Boxster Spyder

[DAWRacing]

SHIFTY said:

Well I have tried all my local dealers and looks like no Spyder for me as all cars allocated, but if the Autocar report is correct there may be a GT4 version as on previous thread so LOI being drawn up now.

My local dealer, one of the largest, tells me they have an allocation of 3 cars and could have sold 33 so unlikely to find any dealer with unsold cars.

They also tell me they have accepted more than 3 deposits, before they knew their allocation so there's likely to be some very disappointed punters.

[2010spy]

They were offering discounts on brand new 987 Spyders, to order, last time around. What's changed?

[Bieldside]

I may get the chance to have a Spyder
But as I have had a Boxster S as a loan car and thought of the GTS as a daily drive am I mad to give up pdk, park assist , cooled seats etc for the fun of the Spyder not to mention the exclusivity
One minute I say Spyder next GTS
I will add I have a GT3 too so I get my raw energy from that !
Yes I am lucky ...
Views on the GTS v Spyder please

[ituned]

Having owned a 987 Spyder for 3 years and currently in a 981 S, I'd say the appeal for me is the mix of the 3.8 litre engine with a lot more grunt, a better sorted hood, a much higher quality interior and I think it's stunning to look at. I loved my previous Spyder, but we parted company because I fancied a change and the roof was a pain and noisy when up. If the new Spyder is a combination of the best bits of the old model and the 981 then I'll be keeping mine for a very long time.

I'm guessing that a number of disappointed GT4 customers decided to get in quick for a Spyder 3.8, hence a very fast sell out.

[Beaver]

Bieldside said:

I may get the chance to have a Spyder
But as I have had a Boxster S as a loan car and thought of the GTS as a daily drive am I mad to give up pdk, park assist , cooled seats etc for the fun of the Spyder not to mention the exclusivity
One minute I say Spyder next GTS
I will add I have a GT3 too so I get my raw energy from that !
Yes I am lucky ...
Views on the GTS v Spyder please

Although Porsche don't make much of the point - it's a Boxster with A 911 ENGINE in it.
I was considering a GTS for its practicalities but the Spyder looks fabulous, is very special and has A 911 ENGINE in it.

[DAWRacing]

2010spy said:

They were offering discounts on brand new 987 Spyders, to order, last time around. What's changed?

Pick from the following
- disappointed GT4 potential buyers
- 911 CS engine and brakes
- most powerful NA engine ever likely to be in a Boxster
- 981 Boxster already a good car, 981 Spyder will be a great car
- new hood will alienate fewer
- Spyder is now widely recognised as a great concept
- Potential 987 buyers who can't find their perfect spec turning to the new 981
- Speculators

[bcr5784]

DAWRacing said:

Pick from the following
- disappointed GT4 potential buyers
- 911 CS engine and brakes
- most powerful NA engine ever likely to be in a Boxster
- 981 Boxster already a good car, 981 Spyder will be a great car
- new hood will alienate fewer
- Spyder is now widely recognised as a great concept
- Potential 987 buyers who can't find their perfect spec turning to the new 981
- Speculators

Agree with all of that - but I think the hood is key. A lot more people would consider the new car as a DD, whereas that wasn't the case with old one.

[koorby]

Beaver said:

Although Porsche don't make much of the point - it's a Boxster with A 911 ENGINE in it.
I was considering a GTS for its practicalities but the Spyder looks fabulous, is very special and has A 911 ENGINE in it.

The Boxster S and GTS already have the 911 Carerra 3.4 engine in them, just slightly detuned though and different air intake system.

As for the answer to the question posed of a GTS versus a Spyder, that's rather easy to answer: you can buy a GTS today, perhaps even some stock ready to deliver at OPCs, whereas you can't buy a Spyder at all given they are sold out.

I am more than happy with my BGTS, it's more car with more performance than I will ever need on British A roads and there is zero appeal to cloth door handles, 3.8L engine and fiddly manual roof, it's sort of like a backward step to me.

The Spyder is an enthusiast's car, a niche model and not really meant to be a mainstream model. That likely accounts for the attraction to it, having such a rare car. But for everyday practicality and performance I would say the GTS is the better option, given you would find very little difference in performance between it and a Spyder in 'real world' applications (ie fanging about on A roads).

[av185]

Disagree on the performance difference between the GTS and the Spyder. Spyder will be as rapid as the GT4, if not quite as chuckable due to absence of GT suspension. Big difference between the GTS and GT4 performance and setup, even for A and B roads, and understandable with c 15 percent more power which was the whole point of the car.

[JPF40]

For me this new Spyder is something I thought would never happen.

For a start 0-124mph is faster than my old 996 GT3RS (on paper).

The fact that the roof is slightly more robust, the looks, the bargain price, it is an absolute no brainer IF you can get one.

Mine will be here Sept?oct and cannot wait, gone mad on the spec PCCBs etc, might track it once a year, put all the heavy stuff back in because I really cant see that weight in the car will notice, whereas unsprung weight is!

[PeterB14]

JPF40 said:

For me this new Spyder is something I thought would never happen.

For a start 0-124mph is faster than my old 996 GT3RS (on paper).

The fact that the roof is slightly more robust, the looks, the bargain price, it is an absolute no brainer IF you can get one.

Mine will be here Sept?oct and cannot wait, gone mad on the spec PCCBs etc, might track it once a year, put all the heavy stuff back in because I really cant see that weight in the car will notice, whereas unsprung weight is!

I am leaving air con out as decided that if I need air con then it sure is warm enough to have the roof down.
Though radio is going back for what extra that weighs

[DS240]

Finally washed the winter grime from the spyder last weekend. I'd let it get in a right state (what I think is a state anyway)

Had gorgeous weather so got the roof off and out for a drive.

I'd been looking over the new spyder and playing with specs and getting that feeling of really wanting one.

However, I'm still loving the 987. I think I'd be content keeping it a long long time. It's more than fast enough really in the real world, drives amazingly, looks great, has rarity and still feels special.

I can't wait to read the reviews though and hopefully get to see the new spyder soon.

[SFO]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ihVjJGynHw

very helpful video

the roof is one layer only but with the hard front panel (look at video at 3min 5 secs onwards), just like the current electric roof - you can see the metal mechanism from the interior.

it's not going to be nearly as refined/quiet as a standard 981

[SFO]

koorby said:

I would say the GTS is the better option, given you would find very little difference in performance between it and a Spyder in 'real world' applications (ie fanging about on A roads).

Spyder has 45hp more and 50NM more torque .. that will be noticeable!

[Bieldside]

Ok
Hoping to get the Spyder so won't turn down the chance
Spec wise I am ticking a lot of boxes
But but but
Seats ?? Stick with buckets or go for comfort and have the 18 way adaptive
I am not young !!!
Thanks

[PorscheGT4]

bcr5784 said:

Agree with all of that - but I think the hood is key. A lot more people would consider the new car as a DD, whereas that wasn't the case with old one.

but the hood still is a 30 second you have to get out the car single skin thing, and worse, you cannot go 1/2 hood like the old car, a lot of people like the sun cap on but leave the rear open.

hood should have been full electric on the 981.
ALso you cannot take it out the car, the 981 weighs more than the old car as is and added to that you can take the roof off on the old car saving another 20kg's, mine lives under the spare bed.

[DiscoColin]

DAWRacing said:

2010spy said:

They were offering discounts on brand new 987 Spyders, to order, last time around. What's changed?

Pick from the following
- disappointed GT4 potential buyers
- 911 CS engine and brakes
- most powerful NA engine ever likely to be in a Boxster
- 981 Boxster already a good car, 981 Spyder will be a great car
- new hood will alienate fewer
- Spyder is now widely recognised as a great concept
- Potential 987 buyers who can't find their perfect spec turning to the new 981
- Speculators

Additionally, it was launched in November 2009, in the middle of winter at pretty much the exact point of the lowest new car sales in the UK in the last decade. have a look at the chart in the middle of this page to see the general state of the car market at the time.

Conversely, right now new car sales (partly thanks to tiny interest rates making borrowing very cheap) are at pretty much an all time high.

[Beaver]

Bieldside said:

Ok
Hoping to get the Spyder so won't turn down the chance
Spec wise I am ticking a lot of boxes
But but but
Seats ?? Stick with buckets or go for comfort and have the 18 way adaptive
I am not young !!!
Thanks

Buckets!

The regular buckets are comfortable enough, can be heated and are part of the car's character.
I've gone for the lightweight version (option shows up when you spec the car at the OPC), haven't sat in these so can't say if they are comfortable in comparison or not.

[Zyp]

PorscheGT4 said:

mine lives under the spare bed.

You've moved it off the wardrobe then?

[PorscheGT4]

Zyp said:

You've moved it off the wardrobe then?

yep new helmet on wardrobe :-)