I'm fresh back from the Geneva show, the updated 911 GT3 among my favourites from the event. I was lucky enough to get time with project boss Andreas Preuninger, whose job title – 'Manager – High-Performance Cars' – has some amusement value given mainstream Porsche product isn't exactly low performance.
MAR 14th 2017
Dan Trent: Boxster Spyder – limited edition Porsche bargain?
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Preuninger is always good value and he indulged me with the full geek-out on his latest creation, talking 9,000rpm redlines, motorsport engines in street Porsches and how the new GT3 will tap into some of the 'fun' driving ethos of the much hyped – but strictly limited – 911 R.
Cars like this and the manual-only Cayman GT4 represent a significant watershed for engineers like Preuninger. A motorsport-honed mindset drives a culture insisting every new model must be quicker than its predecessor, driven by consumer demand for bigger, better, faster and more. But with the GT4 and the R Porsche has tested the theory – much discussed among more thoughtful enthusiasts – that fast cars have arguably got too fast to properly enjoy, certainly on the road, possibly even on the track.
Which is why the previous PDK-only GT3 has taken a step 'backwards' and the new one has the no-cost option of a six-speed manual. It's slower than the paddle-shifted PDK version. But Preuninger admits the R proved there is a vocal minority who place interaction and involvement above pure pace.
Obviously, I can't wait to drive the new GT3. But, whichever gearbox you choose, I wonder how much of that incredible performance will actually be exploitable. Get anywhere near that 9,000rpm redline on the road and you're courting some serious trouble. Finding a track big enough to fully let it off the leash will be tricky too – even somewhere like Silverstone will feel as narrow as Cadwell Park.
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For my money, this car – the Boxster Spyder – is one of the best Porsches ever built if you are grown-up enough to accept life is about a lot more than numbers on the speedo. Based on the second generation 987 Boxster S, the Spyder gained 10bhp, lost 80kg and got a sleek new profile thanks to cut-down windows, Carrera GT style fairings behind the seats and a basic 'shower cap' roof that takes an age to remove and stow.
That's OK, though. I'm a militant cabriolet driver and go everywhere with the roof down. And though not blisteringly quick the Spyder makes the most of the experience, 316bhp just enough to make the most of the weight savings, the gorgeous flat-six noise and delicious feel through the controls. I love the look of it too – it's clearly a Boxster but the subtle modifications transform it into something much, much more exotic. That a chap I know at boutique Californian Porsche restorer Singer swapped his 991 GT3 for one after one too many speeding tickets and never looked back says a lot.
They hold their money too. Priced at £44,643 at launch in 2010 they now sell for… pretty much the same. That's a lot for an old Boxster but still reasonable for an exotic, limited edition Porsche. If a degree of snobbery might prevent prices going daft like GT3 911s I think your money would be safe. This white one with a manual gearbox and carbon seats would do nicely thanks. As Preuninger and his colleagues seem to have acknowledged, there can be more to 'high performance' than just outright speed.
Images courtesy of Pistonheads
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