Porsche 718 Spyder RS Is A Potent Roadster For Purists
In celebration of thirty years since the Boxster concept car's presentation, Porsche has unveiled the 718 Spyder RS for 2024, its most powerful mid-engine roadster yet. This open-top vehicle features a naturally aspirated engine sourced from the 911 GT3, making it the first time an open-top, mid-engine sports car is powered by an engine originating from racing.
The 718 Spyder RS is the counterpart to the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, using the same lightweight powertrain that also powers the 911 GT3 Cup variant. The four-liter six-cylinder boxer engine reaches up to 9,000 rpm and generates 493 horsepower with 331 pounds per foot of torque.
The seven-speed roadster features a dual-clutch PDK transmission and goes from 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds with a top track speed of 191 miles per hour. That speed is a full half-second improvement thanks to an additional 79 horsepower compared to the previous Spyder. It's not the fastest 718 you can buy, but it's still blistering.
Weighing 59 pounds less than the 2023 base model, the 718 Spyder RS takes you back with a manually operated soft top for those who like nostalgia flowing through their hair. There's a sport suspension with Porsche's active suspension management, lowering its height by 30 millimeters and shaving 16 pounds off the total weight compared to the original Spyder. You'll also get adjustable ride height, toe, camber, and anti-roll bars.
It looks the part, too
The 718 Spyder RS takes on a sporty inside that maximizes ergonomics, including full bucket seats made of lightweight plastic and reinforced by carbon fiber, with a carbon-weave finish to sell the aesthetic. You'll grip a Race-Tex-covered GT Sport steering wheel. The interior dashboard is also decked out with Race-Tex, and the seat headrests gain embroidered "Weissach" logos to remind you of the car's German engineering origins.
On the exterior, drivers can add an optional Weissach Package for the Spyder RS, which includes magnesium wheels and a sport exhaust system with dual titanium tailpipes. Additionally, the exterior features an exposed carbon fiber hood, carbon fiber combustion air scoops on the sides, and a carbon fiber Gurney flap on the rear spoiler.
As a thank you for buying one, Porsche will gift you a handcrafted chronograph with a titanium case, a carbon fiber dial, and a strap made of the same leather you'd find in, say, a Porsche vehicle. You can count on Swiss reliability, too: it's crafted by Porsche Design, its luxury accessories brand with a watchmaking facility in Solothurn, Switzerland.
The 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS will start with an MSRP of $160,700, plus $1,450 for delivery, processing, and handling. It should begin seeding to U.S. dealers in Spring 2024, but you can ogle one in June at Porsche's 75-year celebration in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. It's also headed to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England starting July 13.