Underblu

Just so we’re clear, this is the 981 Spyder I’m talking about, but since this is the oddly, the only designated Spyder forum and we are all waiting some extra months for an allocation, I figured I’d share just how incredible the 981 version of this car is.

Now anyone who has suffered through 90 degree humidity or a Nor Easter blizzard blast knows the weather in NYC area sucks compared to say SoCal, wildfires not withstanding. That said there are some great roads in Westchester and Fairfield county. The Bear Mountain area is the closest I’ve found to the mountainous roads in California but I also love the closer to home, back roads around Greenwich and Stamford. They are like out of a story book, smooth asphalt undulating curves through verdant hills, curves that can snap suddenly into a hairpin then open up to a straight.

I took these roads when my Spyder was new, then drove them a little more enthusiastically after break-in. I have to say, after a year or so, while I loved the ethos of the car and the aesthetics, the RPM needle just seemed to languish a bit when trying to get up into the 7s. I thought maybe it’s the MT, the tall gearing, I mean compared to my friends 16 GT3 with sPDK, It felt a bit relaxed acceleration wise. And while I loved my Spyder, the balance, the feel, I just wish the engine felt “less congested”

Now, at a little over 15k miles, my Spyder feels better than ever. There’s urgency or a liveliness that just seems more Immediate. The needle doesn’t seem to languish around 3.5k RPMs. The gear shifts feel easier but snappy and precise. I am loving this car now more than ever. Previously, I was almost 100% certain I would option a 718 Spyder with PDK, but now I’m not so sure. And if I do go for PDK with 718 Spyder I may have to hold onto this Spyder, just because it feels so emotional. The wail of the flat 6 is so maniacal now, that it’s shriek at the last few hundred RPMs before redline is almost demonic. I had thought of replacing the Pzeros with Pilot Sports or Cup 2s but I think the “crappy” Pirellis allow the chassis to dance a bit more and any little wiggle is always progressive and predictable

See, the thing is, when the sun is setting behind the trees, and the afternoon air is perfect autumn, and the shriek at wot haunts the woods around you, and your reading the asphalt like it’s in Braille, who cares about lap times at Nordschleife

The GT4/Spyder may never be the fastest Porsche around the track but that doesn’t mean they aren’t the most enjoyable Porsche on the road.

iliveoncaffiene

I have a 718 GT4 deposit down, and managed to test drive a 981 Spyder my dealer had in inventory yesterday. 68*F, sunny late afternoon, exhaust all the way on - man I was hooked instantly.
My main reason for the test drive was to see how I felt about the gearing + daily driving (putzing around at 30-40mph stop/go). I'm not sure what everyone's hang up is but the gearing is plenty fine for driving at ~2000-2500 rpms - there is more than enough torque.

Things I noticed (MY2016 - 3000 miles - please drive your cars people):
Clutch is stiff - I haven't been DDing a MT for 2+ years now, but even then I could tell it was stiff. My left leg had a little soreness after the test drive
Shifter is very nice, but also stiff. Side-side takes more force than I was expecting
Clutch release is almost at the top of the pedal
2nd gear is really, really long for heel-toe 3-2. Whereas 4-3 is much shorter, and I would overshoot the RPMs when blipping the throttle.
Sport Plus (auto blip throttle) is.... cool, but mentally hard to get used to. I can definitely see uses for this in aggressive driving
The sounds is... intoxicating. I couldn't help but be a hooligan and downshift even when I didn't need to. My GT4 is going to eat me in gas mileage...
Suspension was stiffer than my Cayman, but not overly so.

Now pair this with the reviews I've read on the new GT4/Spyder and I think the suspension / clutch will be much more suited to DDing - but also raw enough to still make me realize I'm in a GT car.

OP: I completely agree - I see no real reason to sell a 981 other than maybe wanting updated infotainment. Driving it made me get really excited for getting into a GT4

ZVDS

The problem with the gearing is that it's so fun shifting but if you like shifting at redline (it's fun in a NA car like this) it takes forever and by the time you reach redline in 2nd gear you're doing illegal speeds.

The clutch and shifting isn't that hard and the 718 is said to be even softer.

You can't compare the 981 Spyder's suspension to the GT4 981/982 or Spyder 982 as it doesn't have the GT suspension.

MidEngineRules

That's the problem with everything today. Everyone wants massive power but you can't use it inside speed constraints. Personally it's why I love the '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder. First Boxster over 300 hp (303) but not so much power so you can't enjoy it. Best sound ever in this platform. Plenty of oomph with a nice upper end rush (and howl to go with it). Sublime steering and just a ton of fun to drive.

ZVDS

Purely talking gearing here, not power.
3rd gear should get you in prison not 2nd.

iliveoncaffiene

When 2nd in the 718 (or 981) does at least 70 - that lands you in prison on most surface streets (where I am at least, which are all 35).
At the very least, it lands you a very, very expensive ticket (70 in a 45, 70 in a 50).

ZVDS

Agreed, that's why people have an issue with the gearing.
You can have fun under 60mph on a mountain road n 2nd gear with most other cars while still getting the exhilarating factor of redline.
I have a BMW Z4 M Coupe and I absolutely love it.
The GT4 feels very similar just more evolved and easier to handle but as soon as I drove hard I noticed the gearing. It's not a dealbreaker but it does detract from the fun shifting.
Waiting for my 718 GT4 patiently...

MidEngineRules

I bought one of the last new 2008 Z4M Coupes when I lived in Germany. Brought it to the states in 2009. Aside from the periodic 1-2 gear change grind issue, the car is relatively fun to drive. I sold it to buy a mint 2008 Carrera S. 10 more Porsches later, I haven't thought about buying another BMW since. I think the gearing issue is overblown. You just have to drive in a lower gear to most other cars if you want good power on tap, or be prepared to shift down before accelerating. When I'm out driving my GT4 I just drive in the gear which feels appropriate for the speed and don't worry about anything else. I find I don't use 5th and 6th nearly as much as other Porsches I've owned. Nothing wrong with that. The GT4 does have very good throttle response, so the engine does like to spin up quick.

Try driving a PDK 991.2 S/GTS some time in automatic mode. Porsche programs the gears to change so early that you're in top gear at very slow speeds. Just in normal driving you never have the feeling you have power on tap. All these cars can be driven for economy or performance, but not both at the same time. Honestly the Carrera T is the best compromise from Porsche to date. It's roughly the same power as my GT4 and has perfect gearing (at a little expense of fuel economy), and the platform is better for grip and traction. I think it's a better alternative to the GT4. I'd definitely buy one over a GT4 today. You give up nothing and gain a lot. Certainly not as exclusive, but it's not as singularly focused either.

Underblu

What are you’re thoughts on the differences? since you stated the GT4’s suspension and the Spyder’s suspension are “incomparable” .

I didn’t feel that way at all as both are superlative in my estimation. To me, the GT4 felt a little “heavier” on the street, though not as much as say a 991. Both do a great job of exploiting the incredible chassis and provide a truly engaging driving experience. The GT4 feels a touch more damped while I get a bit more feedback from the passive setup on the Spyder. To me, The raison d’etre for the GT suspension is that it can be optimized for the race track which typically results in quicker lap times.

I always appreciated this review because it was one of the few that provided actual test numbers and seemed less impressed with acronyms and more interested in the overall driving experience.

July 2016 Car & Driver: 981 Spyder

“Grip is phenomenal at 1.01 g's, and the chassis is planted and secure all the way to that point. Likely due to its narrower rear tires, the Spyder is more neutral than the GT4, which only makes it more engaging. We prefer the Boxster Spyder's chassis setup to the GT4's, even if the later has more ultimate grip. From a dynamics standpoint, the Spyder nears perfection. . . ."

Test Results:
0 - 60 mph: 4.0 sec.
0 - 100 mph: 9.1 sec.
0 - 150 mph: 22.5 sec.
Rolling start 5 - 60 mph: 4.7 sec.
1/4 mile: 12.2 sec. @ 116 mph
Braking 70 - 0 mph: 152 ft.
Roadholding 300 ft DIA skidpad: 1.01 g

DFW01TT

You're right, it's all about the mandated fleet mileage requirements. That gives us the quickest shifts into the best mileage range whether stick or PDK.

MidEngineRules

I've owned both the 981 Spyder and 981 GT4 (still have the GT4). If someone says they are incomparable, I have to wonder if they are asserting the GT4's suspension is superior. For track, yes, but only when driven to the limit. For street and anything other than at track limits, absolutely not. Ultimately the GT4 could have easily gotten away with X73 as did the Cayman R. But if Porsche wanted to give it a GT cred (and name) I guess they needed to give it a GT suspension as well. For cars driven predominantly on the street, X73 would be my choice. It's a brilliant compromise.

Underblu

I had a lot of fun with the T in SoCal, and share some of your sentiment regarding that model. And while I’d say my favorite 911 is still the GT3 for sheer acceleration and that intoxicating 9000RPM, the T represents in many ways the ideal everyday 911. It’s a thoroughly rewarding car to drive and I never really noticed any overt turbo characteristics. It just felt like a sweet 911. I wish Porsche would carry this T theme a little further, with more weight reduction and maybe even a passive suspension option.

We are reaching a point we’re performance improvements will be brushing up against physics so the “new and better” might be that which is a little more visceral, a little more raw. Hopefully this will happen before the bureaucratic elites decide to ban the ICE altogether.

I also like the Ts somewhat throwback aesthetic



Still, I prefer the dynamics and feel of Porsche’s mid engine offerings. Just a little more cart like and nimble. Though having one of each might be just the thing.

MidEngineRules

The driving dynamic of mid engine is great for sure. So is a Carrera with RAS. The downside of the mid engine platform is the diminutive size of the car and interior when just using the car in the practical sense. As for the Carrera T as an alternative to the GT4 (not Spyder) you would have needed to opt it correctly to include RAS, no sunroof, and preferably PCCB and LWBs. Plus with the T you could have PDK if that's something you like or need. If I had my GT4 (which is highly spec'd) and a Carrera T spec'd appropriately sitting side by side in my garage, I'm not sure I'd drive the GT4 near as much.

Selo

I just purchased a F10 M5 manual/comp package. When I flew out to to test drive the car, I was blown away by the shifter and clutch and how smooth and nice it all felt. Now that I have the car home and Ive driven it back to back with my 981 Spyder, it's no comparison. The 981 Spyder is a man amongst boys, it's Tom Brady amongst a group of otherwise franchise quarterbacks. It feels so good and so organic, I'm just having a hard time imagining springing for a new one - even if the new one gains seconds around the 'ring, is it really going to be more fun on the street?

jeanrabelais

HA HA, I have to respond to the original post just a bit... Because even though there isn't a dedicated 981 SPYDER forum, the 981 Boxster forum became the defacto Spyder forum much to the chagrin of any Boxster owners at the time. If anyone wants to read up on the experiences of those 981 Spyder buyers from auto show concept car to delivery then check out the 981 Boxster forum from 2014-2016 and you'll see it's basically ALL Spyder posts. I hung out there a lot LOL.

OP Please keep writing. your prose are great so I'm actually glad you posted here