Porsche 718 Spyder

The vehicle in detail

The sport exhaust system gives you a little nudge in case, contrary to expectations, you’ve forgotten what a real Porsche is supposed to sound like. Four hundred twenty horsepower, all available without any gimmicks. This is Porsche as Ferry envisioned it, albeit with thirty years’ worth of additional technology in the chassis. Well then, back to the Spyder standing here with us in Katwijk. A 2021 model in GT Silver Metallic—a shade of gray that suits a car that doesn’t scream for attention, yet still gets it. The interior is finished in leather and Alcantara, a combination that naturally draws your fingers to the gearshift knob. The original Michelin summer tires are still on the car—245 up front and 265 in the rear—exactly as they should be. What makes this Spyder special isn’t just what it is, but also how it’s been cared for. It was originally delivered at the Porsche Center in Kiel, then carefully maintained at the Porsche Center in Fulda, and is now in the trusted hands of the Porsche Centrum Twente in Deventer. In other words, a complete Porsche maintenance history, including a major service during which, among other things, the six spark plugs were replaced, the brake fluid was changed, and even the air conditioning was serviced. The vehicle inspection (HU) is valid until early 2027. In short: someone has treated this car exactly as a 718 Spyder should be treated. Admittedly, for that kind of money, you could also get a sizeable selection of other sports cars. But most of them come with an automatic transmission, paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, and a sound generator blaring from the speakers. This Spyder doesn’t need a simulator. It has a clutch pedal, a gearshift knob, and a flat-six engine that delivers all the excitement you need. It’s the purist among modern Porsches—the car you buy when you realize that driving is about more than just getting there. I’ve seen enough cars in my life that were faster, more beautiful, and more exclusive on paper. But there’s something about a manual-transmission mid-engine roadster that no spec sheet can capture. It’s the way the car “thinks” along with you—or rather, doesn’t think at all—and leaves everything entirely up to you. On a summer day with the top down, cruising down an empty country road—that’s what this car is made for. Not for the stats, but for the feeling.