2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS Review: Don't Hold Back

Nothing quite prepares you for the 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS’ first 9,000-rpm run.

I thought I was ready. I drove its hardtop sibling two years ago after all, so I was at least acquainted with the 4.0-liter animal located mere inches behind the driver’s headrest. Yet the convertible changes the experience and places the performance in an open-air theater.

That, along with other tweaks not seen but felt, combine to make this the ultimate driver’s 718—just be prepared to make some sacrifices for that high.

What’s New for 2024:

With an EV replacement apparently on the horizon—maybe more distant now than it seemed a year ago—the 718 Spyder RS is essentially the ultimate evolution of (and farewell to) the Boxster. It takes the Cayman GT4 RS recipe and adapts it for al fresco motoring. In comes that barely-civilized race car engine, the 493-horsepower flat-six featuring both individual throttle bodies and dry-sump lubrication. Like the GT4 RS and unlike every other 718, this model only comes with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Despite the two sportiest letters in the alphabet affixed to its tail, this is not meant to be a track rat like the GT4. Porsche has tweaked the Spyder for road duty, going so far as to actually soften the suspension. Not by a bit, either: spring rates are 55-percent softer up front and 43-percent out back. It rides low, but fractionally higher than the coupe. The front lip spoiler is merely jutting, not prominent, and the only additional bit of aero out back is a thin lip of carbon fiber, which comes with the optional Weissach package.

Exterior Style:

The RS treatment pumps up the aggression on the 718, and the Weissach package only adds to that. A pair of NACA ducts sit atop the hood, with yet more vents just above the front wheels. There are larger intakes behind the doors and behind the seats to feed that hungry engine. Spindly center-lock alloys complete the look.

Weissaching your Spyder adds a whole bunch of carbon weave all over: the hood, the mirrors, those over-the-shoulder intakes, and rollover bars. The aforementioned lip spoiler sits above unique, titanium exhaust tips meant to evoke the 935. In case you need a reminder, the convertible top gets “Weissach Package” embossed on its sides.

Powertrain and Fuel Economy:

Turbo engines offer more torque. Electric motors do too, and all the power arrives in an instant. But nothing feels like this motorsports-sourced engine. The razor-sharp throttle response and the symphony that right-most pedal unleashes is like discovering a stereo recording of your favorite album after a lifetime of unknowingly sticking to mono. It makes the fall colors brighter.

The RS models already have a more animalistic feel than the “regular” GT3 engine, but without the roof in place, drivers get the best possible seat. The tone and ferocity change every few hundred rpm, a motorsport musical instrument. That redline yowl is almost too loud, a piercing shriek that reverberates off the pines. Supposedly the Weissach package is the culprit, and that the stock exhaust is the sweeter note, so sayeth colleagues fortunate enough to try both. I have not, but everything under 8,000 rpm is intoxicating enough, thanks.

It seems odd to limit this road-focused model to a PDK—surely a manual would be even more engaging, as in the regular Spyder. Sadly it doesn’t fit: remember this is a different engine despite the shared displacement, to say nothing of the extra power this is capable of. As dual-clutchers go this is a great one, with whip-quick shifts and low-speed behavior that mirrors that of a manual. A rapid-fire triple pull of the left paddle gets the car from fifth to second before you finish thinking about it. Nope, I don’t miss a third pedal.

Handling and Drivability:

Another oddity: the Spyder is actually lighter than the coupe. We’re talking a mere 11 pounds (5 kilograms), but that’s just the starting point. Leave the “roof” at home—it’s possible, more on that later—and that gap doubles in size. Get the magnesium wheels and you’ve saved even more weight—same with the carbon ceramic brakes.

This translates to a complete lack of slack in how the Spyder moves. Turn the steering wheel—beautifully simple—and the Spyder’s already there, asking you what’s next. Yes, this is electric power steering, yet the 718 still keeps a two-way conversation with the driver, relaying messages about camber and road surface and the precise width of that road sealing seam on the passenger side. It’s never overwhelming, only confidence inspiring. Handling this good is a safety feature: you are always certain of exactly what the car is doing and what it is capable of.

Ride Quality and Comfort:

No need to complicate the message: the softer springs transform the RS experience. The GT4 RS was the closest thing I’ve driven to a race car on the road—and it felt like it. The cabin was tight and restrictive, the springs so stiff I couldn’t keep a steady throttle on dilapidated Toronto on-ramps.

The Spyder breathes with the road, adapts to the off-camber lumps and bumps and imperfections that are part of life. It never feels floaty, remaining laser-focused on your chosen path. Like a glass-always-full friend, the 718 just never sweats the little things.

Interior Style and Quality:

It’s been a decade of this 718 interior at this point. What it lacks in modern style, it makes up for with faultless build quality and a timeless ease of use. This tester has the full Alcantara cabin, adding to the sense of occasion. The bucket seats look excellent and are supremely supportive, holding butts in place even at the elevated lateral gs the Spyder is capable of.

I’ll use this time to talk about the weather protection contraption: “roof” is maybe too much. Porsche sent a video on how to raise and lower it, suggesting a second person to make it easier. It’s a complicated affair, with tight clearances and a wire detensioning. I damaged one of the fiddly snaps while doing the whole process. It is silly at this price point and for such a small weight savings, but a run on my usual testing road erases the frustration from my mind.

Value Dollars and Sense:

$167,495 including destination. That’s the starting point for the Spyder, same as the GT4 RS. Throw on the Weissach package, mag wheels, and PCCB brakes—not to mention the useful nose lift—and you’re over $200,000 for a Boxster.

It’s even tougher in Canada: $195,550 CAD please and thanks, before options. Or around a quarter million as specced. Yet if it were my money, I’d take this over any 911 GT3 variant.

Final Thoughts: 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS Review

Sure, that fiddly roof is possibly a step too far for the minimal weight savings. But you can’t do “ultimate” without making some sacrifices to ease of use.

The 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS is what happens when Porsche is freed from holding the 911’s little sibling back. It is utterly focused on one mission: providing the ultimate open-air drive. By doing so, it sets itself apart from the rest of the RS lineup, cementing its place as one of the all-time greats.

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