjustable. Compared to the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, 718 RS spring and damper rates have been softened ever so slightly for an on-road ride quality that will not cause kidney damage. If the Cayman RS is a track day special, then Spyder RS is every sports car romantic’s delight on a mountain road.
Power is nothing without control, and Spyder RS adopts components from the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, but also the 718 Spyder. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is calibrated for aggressive driving, and ride height is 30 millimeters lower than on the 718 Spyder. Here again, probably lowering center of gravity by a nudge, riding a little lower. The 718 Spyder RS should change direction with brainwaves.
Porsche Torque Vectoring combines with a mechanical limited-slip differential, ball-joint suspension bearings and 20-inch forged alloy wheels.
In a serious and expensive nod to the Porsche Club track day folks, the ride height, toe, camber, and anti-roll bars are all adjustable. Compared to the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, 718 RS spring and damper rates have been softened ever so slightly for an on-road ride quality that will not cause kidney damage. If the Cayman RS is a track day special, then Spyder RS is every sports car romantic’s delight on a mountain road.
Like on the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, customers can optionally specify a front-axle lift system and based on experience with contemporary Porsches and other super sports cars in my own drive entrance, I’d argue it is a mandatory option—no sense risking that beautiful front splitter.
The Weissach Package includes a Titanium exhaust system—gotta love that ting-ting sound when it’s cooling off. Tick another option box to add lightweight forged magnesium wheels, which will likely add to auction value in five or ten years.
Exclusively available to buyers of the Porsche 718 Spyder RS is a handcrafted chronograph by Porsche Design: the case is titanium, the dial carbon-fiber and the leather strap matches the vehicle’s interior. Porsche did not provide an image, but these are invariably nice watches to find on a Wolf winder.
Porsche will present the 718 Spyder RS in Stuttgart next month when the company will celebrate 75 years as a sports car manufacturer.