Daily Slideshow: Spied! Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder Spotted Testing

Missing

What you're looking at here might be the return of Coke Classic. It's still not clear if the Coca-Cola Company was sold on the change to New Coke back in April of 1985, or if the temporary switch to the new flavor was just the most perfectly executed marketing stunt in semi-recent memory. But when the beverage-maker deprived the public of a beloved icon the response sent an unmistakable message. In that spirit, the discontinued Boxster Spyder is set for a return. The car will come complete with a manual DIY convertible top and a model-defining classically-inspired twin faired-in headrest.

>>Join the conversation about the 718 Boxter Spyder right here in Rennlist.com.

Changing of the Guard

When Porsche launched the 2016 Boxter Spyder, it was the last new mid-engine six-cylinder-powered Porsche to be introduced. It was loaded with parts from the 981-series Cayman GT4, including its 3.8-liter flat-six and limited slip Torque Vectoring differential. The last version of the Spyder also received the 911 Carrera S's 340mm front and 330mm rear brakes, a steering rack borrowed from the 911 Turbo S, aluminum doors and read decklid, and 20-inch wheels. To indicate its stripped-down performance ethos, A/C and radio delete were standard on the Spyder, though you could add them again for no charge. Buyers who didn't act fast found themselves out of luck because when the 718 models of the Boxster and Cayman appeared in 2016 their flat-sixes were gone… and so was the Boxster Spyder a year later.

>>Join the conversation about the 718 Boxter Spyder right here in Rennlist.com.

The Replacements

Porsche, like Coca-Cola, was just keeping up with the times. A lighter, more torquey, less thirsty four-cylinder made perfect sense for the lithe car. The new 718 is available with either a 2.0-liter flat-four that put out 300hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, or in S versions. The S models are equipped with a 2.5-liter with Variable Turbine Geometry technology that delivered 350hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. The motoring press loved the new versions, with the exception of the unpleasant noises they made. Car and Driver described it as a "raspy, uncouth sound that struck some drivers as unpleasant and grating."

>>Join the conversation about the 718 Boxter Spyder right here in Rennlist.com.

Better Late Than Never

The Boxster Spyder, like Coke Classic, is back with the 718 Boxster Spyder set for introduction later this year, or maybe even as early as this summer. These spy photos show tailpipe positions that are slightly relocated from the previous gen Spyder. They’re now closer in resemblance to the exhaust outlet positions on the recent 718 Cayman GT4 prototype.

>>Join the conversation about the 718 Boxter Spyder right here in Rennlist.com.

Hope Springs Anew

The biggest news though isn't officially news yet; it's been rumored that the new Spyder could get either a detuned version of the 911 GT3's 4.0-liter flat-six. This drop in power will reduce performance from 500hp to circa 430hp. The other rumored engine is an updated version of the 3.8-liter flat-six that powered the Spyder's last go-around. That version put out a cool 375hp and 309 lb-ft of torque that emitted a sound that journalists could get behind. All of that came in a car that started at just a hair over $80,000. However, no details on powerplant or base price have been officially released yet. So, we'll have to wait a bit until we find out if the 718 Boxster Spyder actually does come in Spyder classic flavors.

>>Join the conversation about the 718 Boxter Spyder right here in Rennlist.com.

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