Porsche is taking the engine from the Cayman GT4 RS and slotting it into the drop-top Boxster.
The Porsche Boxster Spyder RS promises the same 9000rpm rush as its hardtop sibling, but with the added drama of a removable roof.
There are a few giveaways this is not a run-of-the-mill Boxster Spyder.
Along with what look like the same wheels fitted to the Cayman GT4 RS, this Boxster has sprouted an extra set of air intakes behind the driver and passenger to feed the mid-mounted 4.0-litre engine.
Peak power in the Cayman is 368kW at 8400rpm, down 7kW on the 911 GT3 because the longer new exhaust necessitated by the mid-engined layout creates more back pressure. Peak torque is 450Nm, on tap at 6750rpm.
Porsche considered a manual transmission, according to the GT4 RS project leader, but the six-speed gearbox from the GT4 couldn’t handle the torque on offer in the RS, and making the 911 GT3’s transmission fit would have been prohibitively expensive. In other words, don’t expect a manual in the Boxster.
Along with its uprated engine, the Boxster appears to feature a carbon-fibre engine cover.
The cover itself has a dramatic double-bubble design, as is common in Porsche Spyder and Speedster models, and butts into a chopped roof with a small rear window.
It’s not clear when the RS will be revealed, but it’s possible we’ll see it before the end of 2023.
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