Just got my 981 sapphire blue Spyder with LWB seats and PCCBs. There are faster Porsches, there are more powerful Porsches. But I challenge anyone to find a more supremely balanced driving machine with this sound and precision for the price. This one is a Porsche masterpiece. When I’m not driving it I’m thinking of driving it. Bellissimo!!
THANK YOU EVO for bringing Henry back, Henry is one the best car reviewer/journalist in the Internet today (my opinion) Realistic, factual, intellectual, real world review and I absolutely LOVE the fact there is ZERO OF THE NONE SENSE track lap times or N-Ring lap time related, THIS is car reviewing this is true car journalism: the display of man and machine relating to the road as one. Beautiful! Please gives us a break on Dan Anyway love the video, the editing, the sound, the car, the content, the information and last but not least: welcome back Henry, cheers!
That car sounds incredible, the downshifts (and backfire from that) in particular. It looks great too! I think I'd rather have that over a Cayman GT4...
Saw the Boxster Spyder at the New York Auto Show a few months back, and couldn't wait until you guys at Evo got your hands on it. Great cinematography as always
In my opinion one of the best modern day Porsches. I like the 718 Spyder but this 981 Spyder generation has a heavier clutch that gives a more raw feeling and the exhaust note is just pure crisp porsche amazing.
Video kept looping back to the start half way through but audio stayed where it should be. Will have to try on a PC. Great review from what I've seen so far. Henry is the man.
sharkzf6 hell the first one was about just as good. Sounds just as good and still has the crazy balance of a mid engine flat six (the first gen car weighs the same as the 981 and 987 spyder as well.) Terribly underated cars because people that cant afford a porsche of any kind think they are sub par to the 911. Its not about one being better than the other, its about providing two different driving experinces, do you want a 550 spyder mid engine light weight feel or do you want a rear engine GT. Its basically just another optional variant of the 911, that option being mid engine roadster and cayman being mid engine coupe. Carrera cab is the stylish convertible, gt3 is the track car, turbo is top of the line gt. Carrera S is the sports car, Cayman is the sports coupe, boxster is the gentlemens roadster/ james dean back to basics machine. I think they are all outstanding except for not being a huge fan of 986s without the xenon light option and also finding the interior of the 987 dated. The 981 gets most everything right though but just has a bit too much luxury and tech, its a bit easier for a possure to own as a play toy now rather then being for a gentleman racer as the original manual cars were.
my god im in love with this car, maybe in a few years if price on used car amrket is going to be attainable before that new mx5 seems like a great choice
I'll go with the standard or the S, happy enough with them and partly because the difference in price to the Spyder means a lot to me. But for the well to do, heck yea this one is a hoot.
Great video, magnificent car. I particularly like the roof design: uncomplicated but unlike the previous Spyder or the Veyron convertible it actually works. Have to imagine the long gearing on Cayman and Boxster is partially to achieve good CO2: would be nice if there was a short diff as a no cost option. That way their company wide CO2 wouldn't be affected but keen drivers would have a more aggressive car :)
I'm an absolute porschephile and have to say Porsche has really improved the booster, it looks amazing and sounds amazing. Much better than previous "poor mans Porsche".
Byron Andrews Its always sounded this good. Ive never heard a porsche owner of any model call a boxster a poor mans porsche, so the only people that think that usually cant afford either haha.
Fast forward eight years and these are selling for the same as a 991 9114S, but they sold for 40,000 less when new. Truth be told they share 2/3 of their parts with the 991, are better looking, handle and turn in better, and are lighter by 100 kilos. Headers and a tune will bring this engine to 430 hp and 340 ft/lb making it 911 fast but much easier to drive quickly and the balance and turn in are sublime. There are low mileage examples once in a while for less than $90,000 in the US. Best car money can buy. Bullet proof drive train and easy to wrench on.
i was really looking forward to see you doing this test since i love your shoot with the gts in mallorca. however here i think it is both your enthusiasm in driving and reviewing that is missing in this clip a little bit. i hope we will see and enjoy this more in your future works like we did in the past ;)
Most people who complain about the roof aren't really getting the point of this car....if u want an auto roof get the regular boxster....I think it's just beautiful and rare especially now seeing the new 718 which went to a 4 banger and turbo....nothing beats NA Engine....
absolutely love the spyder. Too bad both wife and I dont drive manual so we will switch up to a GTS from our 981 base in a year or two after it depreciates to more reasonable levels. Superb joy machine
Rick Su I highly suggest learning stick, I learned stick in a porsche and it was about a one evening experience and a bit of gradual learning from there. Maybe pick up a first gen boxster in the mean time as a toy to learn stick in and who knows you just may fall in love with the back to basics driving experience.
D Gmaz It used to be completely dark actually, but very recently some lights were added. On the video you can still see the cliff road, which the tunnel replaced in 1982, as he enter it from the south side. You can still travel the cliff road on a bike or motorcycle today, but it is closed to cars. There are other videos on UA-cam, where you can see, just how scary the cliff road must have been with a car, before the tunnel was constructed. Midway there is a memorial for about 25 Italian soldiers, who died in 1955, when their truck slipped off the cliff road. Even today you need to be a bit respectfull of the environment, you are in. The road is very narrow and many sections are unfenced, as it stick to the side of the mountain. So its not really the place, where you want to overcook your dinner and drop off. The Gavia is really beautiful though, possibly the most beautiful pass road in the Alps. I spend a week in a nearby village back in 2003, and I absolutly love the place!
Even though the roof is a bit complicated, but it still better and easier than the others(some car). Plus, who's gonna drive the car with the roof on when you can enjoy the ride with beautiful scenery with the roof off?? Think about it. Im sure there are numbers of potential buyer out there gonna buy this car and enjoy the ride with the roof off.
Would look incredible with the folding hardtop with those buttresses. Not sure about the black tent. Shame as I think this is the best looking Porsche in the lineup!
Haha is it possible that you went on entirely same route like i did a month ago :) :) :) :) That Gavia pass is the far most beautiful place i have ever seen. Although the tarmac is awful on some parts but still. I was on Austrian passes, Fluela pass, Stelvio, but this one was cherry on a very very creamy cake
A soft top that makes a flying buttress. Thats gotta be a first. Car actually looks damn good and wow only 15hp less than the GT4 that is also very good lol. I would still take a coupe though, can't stand soft tops.
Bruno Danese well it has an electric motor to safely fix the roof. But you have to operate the roof and change gears the old way too. That is the style.
Fully electric roofs have been around for over 60 years. I get the manual gearbox, but not having an electric roof is just cheap, regardless of what anyone says
it's a SPORTS CAR!It is supposed to be light weight and responsive and if not adding 50kgs worth of motors to power the roof makes it faster and more responsive and more fun then I say scrap all of the assistance that we have all grown used to and have manually adjusted seats and window winders!. I tried to buy one but got a similar sarcastic response from Porsche so my money is going to buy me an even better car. A Lotus Exige that will leave the Porker for dead on any road
+OllyT555 i dont really know, I don't have any experience on it. but I think if you ask professionals on how they started, they would probably say that they just picked up a camera and made photos of cars.. So yah, I know not really the best advice
"Oh it's starting to rain... Will have to wait to the next red light to put the roof up..." "Excuse me honey, while I run around the car like a Tosser and put the roof up"... "Ha Tosser, all that money and your roof is broken - hurry up!" Says the motorist behind you.... It's all LOL... Boxster GTS for me :D
The roofs design was probably engineered under these premise.... simplicity, function, heritage and the statement that says "I own many other cars that go along with my spyder" This probably doesn't make sense to people who only have 1-2 personal vehicles. It's "another tool in the shed" type of vehicle.
Very nice - and nice to see a manual roof on a car.. So much better. Typical modern exhaust note though - all fake overrun, so sad. It's a nice sounding car too - why make it sound ridiculous like this? It's so artificial. Imagine how crap roads like these are with automatics as well.. With a manual we can enjoy cars at any speed - we have something to work on and practice. An automatic on a road like this? How dull. Not that they're ever anything but dull though.
Amazing how the newer Cayman, Boxster and this Spyder have the side door to side air intake styling built first by Toyota on their MR2 Spyder ! goes to show you that everybody steals ideas from everybody
Porsche are clever. Trust me, they will sell all of these, and then release a model with an auto top! LOL. [Just like they're doing with 991 GT3 and their PDK gearboxes...]
+TheItalianBrick I clearly needed to watch the video to see that it's a manual top. I didn't watch the entire video. They must've had an inkling that it wouldn't be for everyone considering it was the first thing THEY pointed out.
David Bern Funny how you judge without watching the all thing and without having a proper understanding of it! Drive this car, open the roof yourself and then have a word! Don't let a review/video confuse your feelings! Trust me...go out there and see how amazing that manual roof is!
+LCdrDerrick Joking aside and by the way: This little CGT brother would give a much better 911 convertible than the usual 911 convertible and does! Why do the buggers at Porsche refuse to plant the grown 911 engines in the car? Because too many people would change over to the mid-engined design with that sexy air intakes , which meanwhile look good. Damn are they looking good. As good as they looked ugly with the first Boxters. The 911 is a good concept for the GT versions, but without a roof the car is too wobbly and heavy. Give the damn boxter a chance to grow up, you market strategy bitches.
![PORSCHE 981 Spyder REVIEW on AUTOBAHN [NO SPEED LIMIT]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nQWU1b2wC3E/mqdefault.jpg)
Just got my 981 sapphire blue Spyder with LWB seats and PCCBs. There are faster Porsches, there are more powerful Porsches. But I challenge anyone to find a more supremely balanced driving machine with this sound and precision for the price. This one is a Porsche masterpiece. When I’m not driving it I’m thinking of driving it. Bellissimo!!
I got one two years ago, I spend more time on UA-cam videos than driving, lol! I got the 18 way seats and PCCB!
THANK YOU EVO for bringing Henry back, Henry is one the best car reviewer/journalist in the Internet today (my opinion)
Realistic, factual, intellectual, real world review and I absolutely LOVE the fact there is ZERO OF THE NONE SENSE track lap times or N-Ring lap time related, THIS is car reviewing this is true car journalism: the display of man and machine relating to the road as one. Beautiful!
Please gives us a break on Dan
Anyway love the video, the editing, the sound, the car, the content, the information and last but not least: welcome back Henry, cheers!
Best looking Porsche in my book, those humps and even with the roof up it looks great. I want one!
That car sounds incredible, the downshifts (and backfire from that) in particular. It looks great too! I think I'd rather have that over a Cayman GT4...
Can't wait to buy this in 2028!
+Keanu “zsxe” X same xD
Keanu X too real
For real i start with my full time job in 2028 and then i will own this beast before everything goes electric
I hate electric, so soulless
@@janneshildebrandt1 Is that the year you graduate high school? I have a P85D and a 981 Spyder, you don’t know 💩💩💩
@@clu4u wtf what does your comment about your imaginary forza cars have to do with my previous comment?
Always enjoy watching Henry`s reviews! You are the man!
One does not dislike a Henry Catchpole video - Shakespeare
Great video. Great looking car, the best looking Porsche by far. Stunning scenery and nice touch mentioning the Giro D'Italia and Andy Hampsten 👍🏻
Saw the Boxster Spyder at the New York Auto Show a few months back, and couldn't wait until you guys at Evo got your hands on it. Great cinematography as always
Simply the best looking modern car.
718 has nothing going with this generation sweet spyder
In my opinion one of the best modern day Porsches. I like the 718 Spyder but this 981 Spyder generation has a heavier clutch that gives a more raw feeling and the exhaust note is just pure crisp porsche amazing.
Sounds fantastic, love the little crackles from the exhaust.
Video kept looping back to the start half way through but audio stayed where it should be. Will have to try on a PC. Great review from what I've seen so far. Henry is the man.
Stupid beautiful. I can only imagine what the Cayman and Boxter would be if the 911 didn't hold it back.
Boxster**
Here is a sports car that has come a long way! Very nice!
sharkzf6 hell the first one was about just as good. Sounds just as good and still has the crazy balance of a mid engine flat six (the first gen car weighs the same as the 981 and 987 spyder as well.)
Terribly underated cars because people that cant afford a porsche of any kind think they are sub par to the 911. Its not about one being better than the other, its about providing two different driving experinces, do you want a 550 spyder mid engine light weight feel or do you want a rear engine GT.
Its basically just another optional variant of the 911, that option being mid engine roadster and cayman being mid engine coupe. Carrera cab is the stylish convertible, gt3 is the track car, turbo is top of the line gt. Carrera S is the sports car, Cayman is the sports coupe, boxster is the gentlemens roadster/ james dean back to basics machine.
I think they are all outstanding except for not being a huge fan of 986s without the xenon light option and also finding the interior of the 987 dated. The 981 gets most everything right though but just has a bit too much luxury and tech, its a bit easier for a possure to own as a play toy now rather then being for a gentleman racer as the original manual cars were.
That car on that road... Definitely makes the bucket list!
my god im in love with this car, maybe in a few years if price on used car amrket is going to be attainable before that new mx5 seems like a great choice
I didn´t know that Huge Jackman did car reviews!
berzu21 So, he got a Huge Jackman?
+Chrstian “Driver” mrclep i think you mean harry potter, lol.
*****
Huge Actman
Nice one Henry. Could be the most complete all-purpose driver's car on the market today.
I'll go with the standard or the S, happy enough with them and partly because the difference in price to the Spyder means a lot to me. But for the well to do, heck yea this one is a hoot.
Henry looks awesome with his hair!
Great video, magnificent car. I particularly like the roof design: uncomplicated but unlike the previous Spyder or the Veyron convertible it actually works. Have to imagine the long gearing on Cayman and Boxster is partially to achieve good CO2: would be nice if there was a short diff as a no cost option. That way their company wide CO2 wouldn't be affected but keen drivers would have a more aggressive car :)
what an amazing sound!
Great review as usual Henry. Bonus points for the Andy Hampsten ref
the best looking boxter ever! what a car!
I'm an absolute porschephile and have to say Porsche has really improved the booster, it looks amazing and sounds amazing. Much better than previous "poor mans Porsche".
Byron Andrews Its always sounded this good. Ive never heard a porsche owner of any model call a boxster a poor mans porsche, so the only people that think that usually cant afford either haha.
Fast forward eight years and these are selling for the same as a 991 9114S, but they sold for 40,000 less when new. Truth be told they share 2/3 of their parts with the 991, are better looking, handle and turn in better, and are lighter by 100 kilos. Headers and a tune will bring this engine to 430 hp and 340 ft/lb making it 911 fast but much easier to drive quickly and the balance and turn in are sublime. There are low mileage examples once in a while for less than $90,000 in the US. Best car money can buy. Bullet proof drive train and easy to wrench on.
i was really looking forward to see you doing this test since i love your shoot with the gts in mallorca. however here i think it is both your enthusiasm in driving and reviewing that is missing in this clip a little bit. i hope we will see and enjoy this more in your future works like we did in the past ;)
i used to race on this pass in a video game lol. i remember real well that tunnel exit
6:23 I think that's what Need For Speed Hot Pursuit III's "Rocky Pass" track is based on!
Great looking car. Drive around with the rear deck open, epic wing! lol
Never liked the boxter, but this is stunning & that sound.
Porsche never fail to impress
Henry, please tell us how it compares to the GT4!
Thank you for this. Have you driven the first Boxster Spyder?
Beauty scenery and car! I love that it is manual
Great review nice work Henry .What watch is that you are wearing?
At 4:53 min I thought Terminator or R2D2 hat taken over the review for a moment. ;)
aaaaand let the road trip planning begin!
Most people who complain about the roof aren't really getting the point of this car....if u want an auto roof get the regular boxster....I think it's just beautiful and rare especially now seeing the new 718 which went to a 4 banger and turbo....nothing beats NA Engine....
Well, I don't have enough thumbs to up for that video...This car is my dream car, especially in this yellow outfit...
i don't get that last electrical bit for the roof....... kinda pointless no? why not just keep it fully manual?
You have a point there, 987 has a mechanical locking mechanism.
absolutely love the spyder. Too bad both wife and I dont drive manual so we will switch up to a GTS from our 981 base in a year or two after it depreciates to more reasonable levels. Superb joy machine
Rick Su I highly suggest learning stick, I learned stick in a porsche and it was about a one evening experience and a bit of gradual learning from there. Maybe pick up a first gen boxster in the mean time as a toy to learn stick in and who knows you just may fall in love with the back to basics driving experience.
so glad this guy knows how to drive and isn't constantly hitting the limiter. last video was horrendous.
Looks like a fine Little machine
That tunnel is horrible, scary and dark, but ends up with beautiful pillars and gives extra value to exhaust.
D Gmaz It used to be completely dark actually, but very recently some lights were added.
On the video you can still see the cliff road, which the tunnel replaced in 1982, as he enter it from the south side. You can still travel the cliff road on a bike or motorcycle today, but it is closed to cars.
There are other videos on UA-cam, where you can see, just how scary the cliff road must have been with a car, before the tunnel was constructed. Midway there is a memorial for about 25 Italian soldiers, who died in 1955, when their truck slipped off the cliff road.
Even today you need to be a bit respectfull of the environment, you are in. The road is very narrow and many sections are unfenced, as it stick to the side of the mountain. So its not really the place, where you want to overcook your dinner and drop off.
The Gavia is really beautiful though, possibly the most beautiful pass road in the Alps. I spend a week in a nearby village back in 2003, and I absolutly love the place!
fundiver198 nice comment buddy well said,got to go to gavia oneday.what a sexy name for a pass
Especially scary if your driving a Miura
Even though the roof is a bit complicated, but it still better and easier than the others(some car). Plus, who's gonna drive the car with the roof on when you can enjoy the ride with beautiful scenery with the roof off?? Think about it. Im sure there are numbers of potential buyer out there gonna buy this car and enjoy the ride with the roof off.
4:53 Henry is an alien, his human voice just stopped working for a moment.
Whats that funny little lever he was fiddling with between the seats?
Interesting fact: Porsche is the only car manufacturer in the world where the convertible costs LESS than the coupe
Seriously good looking car
Would look incredible with the folding hardtop with those buttresses. Not sure about the black tent. Shame as I think this is the best looking Porsche in the lineup!
Maaaaaaan if Florida had roads like this!..WOOO!!!..I'd do my best to not get too confident and go flying off a cliff.
Florida roads are just straight, and then a 90 degree turn, the straight again :(
Henry Drury yes it is very uninspiring.
Henry said it looks like 718 spyder almost got it right ;)
What a sound!
Haha is it possible that you went on entirely same route like i did a month ago :) :) :) :)
That Gavia pass is the far most beautiful place i have ever seen. Although the tarmac is awful on some parts but still. I was on Austrian passes, Fluela pass, Stelvio, but this one was cherry on a very very creamy cake
Sensationnel comme d'habitude
180mph?
Bloody hell!
not too expensive, would buy and tune it give it 700 horses man ultimate driving experience.
Hell, Renegrade Motors drops in a Chevy LS7 small block, 625hp should do it...
Charles Lu Wow. I cannot express through words exactly how much I hate you and this comment.
Amazing how far the Boxster has come. A genuinely desirable car these days. Used to be very uncool.
Fergus Calder its all in the tech
+armourdaddy805 And the look!
Love it. Even going to be better when they release the new digital cockpit in 21 & finally dumping that ancient 981 cabin!
A soft top that makes a flying buttress. Thats gotta be a first. Car actually looks damn good and wow only 15hp less than the GT4 that is also very good lol. I would still take a coupe though, can't stand soft tops.
U guys are great
Superbe reportage !
I never cared for the boxter, however this unit is secksee as heel!!! I want!!!!
I’ve had both, and you are missing out on both as a well…
The new Mazda MX-5 has the best practically roof design
Tuan Do By MILES. This Porsche design is pathetic.
Tuan Do spyder roof is more about style, the whole car is about style.
If it is in fact about style, then why not have an electric roof?
Bruno Danese well it has an electric motor to safely fix the roof. But you have to operate the roof and change gears the old way too. That is the style.
Fully electric roofs have been around for over 60 years.
I get the manual gearbox, but not having an electric roof is just cheap, regardless of what anyone says
Yet my dream car and I will buy used one lol
where is this place?
what the boxster really needs is the regular 3.4L engine with 350Hp,
Still waiting for the Evora 400 (video) review.
First generation is already a collectible.
This one will be too.
the name of this road??
fun fact: I live less than 50km away from the Passo Gavia and have never heard of it!?!
if you got a good car, you want to head into the tunnel; if you got a good girl, you still wanna head into the 'tunnel'.
disgusting
This car is impressive, great review..."Yeshua/Jesus is the way"
Make me miss Top Gear...
they are all the same ..just getting better!
This or a Exgie Roadster? Hmm, take the Porsche!
looks just like a gt4... I love it
that being said.... for a Porsche and a high sticker price..... AT LEAST give us automatic convertible up down
I've been on this road before!... In a video game
bad hair day,sleepy eyes and sexy roads.perfect car for today
it's a SPORTS CAR!It is supposed to be light weight and responsive and if not adding 50kgs worth of motors to power the roof makes it faster and more responsive and more fun then I say scrap all of the assistance that we have all grown used to and have manually adjusted seats and window winders!. I tried to buy one but got a similar sarcastic response from Porsche so my money is going to buy me an even better car. A Lotus Exige that will leave the Porker for dead on any road
Man, you don't dare sneeze on that road - for fear of nailing a bicyclist. Splat!
How do I become a Automotive photographer?
+van Rees Ummmm, Okaaay. More information...???
+OllyT555 i dont really know, I don't have any experience on it. but I think if you ask professionals on how they started, they would probably say that they just picked up a camera and made photos of cars.. So yah, I know not really the best advice
Why would you even consider buying this car when the cayman gt4 is the same price?
Convertible....and not to mention that GT4s are going up in price faster than this
More comfortable. Better ground clearance. We don’t all do track days. The roof comes down. Looks better. I could go on.
"Oh it's starting to rain... Will have to wait to the next red light to put the roof up..." "Excuse me honey, while I run around the car like a Tosser and put the roof up"... "Ha Tosser, all that money and your roof is broken - hurry up!" Says the motorist behind you.... It's all LOL... Boxster GTS for me :D
Goals
i thought he is van der sar of manchester united
with torrential rains in Lviv and in Britain Henry Catchpole you'd be drenched and where they filmed the video
The roofs design was probably engineered under these premise....
simplicity, function, heritage and the statement that says "I own many other cars that go along with my spyder"
This probably doesn't make sense to people who only have 1-2 personal vehicles. It's "another tool in the shed" type of vehicle.
Very nice - and nice to see a manual roof on a car.. So much better.
Typical modern exhaust note though - all fake overrun, so sad. It's a nice sounding car too - why make it sound ridiculous like this? It's so artificial.
Imagine how crap roads like these are with automatics as well.. With a manual we can enjoy cars at any speed - we have something to work on and practice. An automatic on a road like this? How dull. Not that they're ever anything but dull though.
the exhaust sounds great for track but must be very tiresome for long driving or holidays
It has a valve you can quiet the exhaust.
How the hell do you find a job like this?
Amazing how the newer Cayman, Boxster and this Spyder have the side door to side air intake styling built first by Toyota on their MR2 Spyder ! goes to show you that everybody steals ideas from everybody
Porsche are clever. Trust me, they will sell all of these, and then release a model with an auto top! LOL. [Just like they're doing with 991 GT3 and their PDK gearboxes...]
ITT: People who don't understand the Spyder.
I don't care about the weight.... The manual top just killed it for me...
David Bern One day you will understand this concept! For now keep driving your Ford KA or WV POLO....
+TheItalianBrick STFU. I get the concept "brick".... I don't agree with it.
David Bern I normally don't waste time watching videos I don't agree with! Clearly this car is not for you.....
+TheItalianBrick I clearly needed to watch the video to see that it's a manual top. I didn't watch the entire video. They must've had an inkling that it wouldn't be for everyone considering it was the first thing THEY pointed out.
David Bern Funny how you judge without watching the all thing and without having a proper understanding of it! Drive this car, open the roof yourself and then have a word! Don't let a review/video confuse your feelings! Trust me...go out there and see how amazing that manual roof is!
incredible induction noise...feels like a sin calling it a noise and not a harmony.
5:58 Cyclist out of nowhere
Is this a beginning mustache or the rest of a Dirty Sanchez?
+LCdrDerrick Joking aside and by the way: This little CGT brother would give a much better 911 convertible than the usual 911 convertible and does! Why do the buggers at Porsche refuse to plant the grown 911 engines in the car? Because too many people would change over to the mid-engined design with that sexy air intakes , which meanwhile look good. Damn are they looking good. As good as they looked ugly with the first Boxters. The 911 is a good concept for the GT versions, but without a roof the car is too wobbly and heavy. Give the damn boxter a chance to grow up, you market strategy bitches.