The Porsche 718 Boxster has taken a bold step by saying goodbye to gasoline, ingesting the engine of the 911 GT3

Porsche has often surprised us by offering ever more capable, exclusive and captivating versions of its cars, even when we thought they had already peaked.

This happened with the previous generation of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS as well as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT . We expected the same with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS , but Porsche had another card to play: the Porsche 718 Spyder RS .

It costs the same as the 718 Cayman GT4 RS

The Porsche 718 Spyder RS ​​marks the pinnacle of the current generation of the Porsche 718. However, with the next all-electric version , the story of this model will change significantly. Before switching to a zero-emission car, Porsche decided to say goodbye to the range in style by offering an improved version of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, the most radical of the entire range.

This roofless car is based on the Porsche 718 Spyder which is a convertible version of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 . It is fitted with the same 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine inherited from the Porsche 911 GT3 , developing 500 HP and a maximum torque of 450 Nm.

This engine has an impressive ability to spin up to 9,000 rpm. The car is also equipped with a seven-speed PDK automatic transmission with particularly close ratios and is rear-wheel drive.

Due to these factors, as well as the overall weight of the package which weighs only 1,410 kg, which is 40 kg less than the Porsche 718 Spyder and 5 kg less than the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, this car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, reach 200 km/h from a standstill in 10.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 308 km/h.

However, Porsche did not only focus on improving and making the 718 lighter with this version, but also worked on its aerodynamics. Proof of this is the bonnet made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer, the NACA ducts for cooling the brakes, the front spoiler lip and above all the ducktail-shaped rear spoiler, similar to that of the famous 911 Carrera 2.7 RS .

The soft top of the 718 Spyder RS ​​is reminiscent of that of the previous generation Porsche 911 Speedster . It is made of canvas and is composed of a single layer in order to minimize the weight, including the mechanical elements, weighing only 18.3 kg. It is manually operated and can be completely removed to lighten the weight of the car by 8 kg.

Porsche also paid great attention to the configuration of the car. The 718 Spyder RS ​​chassis is fitted with components taken from the 718 Cayman GT4 RS and 718 Spyder, and it comes standard with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM ) with sportier tuning and a lowered height of 30 mm. The springs and shock absorbers are however less rigid than those of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS for a more relaxed ride and adapted to a convertible vehicle.

It is fitted with the Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) system which includes mechanical slip limitation and 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels. In addition, ride height, camber angle and anti-roll bar can be adjusted individually.

For those who want it, Porsche offers the Weissach Pack as an option , which adds a titanium sports exhaust system inspired by the 2018 Porsche 935 . It also includes specific upholstery as well as Weissach RS logos embroidered on the head restraints.

This optional set includes a Swiss-made Porsche Design Timepieces watch, featuring a titanium case, carbon dial, car leather strap and visible mechanism rotor on the back inspired by the steering wheel design of the Porsche 718 Spyder RS. Another alternative is to choose forged magnesium wheels.

The Porsche 718 Spyder RS ​​and the Porsche 718 GT4 RS both have a price of 180,080 euros . The next radical step in the Porsche range is the Porsche 911 GT3, which uses the same engine but has 10 more hp and costs 222,712 euros .