Porsche unveils GT3-powered Boxster

Porsche is set to replace an iconic machine with a battery-powered successor – but not before sending the petrol version out with a bang.

Porsche is preparing to launch an electric replacement for its two-seat Boxster convertible.

The next-gen roadster will join the electric Taycan family car and a battery-powered version of the Macan SUV in an increasingly green range.

Like a hedonist cutting loose on New Year’s Eve before turning over a new leaf, the brand is also raging against the quiet new world of electric cars with some of the loudest machines offered to the public.

The Porsche 718 Spyder RS turns the Boxster up to 11.

Having wedged its race-spec 911 GT3 motor into the compact Cayman coupe to create the scintillating GT4 RS, Porsche has found a way to jam the same motor into its smallest car – the Boxster.

Normally powered by a four-cylinder engine, the ultimate Boxster benefits from a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre engine capable of revving to 9000rpm.

The car is a close cousin of the hardtop Cayman GT4 RS.

The hot convertible also chooses not to identify as a Boxster, instead wearing “Spyder RS” badges that separate it from Porsche’s entry-level sports car.

According to the manufacturer, “the same lightweight power unit with its high-revving design also powers the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing car”.

Louder than F1 cars or V8 Supercars, Porsche’s Carrera Cup machines are unmistakeable.

“As the last new 718 to feature a combustion engine, the Spyder RS marks the crowning achievement of the model line that was launched in 2016,” Porsche says.

The combination of the manufacturer’s smallest car and its most visceral engine returns a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds.

Oval-shaped exhausts and a prominent ‘ducktail’ spoiler lend a distinctive look.

That’s not super-quick in 2023.

Though it won’t be the fastest car on the road, the Spyder RS promises to be one of the most thrilling to drive, with sharp reflexes accompanied by a howling soundtrack.

@davemotoring

WHAT?! Porsche’s Cayman RS is deafeningly loud. At 9000rpm, no one can hear you scream. Check it out. #deaf#loudnoises#scream#porsche#racing#trackday#rennsport#gt3#gt4#dreamcar

♬ original sound - DaveMc_Motoring

It’s softer sprung than the hardcore track-ready Cayman RS, with suspension retuned “to achieve a more relaxed, characteristically convertible-style set-up”.

The regular Boxster has an electrically operated folding fabric roof operated at the touch of a button.

The canvas roof attaches to the body next to carbon fibre air intakes placed near the seats.

But the Spyder RS saves weight with a tentlike, manually assembled combination of a sun sail and a weather deflector that can keep rain at bay.

In any case, the collectable model is unlikely to be driven in the rain.

Porsche 718 Boxster electric prototype was seen testing out in the wild.

Fit with a fake exhaust pipe and acceleration sounds.

— Electrek.co (@ElectrekCo) November 28, 2022

Set to be considered a future classic as the first – and possibly only – model that combines the compact Boxster body with a red-blooded racing engine, the Spyder RS will attract wealthy collectors who want to snap up a screaming sports car before electric power takes hold.

Owners can choose between hardcore carbon seats or more comfortable chairs.

Though Porsche is investing in greener “e-fuels” that might make cars like this a possibility in the future, there’s no guarantee that the next Boxster will be available with a petrol engine.

Priced from $336,800 plus options and on-road costs – more than twice the cost of a regular Boxster, the Spyder RS arrives locally in the second quarter of 2023.