What's the difference?
“If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance.”
King Theoden may have been talking about the men and women of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings, but he could have just as easily been talking about the team behind the Porsche 718 Boxster.
It’s been nearly 30 years (yes, that long) since the Boxster joined the Porsche line-up as the more affordable sports car alternative to the 911, but now it’s facing a dramatic change that will make it a very different beast.
Porsche has committed to an electric future for the 718 but before it does so, there was one more petrol-powered version to create, this one, the 718 Spyder RS. It stands to be the final 718 to have an internal combustion engine, but could also be the best.
The 718 Spyder RS is the Boxster version of the previously released Cayman-based GT4 RS. So it takes every element of the sports car and turns it up to 11. This is faster, more powerful, lighter and more dynamic than the Boxster has ever been.
Can you believe Porsche’s Taycan has been on sale in Australia for three and a half years?
Well, it has, which means the mid-life refresh clock has struck 12 for this ground-breaking pure-electric performance sedan and wagon.
Porsche says it’s faster in a straight line… and to charge, with more power and an extended range. It’s also been refreshed cosmetically, the dynamics have been tweaked and the standard features list has been lengthened as prices have gone up.
We’re ready to share our first impressions review, so stay with us to see if the new Taycan keeps the Porsche flame burning in an increasingly electrified automotive world.
If this is to be the end of the 718 as we know it, then it is an end to be remembered. Porsche has produced something special in the Spyder RS, a sports car that can compete with the 911 on any stretch of road - which is something so few cars can claim. The focus on performance has driven the entire concept of the car, but all the elements work in harmony, with form and function coming together.
Porsche says its Taycan models have always been performance-focused and this updated version is even faster than the car it replaces, in a straight line and point-to-point. It’s better equipped, more efficient, and yes, more expensive but every millimetre a Porsche in the way this EV sedan and wagon package has been executed.
It’s an impressive car likely to appeal to Porsche newcomers rather than traditionalists, although you may already have other Porsches in the garage. But with the Macan EV landing any minute and the pure-electric 718 Boxster and Cayman just around the corner it's a key part of the changing face of this iconic German brand.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.