Porsche 718 Spyder 2019 Review – International

I've never been to Scotland before and I've never eaten Haggis, but I do know that Scottish weather can be bleak and unforgiving, like getting lost in Ikea.

Which made me question why the new Porsche 718 Spyder -- which is coming to Australia in November, just in time for summer -- is being launched in Scotland?

But when former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber overheard the conversation and declared that Scotland is a tip-top place to drive a fast car, I was all ears.

"The roads in general are spectacular," he explained during the car’s launch at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a day before we headed north to test the Porsche 718 Spyder and it's coupe twin, the Porsche Cayman GT4.

"If the sun's out, it's absolutely world-class. If it's raining? Whatever, get on with it," Webber shrugs.

Easy for him to say… he has won several F1 races and once survived cart-wheeling a Mercedes-AMG CLK GTR race car, not to mention lofting the winner's trophy for Porsche at the greatest sports car race in the world, the Le Mans 24 Hours.

That’s more than my four-wheeled achievements, which amount to being carsales’ undefeated indoor go-kart champion for 10 years running (Ed: And he had to cheat even to claim that accolade).

Mercifully, the weather turns out to be gorgeous in Scotland and when we rock up to collect the keys for the new Porsche 718 Spyder I'm pleasantly surprised.

This is not the Boxster I remember. This one's got more machismo than Thor and Captain America's lovechild.

Well, technically it's not a Boxster – this Porsche is part of a long tradition of Spyders from the German sports car brand, which started with the 1953 Porsche 550 Spyder, often referred to as the James Dean Porsche.

There are even design parallels, particularly in the curvaceous rear buttresses. Yes, this car plays an excellent buttress game.

Rolling on big 20-inch alloy wheels shod with sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber, the body sitting 30mm closer to the ground thanks to a proper motorsport-derived GT chassis that borrows suspension bits from the Porsche 911 GT3, this Porsche has a steely, battle-ready look unlike any other Boxster.

The new front apron has bigger air intakes, the rear-end features a deeper, more aggressive rear diffuser and, together with a flat underbody, Porsche reckons this machine reduces aerodynamic lift by 50 per cent over its predecessor.

In other words, it should stick to the road like sh*t to a blanket. Spoiler alert – it does.

The Boxster used to be a hairdresser’s show piece for Porsche wannabes. That’s no longer the case and the Spyder evolved into something even more serious -- something you should respect.

Take the new engine for example. It's 33 per cent larger than the 3.0-litre donk in the latest Porsche 911 and the 4.0-litre donk forgoes turbocharging in favour of a more responsive, higher-revving (and more engaging, it must be said), naturally-aspirated engine delivering 309kW and 420Nm.

Top speed is 301km/h, roof up or down. Handy if you're fresh out of the bath; it'll dry your hair quick-smart.

Hop inside and you'll notice a number of high-end, motorsport-inspired features, such as the Alcantara-covered GT sports steering wheel and door-opening loops. Door-handles are so gauche. And heavy.

The gear shifter is a bit shorter than standard issue and there are several options, including fixed bucket racing seats ($11,250) or 18-way power adjustable 'sports seats plus' ($5150). The touch-screen infotainment system can be deleted to save weight and ensure the only music your passengers hear is the engine's antagonistic rasp.

The Spyder isn't offered with the Clubsport package the Cayman GT4 gets but it does have exclusive rights to a high-end Burmester stereo ($8220). You can also get the ceramic composite brakes ($16,620) that reduce unsprung weight. Porsche claims the 2019 Spyder tips the scales at 1420kg -- the same mass as its fixed-roof sibling, the Porsche Cayman GT4.

Nailing the throttle for the first time on a long, clear straight, there's a delightful sense of connection between car and driver. The linear power delivery of the engine (codenamed 9A2) is crisper and cleaner than Patrick Stewart's Shakespearean accent, affording exacting control over the rear axle.

Lump in sweet, short gearshifts via the stubby six-speed manual shifter, which offers a touch of resistance as it slots into each gate – good, precise resistance, mind you – and the practice of acceleration takes on a unique allure.

There's also an auto-blip function that rev matches on downshifts and it's awfully good.

Pumping out 420Nm of torque at 5000rpm and forming a flat, predictable plateau of torque that doesn't dwindle until 6800rpm, the big mid-mounted boxer engine compels the Porsche Spyder forward with controlled aggression.

It's this confidence-inspiring and beautifully measured manifestation of thrust that makes punching out of corners rewarding.

Fun? Incontrovertibly so.

The engine's show of force is followed up by a power encore of 309kW that peaks at 7600rpm (and a heady 8000rpm rev limit that provides wiggle room for late shifts), accelerating the svelte German roadster to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds.

The Spyder isn't supercar-quick but it ain't muckin' around either.

At higher engine speeds, between 5000 and 7500rpm, the Porsche Spyder makes you feel like a champion and its 0-160km/h and 0-200km/h figures will really clench cheeks. At nine and 13.8 seconds respectively, they put this machine in more exulted company.

It's true that the engine lacks the meaty mid-range force of Porsche’s turbo-petrol flat sixes, the 3995cc boxer generating the same torque as the 1.8-litre turbo four-banger in the Renault Megane RS. Even so, dawdling through Scottish villages at low revs is neither a chore nor a challenge.

It motivates easily from low revs but to truly understand this car is to flog it. Almost stupidly. And I know a few things about stupid flogs. At full noise the Porsche Spyder is scintillating and while the engine connects car and driver in terms of tempo, it’s the chassis that really makes this car boogie.

The lower, stiffer suspension, lovely 44/56 front/rear weight distribution, lower centre of gravity and mid-mounted engine collude to create an apex predator that's more accessible than a 911 – but just as compelling.

What I mean by accessible is that this is a car that won't bite you if you disrespect it.

This is the first time a Spyder (or Boxster derivative) has used a proper GT chassis derived from motorsport, in the form of GT3 suspension components such as transverse and longitudinal control arms and upside-down shock absorbers.

Result? Very tidy handling.

Its flat attitude through corners is mingled with a deftness that allows it to soak up imperfections in the road, ensuring it tracks through bends with the fluidity of H2O.

Rapid changes of direction? No drama whatsoever. The ultra-direct steering, brake-based torque vectoring and mechanical rear diff sees the car pivot on its central axis promptly, making this a wonderfully dexterous, predictable and reactive machine.

The Porsche Spyder generates masses of confidence-inspiring grip via chubby Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (245/35 ZR20 fore, 295/30 ZR20 aft), while the levels of communication via steering wheel and seat of your pants telegraph what's going to happen with almost prescient alacrity.

Deceleration is provided by big 380mm diameter rotors all round (thickness: 34mm fore, 30mm aft) clamped by influential six-piston aluminium monobloc fixed callipers. Delivering big stopping power, the anchors are more arresting than a police taskforce brandishing search warrants at a biker club meet.

There's a two-stage adjustable damping system and ride comfort isn't terrible in the softer setting. You could drive it to work every day pretty comfortably.

According to Porsche nomenclature, the roof is "fully suitable for everyday use". I think a better description is "fully bewildering for everyday use".

The manual roof system takes minutes, not seconds, to secure and is almost impossible to attach solo.

Ergo, if you toddle off for a blast, top down, and the heavens open, your nice Alcantara interior will be completely and utterly munted by the time you find shelter.

Here's my unedited notes taken immediately after thrice attempting to manipulate the roof:

"Roof is bullsh*t to open and close. It's a quiet thing once closed and I understand why it's done this way. There's no electric motor, no insulation, no extra weight. It's all about focussed performance. I get the philosophy behind it, but it doesn’t make it any less annoying when you need rapid protection from foul weather."

The optional fixed racing seats fitted to the Porker on test are also pretty tricky to get in and out of.

Luggage space is decent at 150 litres (for a mid-engine car), with a big front trunk, or frunk, and a small rear luggage cubby. But incidental storage in the cabin is tight.

The cup holders are beautifully engineered but flimsy and floppy once loaded up, and the wireless phone charger only just fits an iPhone 8 Plus. Anything bigger and you'll need to use one of the two USB ports to charge your device.

There's no automatic transmission, which will deter a lot of buyers, although I have it on good authority a PDK dual-clutch auto version will arrive about a year after the six-speed manual Spyder arrives here in November.

Porsche buyers may face a quandary with this car (and it's Cayman GT4 twin). Given the price of the Spyder is $209,000 (and $220,000 for the GT4), it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to buy an entry-level Porsche 911 Carrera. Pricing for the new 992-series model is yet to be announced, but the previous entry-level 911 was a $226,450 proposition.

Owning a Porsche 911 gains more bragging credits than telling someone you have a Porsche Spyder in your garage ... but the latter is easier to drive quickly and arguably more rewarding for a wider spectrum of driver skill levels.

But anyone who drives one of these German roadsters will not be disappointed. With a Nurburgring Nordschleife lap time of 7min30sec, this is a serious sports car that will attract plenty of attention.

One thing is abundantly clear after driving the Porsche Spyder on testing Scottish roads: this is one of the most entertaining, engaging and attractive mid-engine roadsters money can buy.

How much does the 2019 Porsche 718 Spyder cost?
Price: $209,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: November
Engine: 4.0-litre six-cylinder petrol
Output: 309kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 10.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 249g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: N/A