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Pretty cool find, Nick. Gives a nice historical perspective. Modern Spyders portray an elegant and tasteful evolution of the past. We are thankful for that.
Summer holidays here in OZ, sun up, top down, empty road, this is Spyder country!
Happy Days !!
That's a great picture. That's what these cars were made for.
Unfortunately it's the middle of winter here in the U.K., so a few months to go before I will be enjoying those warm days.
I have started planning my next big Euro tour though.
Can't wait to get back up on those twisty Alpine passes
That's a great picture. That's what these cars were made for.
Unfortunately it's the middle of winter here in the U.K., so a few months to go before I will be enjoying those warm days.
I have started planning my next big Euro tour though.
Can't wait to get back up on those twisty Alpine passes
Originally Posted by Suicide Jockey
That sky and that car . . . wow!
Very nice!
Thanks guys, believe it or not this actually our Alpine country, albeit in the summer time!
Earlier in the thread I lamented Porsche's decision to go with dual streamliners on the current Spyders feeling that they should have remained true to the single streamliner design of the famous racing 550/718 Spyders from the '60s. However, I have since found a historically significant racing 718 that had two humps. This is the 718 RS-W of which only four were made:
Info on the 718 RS-W from the Porsche Museum:
"Porsche's first two-litre, eight-cylinder vehicle is affectionally nicknamed 'Grandmother' by the mechanics because of its exceptionally long motorsport career (1961-1964).
Its history of wins includes sensational class victories, such as those at the Targa Florio in 1962 and the 1,000-kilometer race at Nürburgring.
'Grandmother' dominated the European Hill Climb Championship in 1963 and in 1964, and twice drove Edgar Barth to the championship title."
The humps on the 718 RS-W provided for engine cooling and/or the escapement of heat from the engine so they are not "streamliners" in the traditional sense. Still, a claim can be made that there is some historical precedent for the two humps appearing on our 987/981 Spyders. Plus, note the presence of a rear spoiler on the 718 RS-W, something shared by the current Spyders.
Great find Nick!!! I am very surprised that Porsche never marketed the Spyder using this car considering its history and resemblance. Now if they only built another Flat 8 and stuffed it into the Boxster.
The factory made two 914-8's for the family, so somewhere someone could make a flat 8 boxster! That car looks fantastic, but NEVER looked that good originally!!
Pretty cool find, Nick. Gives a nice historical perspective. Modern Spyders portray an elegant and tasteful evolution of the past. We are thankful for that.
Originally Posted by Marine Blue
Great find Nick!!! I am very surprised that Porsche never marketed the Spyder using this car considering its history and resemblance.
Thanks! After my dimestore detective work I'm somewhat convinced the 718 RS-W was the design inspiration for the twin humps and rear spoiler found on the current Spyders. Why?
First of all, Porsche's press release for the 981 Spyder at the time of the car's debut at the NY Auto Show specifically references the streamliners and their tie in to a 718 Spyder - not a 550 Spyder:
"The distinctive design of the Boxster Spyder includes stylistic elements reminiscent of legendary sports and race cars from Porsche. Two prominent streamliners that extend down along the sweeping rear lid behind the headrests pay tribute to the 718 Spyder from the 1960s."
Second, the only 718 with twin humps is the 718 RS-W, probably because it used a flat 8 cylinder (all prior 718s had four cylinders) that required the humps to facilitate engine cooling and heat dissipation.
Third, the 718 RS-W raced from 1961-64 so it definitely was a "718 Spyder from the 1960s" as stated in the press release.
Fourth, the 718 RS-W is the only 718 I have seen with a rear spoiler, another design feature shared with the modern Spyders. All the other cars had rounded rear ends with no spoiler, like these:
Could these similarities between our Spyders and the 718 RS-W be coincidence? Maybe, but can't you imagine Porsche designers strolling through the Porsche museum for inspiration as they embarked on the design of the modern Spyders and can't you see them coming across the 718 RS-W with its twin humps and rear spoiler and deciding it was from this car that they would lift these styling cues?
Because Porsche has acknowledged it was a 718 Spyder from the 1960s that the 981 Spyder's two streamliners pay tribute to, and because the 718 RS-W is the only 718 that has twin humps and just so happens to also have a rear spoiler like the modern Spyders, my conclusion is the 718 RS-W is the specific car which served as the design inspiration for the modern Spyders. Anyway, that's my theory and I'm sticking to it!
...............I'm somewhat convinced the 718 RS-W was the design inspiration for the twin humps and rear spoiler found on the current Spyders. Why?
.......................my conclusion is the 718 RS-W is the specific car which served as the design inspiration for the modern Spyders. Anyway, that's my theory and I'm sticking to it!
I think your sleuth work and analysis are spot on. 718 Spyder was likely the genesis of modern Spyders, from the styling point of view. Boxster may trace it's roots to 550 Spyder; but, not the Boxster Spyder. And, it is telling that 718 moniker is recycled and associated to mid-engine platform as a whole (not just because of engine configuration). I hope that 718 Spyder will evolve tastefully and pay homage to 718 of yore.
Many people know/visit/or have heard of the section of Mulholland Hwy CA nicknamed "The Snake" as a great technical hill climb drive. Fewer know about Glendora Mountain Road, Hwy 39, and Glendora MOuntain Ridge Rd. Its a fun network of roads above Azusa, CA. Here's a few pics from my recent drive...and a short video too.
Just checked out this thread and I can vouch for Hwy 39 its pretty nice
For sure. As I've been told once upon a time 39 connected to Hwy 2 (Angeles Crest) but a massive rock slide destroyed the road. That's why 39 just ends....
Ah, sunshine, blue sky and a Spyder with top down, in January!! I envy you! Love the splattering of red accents on bright white. Tasteful!
I shoot videos for those days I'm at work and wish I was out driving, however LA has been very wet these past few weeks (our winter is counted in weeks here) Having lived in Cleveland OH years ago I know the feeling of waiting for good weather to return. Hang in there spring/summer is around the corner.
01-16-2017, 03:10 AM
