2019 Porsche 718 Spyder Photos, engines & full specs

When Porsche introduced the Boxster/Cayman duo on the market, its customers were outraged, even though those two models greatly helped the brand's finances, and over time, these vehicles attracted more buyers for the German sportscar brand.

Fast forward to 2019, and Porsche introduced the topless version of the 718 Cayman GT4, namely the 718 Spyder. The German automaker tried to provide customers with an engaging supercar concealed under the skin of a sportscar. It was mostly an analog vehicle fitted with a six-speed manual and even a manual roof cover. The driver had to stop the vehicle in order to cover or uncover the two-seat cabin, which looked odd, but it was a solution to save weight. Essentially, the 718 Spyder was the ultimate driver's car made by Porsche.

The car's look left no room for errors in terms of guessing the brand. Its headlights, which featured four LED blocks inside, resembled those installed in the 911, the Panamera, or the Cayenne. The flat and low nose suggested that there was no engine underneath, just a frunk to hold some stuff, but not too much. A massive A-shaped lower grille covered the apron and was flanked by a set of side scoops that cooled the front rotors. From its profile, the 718 Spyder revealed the big side intakes in front of the enlarged rear fenders, and when uncovered, there was nothing to hold back air between the A-pillars and the bulges and safety arches behind the car's occupants' seats. The long rear deck covered not just the engine but also an additional trunk mounted between the powerplant and the rear bumper, in addition to the one mounted up front, under the hood.

Inside, Porsche created a sporty cabin with high-bolstered seats separated by a tall center console that housed the gear stick and the buttons for the traction control system, the suspension settings, the rear wing deployment, the active exhaust system, and the start-stop function. The high bolstered bucket seats held their occupants firmly in place during high-speed cornering maneuvers and were very comfortable on long roads. Fronting the driver was an instrument cluster where the rev counter took center place and was flanked by the speedometer on the left and a round LCD on the right that showed data from the car's onboard computer, such as the accelerometer (G-meter) or the fuel level.

Behind the cabin, in a mid-mounted position, Porsche installed a naturally aspirated flat-six engine that produced 420 PS (414 hp) paired with a six-speed manual that sent all the oomph to the rear wheels only. Despite not being the most performance car in the carmaker's lineup, the 718 Spyder was a true Porsche thanks to its road holding and the feedback offered to the driver.