718 Porsche 2020 Review: Spyder

The Porsche 718 Spyder is the boss of the Boxster - a soft-top car equal to the king of the hard-top Caymans, the weapon that is the GT4. 

Not only does it use the same big naturally aspirated flat-six engine as the GT4, the Spyder is now mechanically identical to the beast for the first time. So this is more than just another Boxster. In fact, he even dropped the Boxster name and only wants to be called 718 Spyder, thanks a lot. 

I welcomed the 718 Spyder into my home, where it became my daily driver, and I learned how to put the roof up seconds before it rains, what it's like to live with a six-speed manual in traffic, what it's like to park next to a restaurant. full of people watching me, how much luggage boots can hold, and of course, what it's like to pilot on great roads away from the city streets.

Porsche 718 2020: Spider
Safety Rating	-
engine's type	4.0L
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	—L / 100km
Landing	2 Places
Price from	$168,000

What is it like to drive? 9/10

Let's get straight to the business end of this review, and I'm not talking about its price and features. No, let me tell you about how every time I got out of that car, I was shaking like a kid jumping off a rollercoaster who then wanted to run to the back of the line and immediately ride again.

As a roller coaster, the 718 Spyder isn't overly comfortable, although you won't find many people complaining about it, not when it's so much fun. But you should be aware that the 718 Spyder is loud, riding on the hard side is hard, and if you're as lanky as me or taller (I'm 191 cm tall), then find a position behind the wheel where your knee doesn't hit the steering wheel at every shifting gears can be tricky. And then there is a way out of it.

However, all the discomfort I experienced was worth it, because in return the Spyder 718 offers driving nirvana on the right road.

As I said in the introduction to this review, the 718 Spyder was my daily vehicle for about a week. This test car had a six-speed manual transmission and I listed the options in the Specifications section below, but no performance-enhancing hardware was installed. It was great because the car in its stock form handles superbly right out of the box.

The Spyder 718 offers driving nirvana on the right road.

The 718 Spyder is mechanically identical to the Cayman GT4. I've driven many Caimans before, but not this new GT4, but I suspect it's fair to say that the Spyder is just as dynamic as its hardtop sibling - and considering the roof comes off, the experience could be even more more sensory overload.

Start the engine and the 718 Spyder will come to life. This startup annoyed the hell out of my neighbors, I'm sure, but it wasn't enough for me. That initial bang fades into a harmless idle, but you can turn up the volume again by pressing the exhaust button. The familiar sound of a naturally aspirated flat-six engine is sweetest song to the ears of Porsche purists, and the 718 Spyder's voice doesn't disappoint. 

But even if it's not the prettiest sound you've ever heard, the 420 horsepower that the 4.0-liter boxer engine produces and the way it does it will make you smile. Grunt is felt under your foot from about 2000 rpm to 8000 rpm.

Shifting is quick and easy, although the left foot is stressed by the rather heavy clutch pedal. The brake pedal sits high, and while it has almost no travel, it delivers superb stopping power thanks to giant 380mm discs all around with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers in the rear.

In my review of the Cayman GT4, Cars Guide Editor Mal noted that without a race track, Porsche's true capabilities would never be revealed, and the same goes for the Spyder. However, I know a country road that is suitable for legal sports car testing, and it gave me an idea of ​​the talents of this dynamically superior car. 

These 20-inch rims are wrapped in 245/35 tires at the front and 295/30 at the rear, so they're grippy yet feel everything. 

Along with that naturally aspirated six that grunts so predictably, there's a lightweight front end that instantly points where you're talking through steering that, while a bit heavy, provides fantastic feedback. Handling is outrageously good. The result is a sports car that flows like water in corners, and the driver feels not only the owner, but also part of the car. 

“Total noise” is a term often used to describe the roar of an engine at wide-open throttle moments, and while V8s can sound powerful and harsh, the primal scream of a naturally aspirated flat-six over your shoulder blades is…emotional. .

Not all noises are good. A thin fabric roof does not isolate the cabin from the outside world, and trucks, motorcycles - even the sound of stones and sticks beating against the bottom of the car - welcome their penetration into the cabin. Drive next to a concrete wall on a motorway and the sound bouncing off you is not pleasant at all.

Then there's the hard ride that you won't notice during fun stretches of good country road, but in reality, on the cratered roads of Sydney's suburbs and city, speed bumps and potholes made me wince if I could. dodge them first. These 20-inch rims are wrapped in 245/35 tires at the front and 295/30 at the rear, so they're grippy yet feel everything. 

You will also smell everything from top to bottom. It's one of the best things about convertibles. Without a roof, you are instantly connected to the landscape, not only visually, but also through smells. There is a stream under the bridge that I cross during a test drive and at night with the roof off I can smell the water and feel the change in temperature on my cheeks and neck as the road goes down.

If you're tall, finding a driving position where your knee doesn't touch the steering wheel every time you change gears can be tricky.

Does the absence of a roof affect the rigidity and driving style of the car? The chassis felt stiff and I couldn't detect any sign of the shaking that can sometimes happen without a metal roof holding everything down. 

There is also a problem with my body. Well, mostly my legs. They are very long and do not fit well with the interior of the Porsche Spyder, in fact I have the same problem with the Cayman, current and previous generations of 911 - in particular with the clutch pedals. You see, there is no way for me to disengage the clutch without hitting my knee on the steering wheel, no matter how I adjust the steering column or the seat. It forces me to drive with my left leg dangling to the side. 

But it was worth it, as was getting on all fours, because in the Spyder you pretty much sit on the ground. Because the reward in return is a trip that you want to take again and again.

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

So how much is this trip? A Porsche 718 Spyder with a manual transmission costs $196,800 (a 5-speed dual-clutch PDK costs about $4 more). Its hardtop Cayman GT206,600 sibling sells for $XNUMX.  

Standard equipment includes automatic bi-xenon headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated and power-adjustable sport seats, black leather/Race-Tex upholstery (similar to Alcantara), heated GT sports steering wheel wrapped in the same cloth. Race-Tex, multimedia display with Apple CarPlay, satellite navigation, digital radio and six-speaker stereo system.

Only a few features come standard, such as these automatic bi-xenon headlights.

Now, that's not much of a plus when comparing the Spyder's standard feature list to, say, a Porsche Cayenne SUV that comes fully equipped. 

Our test car was also equipped with several options. There were adaptive sports seats ($5150), Crayon paint ($4920), Spyder Classic Interior package with two-tone Bordeaux Red and Black upholstery ($4820), Bose audio system ($2470), LED headlights ($2320), power folding mirrors . ($620) and if you want Porsche lettering in satin black, that's another $310.

From an engineering standpoint, the Spyder is an outstanding value, but in terms of features and hardware, I don't think it's amazing. There's no proximity unlock or adaptive cruise control, the display screen is small, there's no Android Auto, no head-up display, and no big digital instrument cluster.

Our test car had the Spyder Classic interior package, which adds Bordeaux Red upholstery.

Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10

The design of the 718 Spyder with headrest fairings is a nod to Porsche 718 racing roadsters of the late 1950s and early 60s, such as the 550 Spyder. These fairings also make it easy to tell this isn't just another Boxster, as is the fabric roof and the way it attaches to the rear bootlid. 

Aside from the soft top, the Spyder shares many similarities with the Cayman GT4. Sure, the Spyder doesn't have the giant fixed rear wing of the GT4 or the ducktail spoiler underneath, but they both have the same GT-style look with huge air intakes.

The design of the 718 Spyder is a tribute to the Porsche 718 racing roadsters of the late 1950s and early 60s.

As with Porsche GT sports cars, air is directed through this central lower intake to the central radiator and then exits through the grille in front of the trunk lid. This front end also received major changes in this latest incarnation to reduce lift.

At the rear, a Spyder diffuser generates 50% of all downforce on the rear axle, and the rear spoiler raises automatically, though it only wakes up and gets out of bed once you hit 120 km/h.       

Our test car had the Spyder Classic interior package, which adds Bordeaux Red upholstery. This is a simple yet elegant cabin. I love that the air vents have their own fairings, there's the classic Porsche dash layout, the stopwatch placed high on the dash (part of the standard Chrono package), and then there's those retro straps on the door handles. All this is identical to the interior of the GT4.

At the rear, a Spyder diffuser generates 50% of all downforce at the rear axle.

The Spyder is 4430mm long, 1258mm high and 1994mm wide. So it's not too big a car and it makes parking easy, especially with the roof off. 

There was one occasion when I found a park right in front of a restaurant we were going to. The only problem was that the small BMW i3 had just squeezed out of a tiny space. But we fit in, and it was made even easier because the roof was removed at the time, which improved visibility over the shoulder. However, those headrest fairings make it hard to see what's directly behind you.

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

As far as roadsters go, the Spyder is very practical when it comes to luggage space, with a 150-litre rear boot and a 120-litre front boot. However, I should note that the rear trunk cannot be opened without removing the roof at the windshield. I'll tell you soon how the roof folds.

Interior storage space is lacking, and expandable door pockets are best for stowing wallets and other items because the center console stowage is tiny, as is the glove box. However, there are two cup holders that slide out above the glove box and coat hooks on the seat backs.

As for room for people, there's plenty of headroom with a roof, as well as at the shoulders and elbows, although if you've got long legs like me, you may find your knee hitting the steering wheel when shifting gears.

Headroom with a roof is good, as is shoulder height.

Now the roof. I could give a course on how to raise and lower it, now I'm so familiar with it. What I can tell you in a nutshell is that this is not an automatic convertible roof and if it's pretty easy to put it down, it's not so easy to put it back on. It's too hard, too uncomfortable, and takes too long. This is one part of Spyder that needs to be changed. 

The first time I had to put the roof back on was during a storm - it took me almost five minutes to figure out how to do it. Of course, after living with the car for a week, I could install the roof in less than two minutes, but there are still many roadsters that can do it automatically, while driving, in seconds. So while practicality is good in terms of space, I'm taking marks off for how the roof performs. However, the mechanics of an auto-folding roof would add weight, which is against the spirit here.

There are only two seats in the Porsche 718 Spyder, and if you have a small child like me, you will have to take another car to take him to kindergarten.

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What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10

The Boxster and Boxster S are powered by flat-four turbocharged petrol engines, the Boxster GTS 4.0 has a flat-six, and the Spyder has the same engine tuned for a 15 kW (309 kW) power increase but identical torque at 420 N⋅m. As with the Cayman hardtop range, they are all rear-wheel drive and mid-engined.

So while the lower-end Boxster power isn't that far off the Spyder, the difference is that the Spyder's engineering is the same as the Cayman GT4's - from that big naturally aspirated engine to the chassis, plus most of the aero performance. design.

My test car had a six-speed manual, but you can also opt for a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic.

If you're thinking about picking up a Spyder as a second or third car - something you can just use to blast every once in a while - then the guide is the way to go. If you plan to drive a Spyder every day (I bow to you in respect) and live in the city, then consider simplifying a little to "live the dream" and choose a car, because even after a few days I ended up with a constant clutch pedal dance. 

The Spyder can reach 0 km/h in 100 seconds, which is again identical to the GT4.4, although the 4 km/h soft-top top speed is slightly less than the hard-top 301 km/h.

You can go straight to jail on Australian roads, so the race track is the best place to really get the most out of your Spyder or GT4. Both will be great racing cars at a price much lower than the Porsche 911 GT3 and with only 59kW and 40Nm less power and torque.

How much fuel does it consume? 8/10

Porsche says the Spyder should use 11.3L/100km of premium unleaded petrol after a combination of open and city roads. My own testing covered 324.6km, about half of which was urban and suburban adventures, and the rest was a decent ride in more rural areas. The trip computer showed an average consumption of 13.7 l / 100 km, which is not bad, considering that I was not trying to save fuel in any way.

The Spyder, like its Boxster cousins, has a 64 liter fuel tank. 

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 6/10

The 718 Spyder may well be an engineering masterpiece, built for performance excellence, but when it comes to safety technology, it lacks. There is also no ANCAP or EuroNCAP safety rating. ANCAP is known to be frustrated by the reluctance of many high-end car brands to supply crash test vehicles.

What we do know are huge vented, cross-vented brakes, a fixed roll bar, airbags (including thorax airbags built into the side bolsters of each seat), and traction and stability control, but nothing stands in the way of modern equipment for security. We are not talking about AEB or cross traffic at all. There is cruise control, but it is not adaptive. 

The 718 Spyder may well be an engineering masterpiece, built for performance excellence, but when it comes to safety technology, it lacks.

When you think there are $30 cars with a full suite of advanced technology to protect their owners, you wonder why Porsche didn't do the same.

You might argue that these are "racing cars for the road", but I'd argue that's another reason to include enhanced safety.  

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10

The Spyder is backed by a 12-year unlimited mileage Porsche warranty. Service is recommended every 15,000 months or XNUMX km.

Service prices are set by individual dealer service centers.

The Spyder is backed by a XNUMX-year unlimited mileage Porsche warranty.

Verdict

The 718 Spyder could well find a home in a multi-car garage, which would be ideal considering daily driving can be too much work, especially the manual transmission version I tested.

But to take it with you on trips from time to time, with enough space for luggage, and let it run freely on smooth curves, sharp turns and highways away from city streets? That's what the 718 Spyder is.