terbiumactivated

DK7, that might be an accurate assessment. For me, the Spyder isn't trying to be anything but itself. I like that about the car. Before you write it off, it does have the pedigree of a lightweight racer with a smaller engine that others laughed at until the day it came to be called the "giant killer". Also when the "OG" Spyder debuted I remember an article in Excellence where some race driver modded one, he was doing a great job of doggin' the competition as I recall.

Waxer

DK7: I agree in some respects. The RS is an in your face wicked car. It is intimidating just to look at. It does not do "slow" nor does it like it. It is far angerier. Sounds angry too. It garners looks, comments and thumbs up where ever it goes. Never fails. Despite being able to see a small gaggle of them at a Cars & Coffee you rarely see them out in the wild on a weekend which makes sense as they're are about only 1500 in the U.S.

The Sypder is different in that it is not nearly aggressive looking but very "classic" looking sportscar that looks inviting and fun to drive, not like it wants to bite your leg off like an RS. The Spyder has that classic sports car look that harkens back to the 550. It is quick and playful and fun. Different personality. They are also a rare find especially in the wild.

Marine Blue

I have never driven an RS and truthfully I’m not sure I would be very comfortable driving one the way it is meant to be driven on public roads. They are race cars and they are meant to be driven hard. They’re also extremely capable which means everything happens at a lightning fast pace as compared to a Spyder. If one’s pulse is not absolutely on fire when driving an RS in anger on the street you are likely dead. But truthfully some of that rush is due to the risk of danger around each corner, whether it’s grandma pulling out of a driveway or the local constable looking to collect some taxes.

To me the Spyder does something that very few other cars can do and when you look at the overall package it’s really not surprising. In this day and age where else can you find a reliable, lightweight, midengine, naturally aspirated, focused (no glitz) sports car that has plenty of power and communicates every road nuance to your body like a Spyder can? The midengine layout gives a driver an insane amount of confident to push the car harder and the chassis responds with telling your hands and butt exactly what the car is doing. The steering is direct and calibrated perfectly to inputs so you never second guess yourself when your pushing in a corner. With the naturally aspirated engine the power delivery is very smooth and there’s plenty of it. All of this results in a car that you connect with in a way that just can’t be achieved in any other car at reasonable speeds. It’s the only car I have driven that immediately puts me into the zone (when nothing else matters) and keeps me there. Hard to explain until you have experienced it.

Which brings me back to the point of this thread, those in the know will tend to ignore everything else because nothing else comes close when it comes to the actual driving experience. It certainly helps that they have a classic look but I don’t think that’s where the real connection is.

w00tPORSCHE

Afshin nailed it with his post ... I chuckle when people say that the 987 spyder is underpowered. Most of those people I bet are not driving it in the target rev band. There is a distinct determination that kicks in above 4,500 rpm, likely related to the Variocam Plus variable valve-timing .

w00tPORSCHE

I would still want a RS

Zeus993

Holy crap that's a beautiful pic Amar. You are the BEST!