Spyder Encounter As Good As It Gets

daro911 · Mar 6, 2010

Had a 45 minute test drive, on my chosen routes today, and can happily report back that the new Spyder has taken everything the regular Boxster S does so brilliantly and then adds some extra spice to the entire driver experience.

Grip / Handling absolutely stunning and even though the ride is firmer it is certainly not what I would class as hard-core at all and definitely more than acceptable for my preferences which to date have always been standard set up with 18" wheels

Performance extremely lively from tickover to max revs and in a totally different league to my current 280bhp 3.2S bearing in mind the Spyder was 150 miles on speedo, 2 up & test driver said he weighed 90kg, had 3/4 of a tank of fuel onboard so a fully run in example with just my 70kg for company should feel even more lively if you believe all the less weight etc hype [

][

]

When I climbed back into my car solo and with under 6 litres of fuel left in the tank it made me ponder why did my more than adequate 3.2 all of a sudden feel quite lifeless! [

] I kid you not

Short shift gearchange and sports exhaust are two must have options IMO and I was pleasantly surprised by the great tone from the PSE system even when switched off! never thought I would say that being a sports exhaust enthusiast

Carbon racing buckets (a big concern) proved to be as good as they look and definitely the way to go

Before we started the drive I can confirm we removed the roof(s) and stowed them neatly easily in under 2 minutes from start to finish

Conclusion:- To date this is definitely the most fun I have ever experienced in 13 years of Boxster ownership and now eagerly look forward to my Spyder Silverstone experience next week where I can hopefully see many different colour combo's in the flesh [

]

daro911 · Mar 11, 2010

13. For the superstitious, it's not a number that suggests good luck. Neither does "Porsche" plus "Spyder" plus "Central California." Even so, thirteen 2011 Boxster Spyders have been flown into the Golden State from Germany. We see the location of the press launch as lucky: It's two hours from home and, even better, it offers superb sports-car roads we know intimately.

Twelve of the German-spec Spyders are in Carmel Valley, the other is at the L.A. Auto Show. That Porsche sees this as an important debut is clear, as Supervisory Board Member Klaus Berning is present. Car people seem to agree; the Spyder gets a rousing reception in the City of Angels. Apparently, the world could use a little blue sky just now, and a back-to-basics Porsche less concerned with sheltering its occupants than opening the world to them is on target.

Even the hardcore approve. GT2 and GT3 web forums are raving about a Boxster in 10+page threads. It's not idle chatter: A friend of mine has sold his 997 GT3, trading it on a Spyder. Another, with 997 GT3 RS and 993 keepers, passed on his dealer's first 2010 RS for its first Spyder.

Clearly, Porsche has a struck a nerve. In truth, says David Pryor, PCNA's Vice President for Marketing, the Spyder's timing is pure luck. It got its start in 2007, when U.S. product planning asked for a stripped-down Boxster S"ˆand Cayman S. The former got the nod, and became the car you see here. Given the new Spyder's instant popularity in L.A., we suspect that a similar Cayman is on the way. But it will be hard-pressed to match the soft-top Spyder's 176-pound weight savings.

Question is, can the Spyder be much better than the already superb Boxster S it's based on? Or is it a marketing ploy, a car to generate foot traffic in dealerships? First press photos had us thinking the latter. The tent-like top. The humpy decklid. No radio, no A/C, no foglights, and no cupholders "” for more money, not less.

Then other, promising details came clear: aluminum doors and lids, limited-slip diff, ultralight 19-inch wheels, -20-mm sport suspension, and lightweight bucket seats, all standard. Best of all, 176 fewer pounds are pushed by 10 more horses, for a total of 320. But still. That top!

Then we see the car in Carmel. Silver Boxsters may be a bit boring these days, but the silver Spyder in front of Ben Pon's Bernardus Lodge isn't. Arctic Silver makes the Spyder look metal where white leaves it looking a bit plasticky. Standing next to it, viewing the car as you normally would, its trunklid is a stunner. The alloy humps tie things together, subtly mirroring the diffuser while giving the fussy lower curves of the 987-2's dip-down taillights more to work with than fender tops alone.

The humps elevate the Boxster. Porsche people see shades of Carrera GT. People on the street aren't quite sure what they're looking at, but they know it's something special. Had the too-long trunk text been shortened to "Spyder," they'd probably still be guessing. There's something exotic about this 987, moving it away from the mental slot marked "just another Boxster" and closer to the one reserved for "Spider, 360/F430."

The distinction continues up front. The bumper is the same, but its outer intakes get titanium-colored surrounds and one vane instead of two. Cayman LED strips sit in plain housings. There are no foglights, and plain black spoiler lips harden the nose. Down the sides, 1960s Porsche scripts lead the eye to plain mesh intakes with titanium-colored surrounds.

Inside, folding sport bucket seats trim weight. Fabric-loop door releases from the GT3 RS recall those in RSs 964 and 993. Their fabric matches the seatbelts (red or black depending on interior color), their plastic housings mounted by a single exposed screw. They look a bit cheap, but so did the Fiat pulls that Porsche's Sport Purposes department used in the 1970s. A gimmick? No. Engineers say each shaves 2.2 pounds in a good spot.

The gauges still wear too-cute Boxster fonts, but their faces are all-business black rather than silver and their hood is gone. In place of the missing cupholder's multi-piece door is a plastic strip that, like the other dash trim strips, is body color. The center console between the seats is, too, and the plastic doorsill finishers have been replaced by model name stickers.

The top says it all, though. To all who see the Spyder, be they car nuts or tree huggers or both, it screams "minimalist!" and backs it up by weighing 12 pounds. Inside, a stamped-steel claw fastens a carbon-fiber front top bow that's nice but not overly polished. The two-piece top stows over the engine, fitting in a black styrofoam receptacle accessed by opening the huge, one-piece decklid. No gas struts help you lift the latter, and you prop it up with an aluminum stick, RS-style. The lid is only heavy if you discount its size, and swings on decidedly unproduction-like aluminum hinges under the humps.

Any nagging thoughts that the Spyder is a parts-bin exercise fade as I speak to Maurice van de Weerd. Fairly new to Porsche, he's the suspension man behind VW's brilliant Mk. V GTI, a car hailed as the return of the proper GTI. One would suspect he had more fun starting with a mid-engined car. He's quick to say that he had help from another Weissach engineer "” one he considers a friend and one who works on GT2s and GT3s.

The Spyder sits 20 mm lower than a Boxster S and 10 mm lower than a PASM-equipped one "” but not on mere lowering springs with mildly increased rates. "Compared to the standard Boxster S, we increased the stiffness front and rear," says van de Weerd. "In front, by ten percent and in the rear by 30 percent. We changed the spring balance significantly, so we have different body motions. The front anti-roll bar is a little stiffer, the rear is the same." So were the dampers simply retuned to match the new spring rates?

"No, it's more than that," he says. "The philosophy behind the damper tuning is new and that's due to the extreme focus on driving fun and performance aspects. And because the car is lighter with lighter wheels, we had more freedom to find another compromise between comfort and the performance side "” it helped me as a chassis guy to fulfill this compromise. We changed the damper forces quite significantly, reducing the rebound side and increasing the compression."

Since the Spyder is lighter, the revised spring rates are effectively even higher. Van de Weerd says no bushings were changed, but camber settings have been altered. Asked why electronically variable PASM dampers aren't available, he gives two reasons: "First, we wanted to make more of a purist's car, one without, as much as possible, electronics. So it was decided to get the maximum puristic performance and fun-to-drive with conventional dampers. Then, if you look at overall production, it doesn't make sense to make an optional suspension available. The amount of cars is just too low."

Low and light suits us. Leaving sleepy, one-story downtown Carmel Valley, the Spyder's rear end is a bit bouncy as it rolls over mild bumps at 25 mph. It's never brittle, though. There are no sharp shocks; each imperfection's edge is edited into something you notice rather than something you're annoyed by.

The road out of town leads right then left, feeding into more rights and lefts as it trades buildings for mysterious driveways and, eventually, raw California. The 3.4-liter flat six is a match for the Cayman S's 320-hp unit thanks to electronic tuning. The ten horses over a Boxster S"ˆisn't noticeable, but the exhaust note from the optional sport exhaust is. When engaged, there's more than enough noise from the twin tips. Still, we're left wishing for more intake noise "” like the original Boxster 2.5's howl as it passed 5000 rpm.

In thrust, this 3.4 doesn't disappoint. Peak torque of 273 lb-ft arrives at 4750 rpm, with 200 lb-ft available by 2000 rpm. Second-gear grunt off turns is strong, the shove of torque giving way to the elastic pull of horsepower as the 3.4 hits 6000 rpm and sprints for its redline at 7500. After a shift to third, speed keeps piling on. This is a genuinely fast car, one that's deeply satisfying to use on a back road with the six-speed manual.

The latter has you feeling connected in a car you want to be connected to. 176 pounds lighter?"ˆIt feels like the engineers shaved even more. The weight saved, lower roll center, and sport suspension add up to a sharpness no factory Boxster can match. In fact, the clarity of this chassis' signals are at least a match for the best we've experienced in any road-going Porsche. Everything feels connected. Small inputs to the steering wheel or pedals are noted and translated to the tires. Understeer has been all but eliminated. The car turns in quickly, its rear end feeling ready to rotate in a confidence-inspiring way rather than a scary one.

Soon, it's one of those drives where car, driver, and road meld. Movements inside the cockpit are minute as pavement, pasture, and sky stream. As the Spyder decimates the sinuous blacktop, I wonder: Do you really need more sports car?"ˆThat's because the Spyder is serving up the best drive I've had in a new Porsche in years.

"Who needs a 911?!?" shouts my passenger suddenly, as if he hears me. While I know no mid-engined car can offer the experience of a rear-engined one, we're clearly thinking along similar lines. As first tastes go, it's as good as a Porsche press launch gets. After another hour or two, it's time to return the Spyder. Reluctantly.

We're feeling lucky as we head for home. All 13 Spyders must go back to Europe, but PCNA's Dave Engelman has asked if we might make use of one for a few days. After all, the cars are in our neighborhood"¦

One of the silver Spyders that caused us to catch our breath in Carmel arrives not long after, this one with standard brakes. Under darkening skies, we hatch a plan: Weigh the car, drive it to a dinner two hours away, test it on track, and run it on our Secret Test Loop, where we have tested every new Porsche since 1997.

The Spyder rolls onto S Car Go Racing's scales in nearby San Rafael with a full tank of gas. Loaded with A/C ($1,760), PCM ($3,110), Carrera Red full leather ($3,895), and the sport exhaust ($2,500), it weighs in at 2,958 pounds with its 12-pound top on board. That's 147 higher than the 2,811 listed on the spec sheet, 29 less than the listed weight of a Boxster S. While we suspect options account for at least half of the difference, it's the first new Porsche under 3,000 pounds since the 986 (the last one we weighed, a 1999 car, came in at 2,917 with half a tank).

Meanwhile, gray skies are shaping up nicely. As we roll off the scales, a cold December day turns rainy. More luck: It's a perfect chance to test the two-piece top in real weather. Since Mrs. Stout has no idea she's about to partake in the test, I decide to check things out in light rain before committing her to a 200-mile soaking. On the recon run, sealing at the windshield proves every bit as good as in a normal Boxster. More surprising is the way water streams along the side windows. Rather than spraying in where the top covers but doesn't seal against each pane's upper edge, the stream traces the upper arc but stays an inch below it and dribbles down the trailing edge. Clever.

In heavier rain that night, a few drops quiver on small plastic trim plates behind each door while pin-prick drops dust the roll-bar trims. But not one drop hits us in strong, steady rain at speeds of up to 90, or in Midwest-like rain hard enough to slow us to 45 mph. There are caveats."ˆThe top must be put on perfectly. During after-dinner demonstrations of this Erector Set "”"ˆwith practice, it takes us 1:35 to stow it, 2:30 to erect it "” a friend wants to help. When we leave, rain gets in. On my better half. Nothing looks amiss, but redoing the top in a gas station fixes the problem.

With the top installed correctly, there's a bit more wind-noise than in a standard Boxster "” but you can still hold a normal conversation. The only draft comes if you reach a hand up to the top of the Spyder's squat side windows. Solution:"ˆDon't.

Four other notes: 1) To avoid stretching the top, a maximum of 125 mph with it up is suggested "” and it isn't pleasant past 100; 2) Top down, with windblocker in place, airflow management is superb; 3) That small rear window is just fine; 4) Overall, the top is good enough that we'd consider a Spyder as a daily car. Yes, its single layer is vulnerable to slashers and you can stick a finger in above the side windows if you try "” but we suspect few passersby will spot these vulnerabilities.

Enough with the top, though. A one-day break in the rain happens to coincide with a Hooked on Driving track day at Laguna Seca. I buy a lottery ticket, then load up the Spyder and Project Cayman S. While I'll"ˆleave all-out lap times to local SCCA"ˆchamp David Ray (see sidebar), I spend a couple of sessions in each 987.

My takeaways? The Cayman S feels more appropriate, more focused on track, mostly due to its closed cockpit. That and its dual-clutch PDK gearbox encourage me to drive it harder. Even so, the Spyder is the sharper car, with noticeably less understeer and purer responses from its lower, non-PASM"ˆsuspension.

As for differences in torsional rigidity, they simply don't stand out on track. But, on rougher sections of our Secret Test Loop, they do. Moving between Spyder and Cayman S, the latter has a noticeably stiffer frame. That said, any lack of rigidity is only brought to light by the Cayman; on its own, the Spyder's platform feels fine. More importantly, its suspension works better here. While the Cayman's 18s and PASM"ˆfilter out more, the Spyder is supple enough while delivering superior feedback, predictability, and turn-in.

Along the Loop's endless switchbacks, the open 987 comes into its own. Its transient responses are quicker than any I've experienced in a factory street car. It has a directness every sports car aspires to but few achieve. For trackwork, the Cayman S"ˆis still the 987 to have. On the Loop, we prefer the Spyder. For $300 less, you get more desirable pieces in a car that, as a sum, feels noticeably more special.

Is it a match for the latest greats, GT2 and GT3? As an experience, yes. While its 3.4-liter 9A1 six doesn't feel or sound exotic enough to justify a GT badge, the rest of this 987 is cut from the same cloth. Yet it is different: Where price alone renders the six-figure GT3 and GT2 rare, the Spyder is and always will be separated by that which defines it: its minimalist top.

In time, that top won us over. For the interaction in using it. For making you feel like you're getting away with something in the rain. For the way it looks when it's up. And for the way it will discourage those with a lesser commitment to the one thing that makes a sports car truly great: purity.

Is the Spyder perfect? Not quite. We'd like a lustier flat six "” and the car is so sharp it left us wishing for things to further sharpen the experience, like more intake noise, a light flywheel, shorter shift throws, and ceramic-composite brakes. The latter can be had for $8,150, but don't order them to save weight; the much-larger-in-this-case PCCBs shave just 6.6 pounds.

Fortunately, the standard car is superb and recalls the greatest Porsche in more than merely visual terms. Like the Carrera GT, it manages that rare feat of being an open car without feeling like a soft choice. Like the C-GT, its handling defines just how good a mid-engine road car can be "” but this time at a far more affordable, far more approachable level.

It's a Porsche for drivers, big skies, and the senses. But for its merely great flat six, it's a full display of Weissach's genius. Yes, the Spyder is insanely good, but the fact that it is Porsche's best new car on the Loop in years isn't dumb luck.

Don Henshall · Mar 11, 2010

Going to Silverstone myself soon for the same reason [

]. In the mean time Lancaster are loaning me a Boxster and Boxster S, both with PDK to try before making my mind up if to spec the Spyder with or without it? Any thoughts on the PDK against the manual on this model?

Nick_USA · Mar 11, 2010

ORIGINAL: Don Henshall

Going to Silverstone myself soon for the same reason []. In the mean time Lancaster are loaning me a Boxster and Boxster S, both with PDK to try before making my mind up if to spec the Spyder with or without it? Any thoughts on the PDK against the manual on this model?

The performance of the PDK is well documented, however if you are a purist why would you add on the extra weight of the PDK transmission when Porsche have worked so hard to reduce the weight of the car. Same would be true in adding back the radio, air-con and those must 'not' have cup holders that Porsche refer to in the marketing info.

daro911 · Mar 11, 2010

ORIGINAL: Don Henshall

Going to Silverstone myself soon for the same reason []. In the mean time Lancaster are loaning me a Boxster and Boxster S, both with PDK to try before making my mind up if to spec the Spyder with or without it? Any thoughts on the PDK against the manual on this model?

I had my weekend test drive with one of the Silverstone instructors along side me and he was a 100% committed PDK man (total opposite to me [

]) but he said if he was buying a Spyder it would have to be as per the demo car ie short shift manual [

]just so much driver involvement and total fun with each change

We both agreed this must be why the Porsche chose to take to the initial launch bash in the land of the auto box 12 "MANUALS" with the short shift [

]

Don Henshall · Mar 11, 2010

I'm not a purist just exploring the options. I love the look and ethos of the Spyder but do like 'toys' as well [

] though I take your point about adding weight.

Black80XSA · Mar 12, 2010

Nice report Daro, but i think i'll keep the slow practicality of my 3.2S and the near £30k cost to change in my bank account. Spyder is a nice bit of kit, but if all i wanted was a warm weather bit of fun i think my choice would wear a GT badge.

daro911 · Mar 12, 2010

ORIGINAL: Black80XSA

Nice report Daro, but i think i'll keep the slow practicality of my 3.2S and the near £30k cost to change in my bank account. Spyder is a nice bit of kit, but if all i wanted was a warm weather bit of fun i think my choice would wear a GT badge.

Good point well argued but word of advice from my personal experience today

"Don't do the Silverstone Spyder Test Day" where you can go from the latest Boxster "S" straight into a Spyders web [

]

berty987 · Mar 12, 2010

Like Daro, I can confirm the spyder is alot more than a styling exercise and marketing ploy. Agreed it has the door handles from the Gt3 RS , and a quirky but simple roof, but to drive one and you realise the tweaks are more than superficial. Though Porsche go to great pains to explain where the weight has been shed and the extra power developed by the engine , the spyder is more about "feel" than just numbers on paper or 0-60 times.

To me , this car is all about the senses and hightening the already rewarding experience of open top motoring found in a boxster. Firstly there are the aesthetics , the revised roof line, lower suspension, wider track , revised front sidelights and rear intakes and that unique rear deck lid , which echoes the lines of the carrera Gt. Stepping into the car , the removed instument binnacle over the gauges, spyder decals on the door cills and dash trim and the bucket Gt seats from the Gt2 , build the sense of occasion that this is no standard car. On turning the key in the ignition as the 3.4 engine bursts into life , your senses are further rewarded by the deep burble of the exhaust note. The optional PSE is a pure indulgence for the ears and gives a most pleasant and exhilarating sound when the engine is pressed beyond 4000 rpm. The noise is so addictive you find any opportunity to downshift or blip the throttle to get another "fix" of the sound.

The steering and feel of the chassis is unlike any other boxster, in my opinion it is identical to that of the cayman , being both compliant and supple without being harsh. The LSD is a welcome addition to the transmission , allowing the driver more feedback on the levels of grip available from the rear tyres. The standard boxster and cayman miss out on the rear communication as the PSM is actively preventing slip , in all but the most extreme conditions. The LSD allows for a level of feedback , usually a wiggle , to let the driver know that the throttle should be applied a little less enthusiastically , even on a straight road. The weight and balance to steering input of the spyder is enhanced by the increased camber allowed by the lower suspension. The wider track as a result of the lighter and bespoke wheels , helps to reduce roll without the need for excessively stiffer dampers or springs.

Having driven the spyder , both on public roads and at the experience center , I feel it's the best 987 incarnation to date. It has the poise and response of the cayman chassis with the thrills and freedom of open air motoring of the boxster. Not only does the spyder look unique , it drives uniquely too , as such it ticks the boxes for those looking for the ultimate road experience without the ultimate running costs of a Gt3 or turbo 911. The spyder gives the thrills and enjoyment of more expensive models without the need for speed to feel the driver is participating. The chassis is so communicative you can enjoy the rewards of driver input at all speeds and road conditions.

ChrisW · Mar 14, 2010

All good to hear ... I have a date with one sometime soon [

]

daro911 · Mar 14, 2010

ORIGINAL: ChrisW

All good to hear ... I have a date with one sometime soon []

Have fun but would you buy one? It seems to have struck a raw nerve with many Boxster owners on other forums [

]

ChrisW · Mar 15, 2010

It's quite a lot of money, and the simple answer is that I'm not sure.

But it should be very tactile, nimble and fast enough.

Maybe Spice demands a little rawness ? [

]

Don Henshall · Mar 16, 2010

Have a standard Boxster for the next two days to try out the PDK gearbox. Will be trying an S next week for the same reason.

spyderman · Mar 16, 2010

Do have a play with Sport Chrono if either have it.

Don Henshall · Mar 16, 2010

Had a short drive (No SC) and not sure I get it (PDK)? Still very early days, will give it a run down to Brands tomorrow [

]

berty987 · Mar 16, 2010

If you are planning on getting PDK I would suggest the paddle shift is better still. Apparently its only available on the spyder in the boxster range at the moment.

Andrew Killington · Mar 20, 2010

recall on Spyders due to some having roof coming adrift whilst on the move,
mine being taken back to OPC next week for fix [

]

ChrisW · Mar 20, 2010

User error or CAD that never got tested out of the computer ?

I had a quick look at one yesterday --- no bucket seats so disappointing, but the rear deck is lovely !!

daro911 · Mar 25, 2010

http://pistonheads.com/roadtests/doc.asp?c=105&i=21703

DRIVEN: PORSCHE BOXSTER RS SPYDER

Porsche 'does a GT3' with this stripped-down Boxster. Riggers has a go

Thank God (or your preferred deity or absence thereof) that Porsche is still brave enough to make cars like the new Boxster RS Spyder.

Porsche might earn its living these days from diesel-powered 4x4s, but the appearance of something like the RS Spyder on the Porsche price lists proves that the folks at Weissach still put plenty of heart and soul into their products.

Consider the objective facts and it's hard to make a case for the Spyder. For a weight saving of just 80kg (which is rapidly diminished as soon as you delve into the extensive options list) and a pretty meagre power boost of 10bhp (316bhp) and 7lb ft (273lb ft) of torque over a Boxster S, you'll have to put up with a fiddly two-piece manual hood, and very little in the way of creature comforts.

The performance gain isn't extraordinary either, although 0-62mph in 4.8secs and a top speed of 166mph (124mph with the hood in place) is hardly to be sniffed at. But it's only two tenths of a second quicker to 62mph than a Boxster S, and top speed actually drops 4mph from 170mph.

All for the princely sum of (at least) £46,387. That's £3879 more than a Boxster S, although most early customers are also apparently ticking quite a few options boxes - the average price for the 50 UK cars ordered so far is around £56k.

It's quite easy to understand why Porsche reckons that the RS Spyder is going to be a little too much for 90 per cent of Boxster customers to stomach.

But what true petrol head really cares about objective facts? The big question is this: is the RS Spyder a classic case of 'less is more' or are you merely going to be paying more for less?

The extra sense of occasion you get with the RS Spyder certainly helps to justify that price tag. Aside from the curvy 911 Speedster-style twin-humped aluminium engine cover and the new roof, the differences between the Spyder and the regular Boxster S are subtle, but the overall effect is significant.

The devil really is in the detail here. On the outside, there are unique 19in alloy wheels, Porsche logos running along the base of the door line and smaller, more discreet LED daytime running lights. Inside, there are lightweight door trims, fabric loops instead of door handles and lightweight interior door trims, all of which saves around 2kg. Even the top cowl of the instrument cluster has been removed, shaving off precious grams.

More conventional weight saving comes in the form of dumping the radio (-3kg) and air-con (-12kg), while standard carbon fibre-backed sports seats save a further 12kg. The biggest weight savings come from the aluminium doors (-15kg) and the swapping of the one-piece electric hood for the manual two-piece item (-21kg). All small details but they add-up to a suitably pared-down club racer feel.

What they don't do is really make a massive difference to the way the car behaves on the road. After all, stick a decently chunky adult in the passenger seat and you've lost your hard-won weight saving in one fell swoop. Yes, the turn-in is a smidgen sharper, and the Spyder does feel a little lighter on its feet when you're changing direction, but the biggest difference - unfortunately - is that the 20mm lower ride height makes a rippled B-road a noticeably more jarring experience.

And yet - somehow - the RS Spyder still manages to feel special. Maybe it's just that you're that much more exposed, that bit less cosseted than in a regular Boxster, but the RS Spyder feels more alive, vocal, visceral. Just as with the 911 GT3 - very much the RS Spyder's spiritual big brother - the Spyder requires you to take an active part in proceedings. And that is what a hardcore roadster should be all about.

In fact, the RS Spyder has moved the Boxster closer than ever to the Lotus Elise concept. Imagine an Elise with immaculate build quality, a glorious-sounding flat six, and a roof that's fiddly but effective and that, essentially, is what Porsche has created.

Get the RS Spyder on a track (as we get a chance to do at Porsche's Silverstone-based experience centre handling facility) and the hardcore Boxster really comes into its own. The extra sharpness in the chassis makes itself felt more keenly, and the lower ride height helps to keep the Spyder cornering flat and hard.

Specify your Spyder with the carbon-ceramic brakes (a not insignificant £5349 extra) and you'll be treated to almost fade-free braking, while the lighter touch they require helps the Boxster feel even more delicately precise.

We're still not totally sold on the £1962 PDK twin-clutch gearbox, however. It will definitely make you quicker on a track day, but it does rob the driver of a teeny amount of involvement. If you do plump for PDK, the £277 wheel-mounted paddles are definitely worth investing in, as they do away with the occasionally awkward rocker switches.

In the end, whether you go for a Spyder will probably depend on where your priorities lie. It will also depend on whether you want to use it as your primary transport. As an everyday proposition, the RS Spyder is not really practical. And performance junkies probably won't see the point.

But as a toy for weekends and track days, then the RS Spyder makes a seriously appealing case for itself, if not exactly a sensible one.