The 2019 718 Spyder - The ultimate Boxster?

The car in our photo is the 2019 Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder. It’s claimed to be the most focussed and the most hardcore version of the Boxster. The eagle-eyed among you will notice that it even looks a bit different to the regular Boxster thanks to its buckety back-end.

The Spyder’s makeover is much more than just purely visual. Underneath the bumpier bodywork sits the same motorsport derived chassis as on the Cayman GT4. What this means is that the Spyder sits 30 millimetres lower than the regular Boxster. It also has a two-stage adaptive suspension system as standard, a limited slip differential, a torque vectoring system, high performance brakes and a range of other intricate bits and bobs to make it go faster.

The biggest news for Boxster fans is with regards to the engine. Supporters of the Boxster got very cross indeed when the 718 came along and replaced the old car’s six cylinder engine with four cylinder ones. However, all this has changed with the new Spyder as the flat-six makes its return and it’s a naturally aspirated version of the same 4 litre unit found in the turbocharged 911. It produces and impressive 420 brake horse power (bhp) which is a significant 35 more than the old Boxster. This makes this car good for 0-60 miles per hour (mph) in 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 187mph.

When you step inside the Boxster things feel much like they do in any other Boxster. So you can expect to find a high quality interior, a reasonably intuitive touchscreen infotainment system and loads of space around the two seats. Practicality isn’t usually a word you’d find when reading reviews on two-seater open top sports cars but we have to say that the Boxster does a surprisingly good job nonetheless. There are two luggage compartments with one under the bonnet and the other in the back. Between them both they actually give you a surprising amount of space for your baggage. Removing the manually operated roof is a bit more of a faff than in the regular Boxster as you have to lift things up, lift things back, press buttons and undo catches. However, it’s not all that difficult and to get the roof back up again you just need to reverse the process.

It’s on the road that the Porsche Boxster really has to deliver and ultimately where it will be judged and we’re delighted to report that it does just that – delivers. The first thing you notice when you drive this car is the noise it produces. The noise emitted from the engine is absolutely everything you’d want from a sports car. It has this sort of bassy metallic rasp that just gets more and more intoxicating as the revs climb. Making the revs climb is an absolute pleasure too because the engine spins up to 8,000 revs per minute (rpm) and really does make it a total pleasure to thrash. Perhaps the more impressive thing about this car is just how eager the engine is to pull from just about anywhere on the rev range. The engine needs barely any provocation to pick up its skirts and go and when it goes, boy does it go! The six-speed manual gearbox, that happens to have just about the sweetest action possible for a manual gearbox to have, makes things even more engaging.

Predictably the handling on this car is absolutely sensational. It’s so well balanced and tied down that it’s able to change direction quickly, accurately and with unflappable composure. The steering is really special too because it tells you exactly what’s going on in the tricky relationship between the tyres and the road surface. We have to say that this really is a car that will never fail to thrill you on any journey that you do. However, what you may not be predicting is just how comfortable the ride is. Obviously this is a sports car so you’re always going to feel an appropriate amount of the road surface beneath you. However, it will take a really really bad surface to unsettle this car and for the rest of the time it’s comfortable enough to use as an everyday driver.

The Porsche Boxster Spyder in numbers
2019 New price: £73,405
0-62mph: 4.4 seconds
Fuel economy: 25.7 miles per gallon (mpg)
Co2 emissions: 249g/km
Boot space: 150 litres

So, how do we conclude? Well, for us the Spyder immediately becomes the ultimate Boxster. It’s absolutely fabulous on the road and even better than the standard car. What’s more it looks better, it sounds better and it goes faster. Ok, this car certainly isn’t cheap but for a car this capable and this engaging we have to say it’s well worth the money. If you can see yourself sitting in one then head to DesperateSeller.co.uk where we have a wide selection of used Porsche Boxster cars for sale.

Other cars worth considering include the Audi TT Roadster, Mercedes-Benz SLC and entry-level versions of the Jaguar F-Type.