2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder 2dr Roadster
Trim Info:
19 mpg city / 27 mpg hwy
Estimated Mileage
Miles
accurate info about this vehicle
Expert Reviews
The Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder celebrates a tradition of mid-engine roadsters that began with the 1951 Porsche 550 Spyder. The 550 was refined into the 718, a car that earned a reputation as a giant killer over higher horsepower Ferraris with a 1-2 punch win at Lemans in 1953. In 1960, a 718 RS 60 Spyder took the win at Sebring. This edition of the Boxster S is a modern tribute to that car. The 2008 RS 60 is seeped in a timeless past, but leaves behind the rattle and buzz of yore. Gone are the thinly cushioned bucket seats and castor bean oil fumes of the original 1960 RS 60. In its place is the cumulative racing knowledge of Porsche infused with the company's winning heritage.
Nimble mid-engine handling with an interior that conveys history without seeming retro. 60 mph arrives in 5.1 seconds. The 170 mph track speed is only slightly shy of that reached by the 1.5 million dollar RS Spyder race cars coming off the top end of the Sebring back stretch. 303 horsepower never sounded so good.
For those who might forget a sporting roadster is about the purity of driving comes a level of impracticality and price that accompanies a two-seat sports car. Those unwilling to live with a thoroughly modern sports car with a peripheral eye on the past are advised to look elsewhere.
DriverSide Driving Impressions
In normal driving mode, the RS 60 edition is compliant and well behaved enough to handle mixed conditions or daily driver traffic with aplomb. A touch of a few center console mounted buttons and everything changes. Throttle response and suspension damping instantly come back in line with the machine's racing bloodline. Heel and toe downshifting via the perfectly spaced pedals followed by on throttle acceleration brings a rewarding growl of power from the engine. The sport exhaust sings on perfectly on-line corner exits. The RS 60 is as fun to drive as a Stollen eating contest at Christmas time.
Directly in front of the rear wheels and right behind the cabin is a 303 horsepower version of the Porsche 3.4 liter VarioCam plus equipped flat-six. Four camshafts and four valves per cylinder make fast and beautiful music right up to the 7,300 rpm redline. The six-speed manual snicks into gears with the kind of precision that liberates driver attention for more important corner exit and brake point decisions.
Beyond the engineering at the RS 60 core are subtle touches that distinguish this Boxster from its brethren. Up front is a Porsche SportDesign aero package. Gone is the usually bulging instrument cluster cover for a clean nod to racing function and form. Stainless steel door entry guards tout the model designation. Thin spacers move the 19-inch SportDesign wheels out exactly far enough to fill any extraneous millimeters of fender space. Engine cover mounted storage box comes at no extra charge.
The Boxster RS 60 incorporates technology that performs seamlessly and delivers without fail. A collection of systems such as Porsche Active Stability Management (PASM) and Engine Torque Drag Control (EDTC) function as not to cause the driver to notice or wonder what's going on, but simply work to better the drive and make you a better driver.
The S version of the Boxster flat-six earns a low-emissions category two (LEV-II) designation and delivers 18 mpg around town stretching to 26 mpg out on the highway with the manual transmission. Every car in the Porsche sports car stable is classified low emission, and therefore not subject to gas-guzzler penalty.
Interior
The natural leather interior is just that - not the usual plastic coated version found in lesser cabins. Warm textures are complemented by an elegant yet functional design that works beautifully as the sum of its well thought-out parts. The interior is available in Carrera red or a more subdued dark grey.
The exclusive GT Silver metallic paintwork pays tribute to the silver RS 60 Spyder racers that displaced Ferrari red in the winner's circle. The convertible top is available in red or black depending on interior treatment. The RS 60 sits exactly 10 millimeters lower than its Boxster S cousin to complete the race-bred look.
To coincide with the 1960 first place finish at Sebring with Hans Herrmann behind the wheel, the RS 60 Spyder production numbers will be limited to 1,960 cars. Less than 800 of these special edition roadsters will make it to North American showrooms. MSRP is $64,900.
While matching performance by the numbers could probably be found for less money, columns and rows of specifications do not provide a sports car with its soul. A very limited production run makes the car a factory documented collectible, and it likely will hold its value better than the garage it is parked in.
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