Low 60's, sunny in Omaha and a bit windy. Only drove it with the top down. It was PDK, white with the adjustable manual seats with power recline (not sport buckets). Not a lot of corners to try it on but balance seemed spot on. Rode as stiff or stiffer without PASM than a Boxster S does, but never bouncy or nervous. I helped the salesman put the bikini top on in under two minutes. I'm not a big fan of white, but it works on this car. Wish I would have had time to drive it with the top on to check for noise but I was just passing through town. At 55mph with the top down, the wind noise was quite low and I had no trouble talking to the salesperson. The PDK seemed to shift a little smoother and be a little less clunky than my 09 911 with PDK. Any one else notice this? If so, I wonder if this is a mechanical change or another software update? Impracticality aside, I think Porsche nailed this car just right.

 

So any comments on the acceleration or sound?

 

The car only had 20 miles on it, so I didn't go WOT, but it moved quickly with minimum input to the accelerator. It had the sports exhaust as an option so it sounded good, especially with the top down.

 

and I was completely in love. I was with the sales person (very good friend) so I did not push the car super hard, but we were in triple digits and the car was laughing at me. Its like it was saying anything you can through at me I can handle and 1 up you.

If I had an extra 70k laying around this is where it would go!!!!!!!

As for for straight line speed, the car is slower than my 997.2s but not by a whole lot and if you are not used to super fast cars it will feel very quick.

 

I'm trying to set up a test drive when I'm home on leave. With any luck, I'll pick one up when I get home for good next year

 

How did you like your PDK overall?

 

PDK is the best auto tranny I've ever driven and I have no issues with how well it works. But I still prefer a manual in a sports car. Manual's are just more fun and involving and I feel I actually drive better with the additional attention I must give the road.

 

+1000

I haven´t drive with PDK but a sports car may be manual always, I think.

 

Sounds nice!

 

I drove one of these today and the guys at Porsche here were great. The Spyder has unbelievable grip and the throttle blip that it does when paired with the PDK and in Sport Plus is better than any vice one could have. This car is truly a sports car lovers dream! Even though the top may be a bit impractical, the salesperson at Porsche showed me how to do it in under a minute. He made it look fairly easy and showed me the step by step. I think a couple of times of practice you'd be able to put it on within 45 seconds. But lets be serious here. NO one is going to buy the car for the practicality of the top. They buy it for the look and feel of a PURE Porsche! I thought the driving dynamics were supreme to any car of this price range I've ever driven. It's definitely a feisty car!!

 

I've been fortunate enough to drive one of these both on the road and at a Porsche driver experience test facility. Having driven a Boxster S gen 2 immediatley before getting into the spyder , the difference is more noticeable. The spyder I drove had the optional paddle gearshift which made driving on the circuit so much easier and more enjoyable. Whether its the reduction in soundproofing or a different tuning of the optional PSE , I'm not sure , but the engine sounds much more agreessive and deep than an equivalent Cayman or Boxster gen 2 fitted with PSE.

The ride is firmer than a standard boxster but more akin to a cayman in terms of being well damped , so as not to become an uncomforable or jiggling ride over broken tarmac. Like others , I didnt find fitting the roof difficult or time consuming , though it does help if there are two people to do it.
The lower ride height and different camber/ toe settings of the spyder make the car much more "alive" in terms of "turn in" , despite having a wider track due to the bespoke wheels. The bucket seats suit the feel of this car, so i'd suggest fitting comfort seats would detract from the spyder experience and somewhat spoil the sense of occasion in driving one.

The styling tweaks on front bumper are rear intakes along with the black dials and fabric door pulls give a sense of a car built with purpose. Its also worth remembering that the fabric hood also serves to reduce weight and lower the center of gravity.

Personally I think its a great car , and though more expensive than a standard boxster , its still a lot cheaper than a Gt3 or Gt3 RS which also aim to give a more direct and race car like driving experience. Unlike a Gt3 this car is also a convertible so adds another dimension to driver enjoyment.

 

is the top any more or less difficult to operate than say, a vintage 70's manual ragtop? I've had plenty of experience with the top on a '77 MGB. I can't imagine it being much more of a PITA than that one.

 

some photos for your thread