GrantG

Exactly - The brakes on the Spyder are oversized if anything for its intended purpose. There is no reason to add a bunch of unsprung & rotating mass, if the smaller brakes have plenty of thermal reserve. Remember than this car has 100hp less than a GT3 - it doesn't need GT3/GT4 brakes unless you intend to modify the car for focused track use. For canyon carving (which is the design brief for the car), lighter brakes will make the car drive better.

mlpor

Interesting dichotomy, with the Cayman based GT4, Porsche "nailed it"
https://rennlist.com/forums/991-gt3/...nailed-it.html

but with the Boxster Spyder, no? Why?

GrantG

Since Porsche has said that it's too much effort to offer both PDK and Manual versions of the same GT car, I am hopeful to see the GT3 and GT4 staggered in their offerings.

For example, the 991.1 GT3 was PDK-S-only, the 981.1 GT4 is Manual only.

Hoping that the 991.2 GT3 is Manual-only and the 981.2 GT4 will be PDK-S.

This should satisfy most folks (or only cause a short wait for those who mis-time their buying window).

KelvinC

From very early on, just after spy shots showed the GT4 was a real thing with bespoke Motorsport division bits, every spy photo that followed of the Spyder (months ago) revealed standard-ish brakes. It was very evident that this was not going to have the performance pedigree of the GT4. The final release is exactly what we should have expected given visual evidence.

That said, I'm am surprised that it somehow doesn't look quite as beautiful to me as the 987 spyder did given that I think every other 981 looks better, more aggressive than their 987 counterparts. Could it be the lack of decals? Curves? Silver accents? Not sure...this one looks a bit awkward in pictures so far, but maybe in person...

Ronan

Seems a lot less distinctive than its predecessor...purely a personal preference...

SmokinGTS

The actual rotor size is 340mm F and 330mm R. They bumped up the rear by 30mm from the S. I think the minimum size should have been 350mm F and 340 mm R with a master cylinder that can handle the size.

kosmo

and the red hooks

hf1

The stock rotors on my 987 Boxster S were more than sufficient for track work on Nitto NT01s. Didn't go with any stickier tires due to oiling concerns (stock oil pan). Most Porsche cars in stock form come notably over-engineered in the brakes department, for track work too (with track pads, of course).

SmokinGTS

hf1
Take a look over on Planet 9 the Boxster Cayman forum and read about all the guys frying their brakes and Calipers. Most track guys have upgraded rotor and caliper sizes and installed GT3 master cylinders. I wore out a set of pads in three track days on my Boxster S. Orthojoe can attest to this on his Boxster Spyder.

arena-RTR

While a lot are complaining about the design, for me it is one very small but crucial detail: The top. Yes I know, there were a few VERY vocal critics (I'm looking at you, Top Gear) of the 987's beautiful lightweight manual top. Yes, the brainless automotive media did then jump on it as a talking point. "Bad" press ensued.

But seriously, Porsche, SO WHAT? Their whole argument against it was completely irrational- they would praise it as one of the best pure driver's cars in the world, then attack one of the things that directly contributed to it! Pathetic.

So Porsche, the company that has built its reputation by sticking to their guns and boldly ignoring the whims of the ignorant masses, pointlessly caved to a handful of non-buyers that the real drivers of this car don't listen to anyway. They completely redesigned the top to make it easier for lame people to understand, and in doing so ruined the rear decklid (because it now has to fit the bigger top) and ruined the gorgeous low profile of the car with the top on. Gone are the charming red rear strap tie downs are gone, and now we have some clunky looking manual version of the regular Boxster top, with two fake rear straps that are neither functional, nor attractive. Sorry Porsche, this was a complete and utter failure.

How much will this affect the drive? Probably .0001%. But that's not the point: The point of this car is it's unabashed purity. The vehicle is a statement of protest against the bloating of the modern car and driver's aids and electronic gadgetry. I understand there will always be compromises, but the top was a large part of what defined the Spyder's purpose... And they ruined it to satisfy a bunch of lame people who are too shallow to buy one anyway.

hf1

May be. Just sharing my experience with a bone stock (non PASM) Boxster S on nt01s and with track pads running in top quartile of Black (sub-instructor) run group of one of fastests PCA regions (CT Valley Region) thick with GT3's and dedicated race cars. (So not pussyfooting around.) Then again, I always try to use brakes as little as possible and I drive flat-out!

This was years ago now so memory is not best but I probably could squeeze out no less than ten track days on stock rotors and Pagid yellows with my Boxster. More with cheaper hole-less rotors. No fading or overheating issues either. I guess everyone's mileage DOES vary.

NYC993

Prolly because of PSM? It activates braking to keep the car on line with no way to truly disable it. That fries the rear brakes very quickly. The car in stock form is not really made for extensive tracking, regardless. Spyder is even less so, brakes is not you first problem with it for the track.

95spiderman

i like the concept and the car. its not a track car so dont need the gt3 parts bin. its for canyon carving just like the last spyder. owners of the old one complained about the cumbersome top and porsche listened.

my complaint is top is still cumbersome and could easily be so much better. as it is, you have to get in the car to push the electric button that unlocks top. why not put this on the door so dont have to get in and out? or better yet, on key fob?

mqandil

Hi Ed. I will have to agree 100% with you on the brakes. I owned several older caymans & Boxsters and I also currently own 981 Boxter S and I tracked all of them extensively and I had to go through so many pads and especially the rear pads & rear rotors on my 981 Boxster S and I suspect some of that was a result of the torque vectoring as the pad & rotor wear got much worse with the 981.

I also agree with you Regarding the tire size on the Boxster Cayman platform. I ended up upsizing my 981 Boxster S tires to MPSS 245/35-20 F & 285/30-20 R and it really transformed this car significantly in terms of handling, and braking performance on track & street. Highly recommended. I was in the process of swapping the rotors & brakes to larger ones but I am getting the new GT4 and will be trading in the Boxster S, so I decieded against the upgrade last minute.
Said that the Boxster is still a very fun car to drive and with Wider tires, it really is much more fun to drive than my 991 911 4S. Too bad Porsche did not extend the same upgrades to the spyder as they did to the GT4. Mark

aussie jimmy

agree 1000%
very well said.
the design is indeed, an utter failure.
very lame.
the 987.2 gave me an instant hit from the first pics.
this one does absolutely nothing for me.
the gts is better car for that compromised job.