CAlexio

Those are going to have to be some seriously powerful NA engines to beat their "lesser" turbo 4's. Where do you go after a 3.8?.... 4.0 in a gt4 anyone?..

spyderphile

Wow, well compiled and stated, Nick. These aren't signs any longer; instead, as official as it can get, before the formal launch. Completely irrefutable. We all can be at ease knowing NA is here to stay, for a little longer!

Alexio, you don't need 4.0, yet. X51 is the answer. GT4 and Spyder have different power delivery characteristics. Unlike turbos, peak power arrives at upper half of the RPM. That's the best part! I personally despise low-end torque!

Here is my additional speculation for post-981.2: next gen platform will need to accommodate hybrid options as well, besides turbos. For a cycle or two, hybrids will gradually ease into product portfolio. GT4 and Spyder might continue to get NA. The engine bay will need to account for all these possibilities. Here is when 4.0 could find a play. The price point will go further north. That's ok; there "will be" a group of enthusiasts for whom nothing but NA matters. You got to pay to play.

Marine Blue

The comment about further reducing weight has piqued my interest. I will be curious to see if they follow through with that.

Suicide Jockey

Looks like that's how it's shaping up:

https://rennlist.com/forums/gt4/9714...f-a-4-0-a.html

At this point, isn't the only real engine question for the next Spyder whether it gets a detuned 4.0 or the 3.8 + X51?

n4v4nod

This complicates things a bit. If the 718 GT4 RS debuts with no vanilla GT4, what does that mean for the Spyder?

Will the Spyder turn into a GT4 RS Spyder? Maybe GT4 RS and Spyder R?

This is would allow prices/performance to increase.

Hmmm let the speculation run.

n4v4nod

Uhh bigger question to myself... Do I be proactive and submit a deposit for the above such Spyder now? Hmmm.

itsujack

YES!!

spyderphile

Thanks for cross-posting that link, Nick. I don't check GT4 forum; so, useful to hear the chatter.

# of long shot possibilities being mooted (or, speculated). GT4 RS has been discounted in the past. The spacing between GT4 and upcoming GT2 RS is getting crowded, in terms of performance and pricing. Another long shot is the idea of dropping GT4 in favor of RS. A regular GT and it's RS counterpart have distinct places in the market, traditionally. Upcoming GT2 RS without regular GT2 might be an aberration. I suspect that might be due to lack of model years left before next gen and the power segmentation (and, associated challenges).

If GT4 does drop out and paving the way for RS, dropping a detuned 4.0 in sounds expensive. Detuning isn't going to make it cheap; might actually add to the cost due to additional work and testing. Is reviving a 3.8 line hard and impractical to do? Wouldn't 3.8 X51 cheaper than detuned 4.0? If it does happen, it's gonna be awesome! I always knew NA is a done deal. But, wouldn't have expected 4.0.

By extension, whatever power train GT4 gets, Spyder gets as well. Presently, 982 Boxster sits above Cayman. Not sure how the Spyder is going to be stacked vis-a-vis GT4. It is gonna be super interesting. I am stoked at the possible prospects! It will be super cool if Spyder is on par with GT4 spec by spec. It is due!

If you are wondering should you go on the list, absolutely should. The feverish hype will go into overdrive in a hurry. I am #1 on the local list! If it's indeed a detuned 4.0, I would expect the demand to be higher than 981's. There are so many unknowns beyond 982. So, next gen GT4/Spyder could mark a milestone.

Pokerhobo

The old 3.8 w/ X51 probably doesn't meet the latest EU requirements in addition to restarting manufacturing of the old engine when they've probably changed their manufacturing lines for the new turbo engines.

If the GT4RS is real, there may not be an equivalent Spyder. The GT4RS will definitely be more expensive than the last GT4 because it's an RS. An equivalent Spyder would have a big price jump. Also, the Spyder comes from their regular car dept and not from the GT guys and probably wouldn't get a GT engine (remember the 981 Spyder didn't get the GT suspension improvements from the GT4). If a 718 Spyder comes, it'll likely be a turbo-4.

CAlexio

I'm not sure where the gt4 "RS" rumor came from, when the article simply speculated detuned 4.0 engine. Someone called it "RS" and all of a sudden the whole convo took a different direction.

spyderphile

My understanding is that new Euro regs kick in 2020, for cars and motorcycles. X51, I believe, is homologated until '19. It was last seen in 991.1 GTS, in '15. Euro regs haven't changed since then, for cars. Motorcycles just had Euro 4 kicked in for '17. So, current power trains are good to go until '19. As for starting a production line for 3.8, I happen to think should be doable. Of course, I have no idea on Porsche's manufacturing processes. Just think that just-in-time manufacturing practices should be built into their business processes.

So, you still think Spyder gets a flat-4 turbo? We will see about that!!

spyderphile

Agree. RS has been discounted by Porsche previously. It just popped up unsubstantiated. And, a # of publications seemed to have picked up the same story. I don't think it adds up, given Porsche's usually well orchestrated product road map. By late summer, we might start seeing prototypes doing the rounds. So, we might know soon enough.

n4v4nod

Which article are you talking about? The Autocar and Autoexpress articles both state RS.

Phil G.

I completely agree with all 3 of your statements. Assuming a 718 Spyder comes out, I can't imagine it having a six cylinder engine - it will likely have a high performance four and be priced in 911 territory. The 718S almost is now. Of course, you will have to add a 35% tariff to any Porsche, since it's not made in the US. Sort of like Trump's ties.

MagicRat

Am I the only one who thinks the GT4 RS rumour, if true, makes it *less* likely that the next Spyder will be NA? The RS seems to be an acknowledgment of how fast the boosted 718s are going and that a very special NA engine will be needed to convincingly beat them. While I would love the Spyder to get such an engine, I just can't see a convertible RS. Can others?