With the all-electric replacement for the current Porsche Boxster already out there racking up the development miles, it seems like an appropriate time for an 'ultimate' - a way of saying a noisy, spectacular goodbye to the compact, petrol-powered Porsche roadster.
Say hello to the Porsche 718 Spyder RS. Ignore the Spyder name - it's a Boxster really, but not a Boxster as we have previously known it. This one is packing a 500hp flat-six engine, lifted more or less directly from the 911 GT3.
Convertible brother to the Cayman GT4 RS
You could think of this as an open-air brother to the Cayman GT4 RS, and mechanically that's exactly what it is. To keep the weight down, a skimpy manual top replaces the Boxster's normally powered convertible roof, hence the Spyder name.
The naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre engine can rev to a colossal 9,000rpm and has a healthy 450Nm of torque to go with its 500hp. Sadly, it gets a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox instead of a manual shifter, but it will demolish the 0-100km/h run in just 3.4 seconds - half a second faster than the non-RS version of the 718 Spyder. It'll get to 200km/h from rest in just 10.9 seconds. Top speed? 308km/h. Fuel economy and emissions? Ummm... better look away now - 13.0l/100km and 294g/km.
Thanks to the diet, this Spyder RS weighs 40kg less than the standard 718 Spyder, at 1,410kg. It's even 5kg lighter than the Cayman GT4 RS, which is quite an achievement. As Porsche puts it, this "represents the latest high-water mark of the model line started in 2016."
Carbon bonnet
Up front, the bonnet is made of carbon-reinforced plastic, and it gets a big wide air outlet just above the bumper. There are NACA ducts for brake cooling and 'sideblades' for increased front downforce. The Spyder has a little less downforce than the Cayman GT4 RS, thanks to a smaller front spoiler and the lack of a big rear wing. Instead, the Spyder RS gets a classical-looking 'ducktail' rear end, which is so much cooler we'll forgive the slight reduction in downforce.
Remember we said the Spyder's roof is a skimpy one? Yeah, you won't believe how skimpy. The top is basically a single layer of fabric that you can stretch across the passenger compartment. It's basically there to keep the sun off. If it's raining, then the rain is going to work its way around the sides. Wear a leather jacket, we guess?
The entire roof, including mechanical parts, weighs just 18.3kg. This is 7.6kg less than the 718 Spyder and 16.5kg less than the 718 Boxster. Drivers who wish to shave an additional eight kilograms from the weight of the vehicle can leave the top at home entirely, assuming they live in Nevada. This is not going to be a practical car for people who live in Connemara.
Far more important, though, is the suspension, which gets Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive dampers, and is 30mm lower than standard (which probably rules out Connemara altogether...). The mechanical limited-slip diff gets active torque vectoring, sending power to the rear wheel that can best cope with it. The ride height, camber, track and anti-roll bar can all be adjusted individually, and there are 20-inch forged aluminium alloy wheels.
Weissach Pack
Inside, the three-spoke (proper, round) steering wheel gets 'Race-Tex' suede-style covering, and there's a yellow 'oversteer marker' at the 12 o'clock position. The seats are finished in black leather at the sides, with a Race-Tex centre in either grey or red, and they get a Spyder RS logo stitched into the headrests.
Optionally, you can fit the Weissach Pack, named for Porsche's famous test track. This comes with even lighter magnesium wheels, a sports exhaust with titanium tailpipes, and a dashboard covered in Race-Tex. Porsche says that the look of the Weissach Pack has been inspired by the legendary 935 Le Mans racer.
If you want, you can also accessorise your Spyder RS with a nice watch. When we say nice, we mean an exclusive Porsche Design chronograph, which costs a whopping €9,500.
"The 718 Spyder RS raises driving pleasure to a new level for open-top cars," says Andreas Preuninger, Head of GT Cars. "The combination of our unmistakable GT3 engine, the close-ratio transmission, compact dimensions, low weight, road-optimised racing suspension and maximum openness offers an extremely compelling and unfiltered driving experience."
How much? Well, it's £123,000 in the UK, so don't expect much change from €240,000 if you want one here.