There's been another sighting of what we believe is the Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder RS. Yes, it's a big name. But if our sources are correct, it will earn that RS badge in grand fashion with nearly 500 horsepower hiding under the engine cover.
This new range-topping 718 Boxster was first mentioned in February 2022, when Porsche executives hinted such a vehicle might happen. At that point, the motoring world was still buzzing with the debut of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, so some chatter about a similar version for the roofless Boxster was inevitable. In May it became more than just talk, as a curious Boxster Spyder test vehicle was spotted at the Nurburgring wearing extra vents. It also rode on center lock wheels, and we know those are reserved for Porsche's fastest street cars.
Gallery: Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder RS Spy Photos.
We see the same features on this vehicle, spotted not on a race track but winding through the back roads of Spain. Small vents sit on top of the quarter panels, scooping air near the rear mounting points for the fabric roof. A rear view of this Porsche shows the vent housings angling towards the mid-mount engine, likely adding more airflow for power and cooling. The side vents look a touch larger, but the smoking gun here comes at the front. Naca ducts in the hood and vents in the front fenders all but confirm this is a Spyder RS.
As such, we're pretty darned sure there's an RS-worthy engine sitting behind the driver. The Cayman GT4 RS uses a tweaked version of the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six from the Porsche 911 GT3. It produces 493 hp in the Cayman, spinning to a redline of 9,000 rpm with power going rearward through a dual-clutch transmission. Given the aerodynamic upgrades and the center lock wheels we've seen on test vehicles, there's no reason to believe that engine won't power the Spyder RS.
The question now is, when will Porsche make it official? There's no camouflage to speak of on this test car, but Porsche is known for not being particularly interested in hiding its work. A debut could be next week, or a few months from now. We haven't heard anything specific, but we're pretty confident it will at least debut before the end of the year.
