I’m screaming. I can’t hear myself think. I can’t hear myself hear. That is the Porsche 718 Spyder RS experience.
I have qualms with the Spyder RS, philosophically and practically. Yet I couldn’t shake my admiration for the thing as a road car. It’s both the Two Minutes Hate and a warm blanket–The 9,000 rpm flat-six is feral at redline, while the ride quality is some of the best of any road car. It’s PDK only (gag), yet its shortened gearset keeps the engine boiling more of the time. It’s called an RS and has a hardcore Weissach handling package for lap times, yet it’s supposed to be a comfortable drop-top road car.
On the track, the Spyder RS is adequate but not at home. It does get a fairly stunning laptime—about a second quicker than a standard 718 GT4 on the same circuit—but it didn’t feel happy doing it. Undersprung, out of the pocket, and challenging to read, I struggled with the Spyder RS on track. It would understeer, even while attempting to trail brake pressure. Then, if I went too far in loading the front tires, the rears would unload aggressively and the Spyder would snap to a colossal drift angle.
As a road car, it’s much more at home. It is motorsport distilled, a screaming, all-consuming experience on the road. Just don’t test it too much on a racetrack. And watch the YouTube video at this link to get the full rundown on Porsche’s slightly confused sports car.
