Stress-Free Enjoyment of the Spider RS Even in City Driving

After logging about 600 kilometers with the Spider RS, I’ve made a significant discovery.

No matter what road I’m on—city streets, mountain roads, or highways—I can fully savor the engine’s charm without feeling any stress from not being able to enjoy the GT3 engine.

With my previous GT3 Touring, pressing the accelerator to enjoy the engine’s full potential and sound in the city often meant the gear ratios were too tall, causing the car to pick up speed too quickly. This limited the places where I could enjoy the exhilarating engine note and rev feel, restricting me to roads suited for spirited driving. That limitation was a source of frustration.

The Secret Behind Enjoying the Engine Below 4000 RPM

With the Spider RS, even daily commuting is completely stress-free. Currently, I’m still in the break-in period, keeping revs mostly below 4000 and rarely above 5000 RPM, yet the engine’s allure remains fully present. The biggest factor behind this difference is undoubtedly the gear ratios.

Cruising at 100 km/h on the highway in 7th gear, the engine spins around 2800 RPM. By comparison, my 981 Boxster GTS with a 6-speed manual runs at about 2500-2600 RPM at the same speed. The Spider RS consistently operates at higher revs, allowing me to feel the engine’s heartbeat much more intimately.

Gear Ratio Comparison Reveals Different Design Philosophies

Looking at the specific numbers, the differences become clear. Let’s compare the gear ratios of each model in the table below.

The most crucial difference lies in the final drive ratio. While the GT3 Touring’s is 3.76, the Spider RS’s is significantly lower at 4.17. This difference explains why the Spider RS can keep the engine spinning at higher revs at the same speed.

Sound Quality Changes and Enhanced Driving Feel

The gear ratio differences also affect the sound quality. While the 981 Boxster GTS produces mid-to-high frequency tones, the Spider RS delivers a richer low-end rumble below 4000 RPM. This blends perfectly with the high-pitched intake sound, creating a pleasant soundtrack no matter the speed or acceleration.

On mountain roads, it’s ideal to drive in 3rd gear rather than 2nd. Once the break-in period ends, high-revving in 2nd gear will be enjoyable, but even now, 3rd gear allows ample revs. Other Porsches tend to pick up too much speed in 3rd gear, making it hard to rev high, but the Spider RS has no such limitation.

Looking Forward to the Next-Generation GT3

This experience has made me want to prioritize gear ratios more when choosing future cars. An intriguing prospect is the soon-to-arrive 992 late-model GT3 in Japan. This model reportedly uses the same transmission as the 911 S/T, with a final drive ratio of 4.3.

If this info is accurate, the 992 late GT3 will have even lower gear ratios than the Spider RS, making it a car that lets you fully enjoy the engine even at low speeds. I’m eager to get behind the wheel. I never imagined that a single gear ratio could so profoundly change a car’s character until I experienced the Spider RS.