Also known as the 987, the Porsche Boxster is a small mid-engined roadster that first debuted in 1996. And while many Porsche purists looked down upon the Boxster, the model’s reputation began to change with the introduction of later generations of the vehicle, which included the hard-top Cayman coupe in 2005. In the intervening years, the Stuttgart firm has only further ratcheted up the Cayman’s performance. And after introducing the latest generation 718 lineup in 2016, the company has now pulled the cover off of what’s unquestionably the most high-performance variant to date with the all-new 718 Spyder RS.
Essentially a drop-top counterpart to Porsche’s 718 Cayman GT4 RS, this slammed supercar features an advanced GT3 Cup-derived aero kit with a carbon hood with dual inlets, louvered front fenders, carbon side intakes, air scoops just behind the headrests, a carbon front splitter, and a rear wing. The lightweight stainless steel sport exhaust system that comes standard on the new model also jets out from an oversized diffuser. What’s more, the body comes paired with a manually operated single-layer lightweight soft-top roof. Inside, the RS model sports a performance-focused interior with carbon buckets seats’ a carbon trim package, RS-branded carbon door sills, and a steering wheel trimmed in Race-Tex.
At the heart of the 718 Spyder RS is the exact same powertrain used in the 911 GT3 and GT3 Cup racing car — a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter straight-six that spins at up to 9,000rpm and puts down 493.5hp and 331.9ft-lbs of torque. Boasting almost 80hp more than the regular 718 Spyder while weighing roughly 90lbs less, the new RS-spec is capable of clocking a 0-60mph time in under 3.4 seconds and can hit a top speed of 191mph. And, like every other RS model currently offered by Porsche, the 718 Spyder RS comes outfitted with a PDK transmission — in this case a short-ratio-equipped seven-speed unit that’s controlled either via a center-console-mounted lever or steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. On top of being lowered by 1.18”, the 718 Spyder RS also features a sports-tuned Porsche Active Suspension Management system along with Porsche Torque Vectoring with a mechanical limited-slip differential, ball-jointed suspension bearings, and 20″ forged aluminum wheels — all as standard.
The 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS is available for order now, with pricing starting at $160,700. Alongside the car itself, Porsche is also offering an available Weissach Package that includes elements such as a titanium exhaust. What’s more, customers are also being given the option of purchasing a special titanium-cased 718 Spyder RS Chronograph watch from Porsche Design.
