Proving that something predictable can still be exciting, the Porsche 718 Spyder RS is indeed a Cayman GT4 RS that has had its roof yanked off. In its place sits a removable and manually operated fabric roof. The single-layer sun sail and wind deflector weigh a combined 40.3 pounds (18.3 kilograms), which makes the top 16.7 lbs (7.6 kg) lighter than the 718 Spyder’s. At the same time, it’s 36.3 lbs (16.5 kg) lighter than the 718 Boxster’s.
Speaking of weight, the new 718 Spyder RS tips the scales at 3,108 lbs (1,410 kg) or 88 lbs (40 kg) less than the non-RS variant. Save for the roof, it looks nearly the as its coupe sibling. The very last 718 to have a combustion engine has been lowered by 1.18 inches (30 millimeters) and sits on 20-inch forged wheels, which can be replaced by the optional magnesium wheels.
Porsche says it’s not a carbon copy of the Cayman GT4 RS since the Spyder RS has different tuning for the springs and dampers to achieve a more comfortable ride to better fit the customer’s expectations from a convertible. You can have the mid-engined sports car with a Weissach Package with the design of the exhaust tips derived from the 2018 935, which was a tribute to the 935/78 Le Mans race car aka “Moby Dick.”
Mirroring the flagship Cayman, its open-top counterpart uses the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter engine borrowed from the 911 GT3. It produces 493 horsepower and 331 pound-feet (450 Newton-meters) of torque delivered to the rear axle via a seven-speed PDK. This combo is good for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.4 seconds and a 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 10.9 seconds to match the Cayman GT4 RS. Flat out, it’ll do 191 mph (308 km/h) or 4 mph (7 km/h) less than the coupe.
The Porsche 718 Spyder RS is available to order in Germany where it costs from €151,215. Yes, it will be offered to US buyers as well starting at $160,700 plus a $1,450 delivery fee. If the car isn’t enough, buyers can get the ultimate 718 with a matching watch supplied in a titanium case. The car’s public debut will take place at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July when deliveries are planned to commence.
