Porsche 718 Spyder RS: A danger to your hairstyle

In essence, the Porsche 718 Spyder RS is the open version of the well-known Cayman GT4 RS. The 718 Spyder was taken as a starting point for this, but Porsche did not simply spoon the 500-hp atmospheric six-cylinder boxer engine into it. In fact, the 718 Spyder RS has several carbon parts and a lighter roof that makes it 40 kg lighter than the standard 718 Spyder. In fact, the 718 Spyder RS is 5 kg lighter than its close brother!

Exterior changes Porsche 718 Spyder RS

First, of course, what you can recognize the Porsche 718 Spyder RS by is important. Let’s start at the front. Indeed, the RS has received larger air intakes, the front spoiler has been modified and there are also small winglets on either side of the front bumper for improved aerodynamics. Also above the front fenders are additional louvers for further optimized airflow. To further reduce weight, the trunk lid is constructed of the lightweight material CFRP.

At the rear, the Porsche 718 Spyder RS has a larger spoiler lip to increase the amount of downforce. In that, then, the Spyder does differ from the Cayman GT4 RS, which has a full and fully adjustable spoiler. Furthermore, the 718 Spyder RS has unique lightweight wheels and also a soft top that weighs 7.6 kilograms less than that of the regular 718 Spyder. That soft top consists of two parts: a fabric section as a roof and two inserts that also protect against rain. The roof can also be mounted without the inserts to be protected from the sun but allow natural ventilation as well as more engine noise into the interior.

Special interior

Of course, the interior of the 718 Spyder RS also has some landmarks by which you can tell that you are dealing with a special version. That starts with the full bucket seats that are part of the standard equipment. These seats come standard in a combination of leather and Race-Tex and, of course, have RS logos in the headrests. The handlebars are also made of Race-Tex. In terms of interior colors, the Race-Tex can be executed in Arctic Grey or Carmine Red.

Specifications Porsche 718 Spyder RS

OK, over to the really interesting part: the technology. Under the hood of the 718 Spyder RS lies the same 500 hp and 450 Nm 4.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine as in the Cayman GT4 RS. This block, which can scream through to as much as 9,000 rpm, is always mated to a seven-speed PDK transmission. With that, the 718 Spyder RS pops from 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and crashes through to a truly hair-raising top speed of 308 km/h. Unfortunately for purists: the 718 Spyder RS is not available with a manual transmission. Still, that’s not nearly as much of a shock as those same purists will face in the future, as the 718 Spyder RS is the last 718 with an internal combustion engine….

Of course, the engine is not the only thing Porsche modified for this peppery RS version. The undercarriage has also undergone considerable work. In fact, PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) is standard and lowered by 30 mm. Also included in the standard equipment is PTV (Porsche Torque Vectoring) with a mechanical limited slip differential. Compared to the Cayman GT4 RS, the 718 Spyder RS has a slightly more comfortable setup that better suits the roadster experience, according to Porsche.

Introduction Porsche 718 Spyder RS

The Porsche 718 Spyder RS will make its public debut in June during Porsche’s 75th anniversary celebration in Stuttgart. Not long after, it will also be seen in action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Prices are not yet known, but the starting price of the Cayman GT4 RS was already over 220,000 euros. So count on the 718 Spyder RS to add to that. Especially since this is thus going to be the last 718 with internal combustion engine. Of course, then you still have to start ticking options, such as the expensive Weissach package….