Porsche has taken the wraps off the most powerful version yet of the brand’s popular mid-engine roadster: the 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS. For the first time, the high-revving, naturally aspirated engine from the track-oriented 911 GT3 powers an open-top, mid-engine sports car.
“With an engine taken directly from racing, the 718 Spyder RS offers a driving experience like no other,” said Kjell Gruner, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “Slicing around a tight corner with the top off and the engine soaring to 9,000 rpm is an experience you will never forget.”
A storied history
The 718 Spyder traces its lineage from the 550 Spyder of the mid-1950s. The low-slung, mid-engine design yielded excellent handling and was popular for racing. Just 90 were made, and one of them was owned by movie star and pop icon James Dean. He was driving his 550 when he was killed in a crash in California in 1955. He was entered in a race the next day with the car.
Forty years after the production of the last 550, Porsche revived the basic shape and layout of the car in the 1996 Boxster. This time featuring a 6-cylinder engine derived from the 911 line. The Boxster went through several generations in unbroken production until 2016 when the name was changed to the 718 Boxster, in memory of the 718 racing models that won the Targa Florio races in 1959 and 1960. The 718 Boxster and hardtop Cayman have been produced since 2016, with a variety of track-oriented models produced for racing as well as street cars.
The RS designation stands for “RennSport,” which translates from German as “Racing Sport.” This designation also holds special historical value for Porsche because of the Type 9R6 RS Spyder, a Le Mans Prototype fielded by the Porsche factory and Penske Racing from 2005 to 2010. The RS Spyder won numerous races and four championships in the American Le Mans Series.
A thoroughly modern sports car
The 718 Spyder RS will be a counterpart to the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. The GT4 designation indicates that the car is classed to run in GT4 touring car series in Europe and America. The drivetrain in the 718 Spyder RS also powers the rear-engine Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing car.
According to the factory, “The exceptionally light and minimal soft top of the 718 Spyder RS makes the highly evocative sound of the engine an even more compelling experience. The effect is further heightened by a standard lightweight stainless steel sport exhaust system and the distinctive combustion air inlets on the sides behind the headrests.”
That’s a fancy way of saying that the Spyder RS is a street-legal racing car. It’s going to be loud, fast and probably not something you’ll want to drive every day.
Lots of power
As mentioned, the engine in the 718 Spyder RS is identical to that of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS and the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car. The 4.0-liter 6-cylinder boxer engine revs to 9,000 rpm and generates up to 493 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. Combined with a short-ratio seven-speed PDK twin-clutch automatic transmission, the Spyder RS hurtles from 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds.
Compared to the previous 414 hp 718 Spyder without the “RS” designation, the 718 Spyder RS does the 0-60 sprint a half-second quicker, on its way to a top track speed of 191 mph. Like every modern RS model, the new 718 Spyder RS is offered exclusively with the 7-speed “Porsche Doppelkupplung” (PDK) automatic transmission.
Gearshift paddles mounted on the steering wheel allow drivers to keep their hands on the wheel even when shifting gears manually. Alternatively, the driver can shift using the gearshift lever on the center console. In addition to the more powerful engine, the Spyder RS weighs 59 pounds less than the 2023 Porsche 718 Spyder with optional PDK.
Lots of carbon fiber and a lightweight top
The front end of the new Porsche 718 Spyder RS is almost identical to the front end of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. The front hood is made of carbon fiber and features a wide air outlet above the bumper to channel the airflow. Two NACA ducts higher up on the hood enhance brake cooling without adversely affecting the drag coefficient.
Sideblades on the outer ends of the bumper contribute to downforce, while the front spoiler lip is slightly shorter than on the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, which is equipped with a large rear wing and therefore requires a larger front spoiler lip to achieve aerodynamic balance. Instead of a wing, the 718 Spyder RS features a striking ducktail spoiler that is both larger and reshaped compared to the 718 Spyder.
The new 718 Spyder RS comes with a manually operated, lightweight soft top. It consists of two parts: a sunshield and a weather protector. Both are completely removable and can be stowed in the vehicle. The passenger compartment remains largely open to the side and behind the passengers. Together with the weather protector, this creates a complete top that provides effective protection against rain when the side windows are raised. However, this is not a car that you can really park outside long-term, and the top is pretty much just for unexpected weather.
Racing-derived suspension
The suspension of the 718 Spyder RS uses Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with sport calibration and has been lowered by 30 millimeters. It also features Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with a mechanical rear limited slip differential, ball joint type suspension bearings and 20-inch forged alloy wheels. The ride height, toe, camber, and anti-roll bars are all adjustable, and Porsche claims “sharp steering precision, as well as agile and neutral handling,” which is to be expected from the Boxster family tree.
Porsche also notes that compared to the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, the Sypder will have softer springs and less damping to achieve a more relaxed, characteristically convertible-style set-up. As on the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, customers can optionally specify a front axle lift system to negotiate speed bumps. The lift will raise the front end by 1.1 inches while driving up to 37 mph.
Racing-inspired interior
The interior of the Spyder RS is spartan by design. You get a wheel with the characteristic yellow 12-o’clock stripe so you can find center in the middle of a four-wheel drift. The seatbacks are made of carbon fiber in a weave finish and offer large bolsters.
Upholstery is black leather with perforated Race-Tex centers in a contrasting gray or red color with a black background. Of course, you get a nifty “Spyder RS” logo in the contrasting color embroidered on the headrests. The dashboard and trims are covered with leather. Available exterior colors include four standard and three metallic paints, including the new Vanadium Grey Metallic as well as the special colors Arctic Grey, Shark Blue and Ruby Star Neo.
Optional looks package and of course, a matching watch
An optional Weissach visual package is available for the Spyder RS. The package does not include but enables ultra-light real magnesium wheels to be ordered. The package includes titanium tailpipes, exposed carbon fiber on the hood, carbon fiber combustion air scoops on the sides, and a carbon fiber Gurney flap on the rear spoiler.
A visual highlight inside the car is that the upper part of the dashboard is covered with Race-Tex rather than leather. The seat headrests gain embroidered “Weissach” logos, and the cloth top gains an embossed Weissach logo. Porsche did not specify a price for all that.
As a final bit of bling, buyers of the Porsche 718 Spyder RS can purchase a handcrafted watch, which Porsche calls a “chronograph” created by Porsche Design and made by the Porsche watchmaking operation in Solothurn, Switzerland. Designed to match the configuration of the car, the case is made of titanium, the dial is made of carbon fiber and the strap is made of vehicle leather. The rotor on the back reflects the wheel design on the 718 Spyder RS.
Pricing and availability
The new 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS carries an MSRP of $160,700 plus $1,450 for delivery, processing and handling. Arrival at U.S. dealers is expected next Spring. The Porsche 718 Spyder RS will celebrate its public premiere in June at the festivities marking 75 years of Porsche sports cars in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Shortly after, it will make an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Get your orders in now if you want one.