Porsche boxster spyder manual#

And the seats, which are exclusive to the Spyder, weigh 12 kg less than those on the Boxster S. Aluminium doors (like on the 911 Turbo and the GT3) saved another 15 kg. For example, by opting for a heavy canvas top (we’ll come back to this topic later) and creating the rear hood out of aluminium, they saved 21 kg. Special efforts were also made to reduce the vehicle’s weight.

The vehicle was also lowered by 20mm to bring the center of gravity a little closer to the ground. Although it is the same as what you find on the Boxster S, the settings were totally revised. A lot of engineering work was done on the suspension system. Not only is it a little more powerful, but more importantly, its power and torque curves are better suited to the Spyder’s personality. For the engine, they wanted a little more punch, so they took the one from the Cayman S. To create the Boxster Spyder, the engineers naturally used the Boxster S platform, a truly superb platform if there ever was one. The Boxster Spyder, daughter of the Boxster S But while it may be fun to compare numbers like this, these two vehicles have no more in common than a wooden hockey stick and an composite one. It’s true that the 356 was revolutionary in its time with its incredible weight-power ratio (16.7 kg per hp), and today each horse on the Spyder has just 3.98 kg to pull. The comparisons between the forefather and the newborn, however intentional by Porsche, are quite simply far-fetched. Deliberately aiming to resurrect the soul of the 356, the designers sought purity in the Spyder. Auto Show), Porsche added to the mix with endless comparisons with the mythical car, which tragically earned its place in history with the death of actor James Dean in 1955. In fact, when the Spyder was presented to the international press (right after the L.A. Photos and rumours about the Spyder have been circulating for a while, and what seems to come up time and again are references to the first-ever Porsche, the legendary 356. Nothing says summer quite like the Spyder! But we recognize the fact that the Montreal market is most certainly microscopic for Porsche, not to mention the fact that introducing a car like this in the dead of winter would be downright foolish. I mean, call us biased, but north of the border we would have preferred that the unveiling take place at the Montreal Auto Show in January.

And you’ve got to admit, the location for the launch was particularly well chosen. Overall, the 718 Spyder is a brilliant package for its near $100,000 asking price.One of the show-stoppers at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which was held just last week, was the new Porsche Boxster Spyder. All these are minor issues that are brought in for the sake of the argument. On a tool like the 718, Porsche should have given it the transmission from the GT3. The long throws rob the feeling of rowing gears with intent.

Porsche boxster spyder manual#

The gearing on the 6-speed manual is set tall which can be a problem when it comes to pootling around town. Although it is far better than the 718 Boxster, it doesn’t scream as a flat-six should because of the added particulate filters for emissions compliance. You even have to go through with opening the cover to access the trunk, which again will stress the struts that could end up being an expensive fix.Īnother shortfall to the 718 Spyder is its exhaust note. The struts which hold the cover start to wobble when upright. Further adding to the matter is the double-bubble roof cover which isn’t the best solution on a windy day. For starters, the roof mechanism is not the easiest or most intuitive when it comes to its operation. Part of its brilliant handling is the adaptable dampers offered as standard fitment.Īs much as the 718 Spyder is a phenomenal machine, it has a few shortcomings as well. Although the car is underpowered when compared to its fellow German rivals, we reckon the 718 or GT4 for that matter would decimate its adversaries on a closed course. Placing the car is as easy as spreading butter on a slice of bread. You get very precise steering with ample amounts of feedback. Infotainment is taken care of with Apple CarPlay and comes with a decent hi-fi.īecause the 718 Spyder has the underpinnings of the Cayman GT4, the driving experience is the best of any sports car to date. As mentioned, Porsche offers a lot of seating options of which we recommend buyers opt for the folding buckets which are comfortable whilst offering a bit of practicality unlike the fixed 918 buckets. Everything you want to see is right there in front and overall visibility is appreciable regardless of whether it’s the GT4 or the Spyder. Porsche usually nails the driving position and the overall ergonomics inside the cabin is spot on. As with any Porsche, driving the 718 Spyder is always a good feeling.