The other day, my husband said, “We’ve given up on the 718 Spyder,” so I asked him to share the background and reasons in this article. Please have a look if you’re interested.
We had reserved the 718 Spyder quite some time ago, but recently the dealer’s representative contacted us asking, “What will you do about the 718 Spyder?”
It was a very tough question. Of course, we want it, but this time we decided to pass.
I’d like to explain the reasons behind that decision here.
To put it simply, the reason is “The 981 Boxster GTS we currently own is just too good to part with.”
We considered adding the 718 Spyder to our collection, but having two very similar cars would mean more to drive and manage, plus parking space issues. That would mean “replacing the 981 Boxster GTS,” but for the reasons below, we just couldn’t take that step.
There are already many review videos of the 718 Spyder on YouTube overseas. I’ve watched most of them, and when comparing the exhaust notes to the 981, personally, I prefer the 981’s sound.
Of course, the 718 Spyder sounds great on its own, and I have no complaints when hearing it by itself. But having fallen for the 981 Boxster GTS’s light yet loud sound, the flashy blipping on downshifts, and the intoxicating backfire pops, I just couldn’t give that up.
With environmental and noise regulations tightening these days, the 981 Boxster GTS, which can still produce such a bold sound, is rare—and even more so as a manual—so I decided to cherish it and keep it close. In fact, the used car prices for the 981 Boxster GTS remain stable and high, not much different from a few years ago, and recently seem to have even increased slightly.
The 718 Spyder boasts 420 PS, while the 981 Boxster GTS has only 330 PS—a 90 PS difference!
In the past, I would have thought, “The more power, the better,” and chosen the 718 Spyder without hesitation.
However, owning a McLaren 650S, Panamera Turbo, and GT3 has taught me that “more power isn’t always better.” If you mainly drive on the Autobahn or racetracks, that’s a different story, but for everyday roads, I find that power in the 250 to high 300 PS range is the most enjoyable (“fun,” as we say in English).
A clear example is the 971 Panamera Turbo with 550 PS, which you honestly can’t really push on Japanese roads. Revving it up quickly leads to absurd speeds. On the highway, 2000 rpm already means over 160 km/h.
So, in most daily situations, 1200 to 2000 rpm is enough. That range feels so calm that the Panamera Turbo almost seems to be sleeping. Of course, the violent acceleration is very “fun,” but those moments are rare and brief.
The Boxster GTS hits the sweet spot. On winding roads, you can keep the revs higher and enjoy the engine’s character. I once test drove a base 981 Boxster, and I actually liked that power level even more than the GTS.
This might be a personal use case, but the lack of “a front lift system to raise the ride height” and the fact that “the soft top is manual” are issues for long-distance touring in sudden heavy rain, driving on narrow, challenging roads, and underground parking during commutes.
Well, if you’re careful, the low ride height can be managed, and the manual soft top isn’t too much trouble—just a bit of extra effort. But it wasn’t enough to make me give up the comfort of the 981 Boxster GTS.
This is quite a big issue. The 718 Spyder and GT4 officially imported to Japan are right-hand drive, and the dealer said, “The chances of getting a left-hand drive are low.”
At home, we own both right- and left-hand drive cars (both automatic and manual) and switch between them daily, but for imported manual cars, I prefer left-hand drive. The reason is that it’s easier to shift with your dominant hand (mine is right), and you can separate operations: turn signals with the left hand, shifting with the right.
Our BMW 320i is a manual right-hand drive, and sometimes I feel my left hand is overly busy since it handles both shifting and turn signals. In quick maneuvers, I wish the turn signal was on the right. (Once you get used to it, it’s not a big deal, but this is just a comparison.)
Also, as with other European cars, important switches on the center console are often placed on the left side. For example, in a Porsche, the stereo volume and sport mode buttons are on the left, making them a bit harder to reach in right-hand drive cars.
For these reasons, if it’s a manual, I really want left-hand drive.
By the way, as a side note, if I could freely choose right or left for either automatic or manual, I would choose left without hesitation.
There are downsides like not being able to get parking tickets easily or limited visibility when overtaking, but these are outweighed by:
And finally, the last reason: The 981 Boxster GTS is my very first Porsche. This is purely emotional. After finally being able to afford a Porsche, I carefully chose all the options myself, waited about 10 months, and got this beloved car.
Because of that, I have a stronger attachment to it than any other Porsche, and the thought of letting it go is just too sad and painful right now.
It might sound like I’m making excuses for not buying or not being able to buy, but I do think the 718 Spyder and GT4 are great. If I could own one, I would.
With the evolved 718 chassis and the naturally aspirated 6-cylinder engine, it’s a dream specification. So, for those who have ordered the 718 Spyder or GT4, I hope you look forward to it.
Also, if any blog readers have taken delivery, I’d love to see you on the Royu Driveway, and it would be great if you could contribute a report to the Porsche Owners File.