Porsche 981 Spyder Review - why you DON'T need a 718 | 4k 

Love my Spyder, just picked up a 2021 6/12/24…fantastic car!

Great vid and bang on conclusions IMO. Here’s a quick thought, in my short quest for driving engagement with soul and after owning a few Caymans and a 991.2 GTS, my current car is a 458 spider, arguably no slouch in the sound department. I still think longingly back to the sublime soundtrack that my 981 Cayman GTS made so I can only imagine how this thing sounds without a roof!

Yes I love the noise of our 981 GT4 - I'm in my 60's but turn into a kid in that car, including every time I go through the Dartford Tunnel 😂

Excellent review. Agree completely. The 981 Spyder is a keeper. Have about 10k on mine and enjoyed every mile. The sound, the lines, the handling. Beautiful car. Will only get better with time. Thanks for the video.

Absolutely hits the target as to why we buy sports cars! I’ve been out in a 981 GT4 and the noise was intoxicating so this will be at another level! If the chance arrives I’d suggest getting behind the wheel of an Evora GT400, I think you might like it! Cheers, Kevin.

Yep 981 great generation. Every single model, if specced "right" was very good. One of the very few cars I have ever kept is the 981 Cayman GTS with PTV, PASM, PSE, SC, body coloured dials etc - 'only' 3.4L and 340HP but its just about perfect on any back road. The sound is better then the spyder as it seems to wail more e.g. slightly higher pitch. I have some great cars inc. 720S and 991.2 GT3 RS and I have zero hesitation saying the 981 GTS is a real keeper and can fully concur with your 981 Spyder review and understand why for the owner, its a keeper. Well said with the microwave.

A few more comments… The dyno charts show the 4L pulls right to redline whereas the 981 engine falls off. And the aftermarket still can’t make the 4L sound as good as the 981 engine. I wish you could get the 718 Spyder but with the sound of the 981. Would be perfection

Well done on the bbq/microwave analogy 😊

Great video! I went from a 991.1 Turbo, to a 997 GT3 and now the 981 Spyder. I’ve kept the Spyder the longest. My favorite is still the 997.2 GT3 and miss the glorious sound, but the Spyder is 90% of the GT3 and 6 years newer. I do regret trading the GT3 but I have no desire to trade the Spyder and never will.

It’s a 981, so I’m not surprised it blew you away. All of the 981 range are simply incredible with the Porsche Sports Exhaust (PSE).

I agree 100%. Rubberized chicken out of the microwave or BBQ perfection … Give me the visceral experience every time. Porsche knows how to deliver it

Love the example you gave about Tesla. Some people still don’t understand that going fast in a straight line is overrated. It’s never been the intend of these cars. Their purpose is to touch your sole every time you drive them. And they do a damn good job doing just that.

The high water mark of the Porsche Spyder journey. Nice review

Great video Dale and I totally agree with you about the Spyder. It’s just an EPIC car, I was lucky enough to drive it back from Porsche Swindon a few months ago and when I say I was following Paul in an M3CS you won’t need me to tell you it was a spirited drive :) Keep up the good work 👍🏼

The 718 Spyder isn’t a GT4 without a roof, the 981 version has suspension differences Great video though and an outstanding car. Pity the 718 Spyder doesn’t sound anywhere near that good

When mines sold I’ll be looking for a 981 instead 👌🏻thanks for confirming it 😁

As good a driver's car the 981 Spyder is, I'm surprised you thought the 981 3.8 a better engine than the 4 in the 718. The 4.0 is more linear, pulls harder to the redline and has better low end grunt. The 3.8 does make a much better noise but that doesn't make it the better engine. As well, I think you were remiss when you said the Spyder was a soft top GT4. The suspensions are very different. Anyway, I enjoyed the video and look forward to seeing more reviews from CMD.

Great Video. Thanks. I think this is the perfect canyon carver car. While the 718 spyder is more a track car. I have a 981 spyder and have driven the 718 spyder and thats my thought. And even after talking to the porsche dealership, the fact that this is a 911 engine and not a gt engine, it means that in the future the spare parts will be cheaper and easier to get. No deny the 718 spyder is more capable, but this one has more soul in my opinion.

I was lucky enough to get a drive in one just like that while up in Scotland with PH. Totally agree with your views, an immersive, visceral driving experience, and one that I will never forget. Iirc the spyder is slightly different from the gt4 in that it has the x73 suspension rather than the gt3 front axle.

I have a 2015 991.1 GTS currently, Ignoring the 991.2 & 992 and I am watching this excitedly, why? I previously had a 981 GTS Boxster and that was an animal! This will take it to another level and it was a very tormentious few weeks before I went for the 911 991 over this gem of a Porsche, the 981 Spyder! You have to hear these cars to believe the way the sound. You've said it all - The only thing that matters in this car is THE SOUND! Microwave vs BBQ analogy - Spot on! To the Tesla owner - In the words of Margaret Thatcher - "....if you have to tell people you are, you aren't." P.S. My daily is also an EV (Audi) before I'm slaughtered 😂

Thanks for the review. As a knew Spyder owner (981) i can say its the best feeling / driving Porsche ive owned. Really can't see past this at the moment...don't want the 982 which is 140 kg heavier and doesn't sound as good...and its electric next gen. Loved the Chicken comment ....I'm going to claim that as my own now. Good cause also so I've subscribed and past on. Keep em coming 🐔

I own the 987.2 Spyder PDK and love it, although is not a fast car is not slow either, i'd love to drive this 981 with 45 extra hp to see how big the difference is!

Thanks for that- it could be the modern Boxster that'll provide the same driving pleasure as my 987's. I found the 4.0 GTS underwhelming. However, prices on the second hand market are quite high.

It’s not actually a gt4 without a roof, but I’m guessing you know that (whereas that is exactly what the 718 spyder is). Also, the 4L has better legs up top, whereas the 3.8 runs out of breathe. Yes, it does sound better due to no GPF, but that can easily be remedied (depending on where you live). I’m not saying the 981 isn’t a great car, and someone may certainly not think the cost delta is worth it,. Or that the stock exhaust note is just too perfect and is worth keeping. There’s no bad choice here! :) (PS since you donate all proceeds, you gained a subscriber! Well done.) And I’ve just been terribly redundant with the already existing commentary. Apologies!

Sounds amazing!

Sounds more amazing than my 981 GT4 even with roof closed, may be due to its soft top

liked subscribed and thoroughly enjoyed. Harrys garage watch out,theres a new kid in town❤

"my microwave could cook a chicken, in the same way as my BBQ can cook a chicken.... but you don't go round to your mates for a microwave meal do you?"....... Possibly the best line I've ever heard, anywhere, EVER! - And even better that it was aimed at an i.d.i.o.t Tesla fanboy.. Well done Dale!

A mate of mine has a 991 Gen 1 GTS PDK with that engine.....sounds just the same❤.

I never fully understood the Spyder till now! ❤

10/10 🥳 💙 Take my money!!

I have a 981 cayman s and want a spyder. I figured I would just buy a 718 as it’s newer. I’ve driven a 4.0 in a cayman gts. I didn’t love it. More power but not as interesting as my 981. So now I really think I’ll look for a 981 spyder rather than 718. Finally, I don’t like the air vents in the 718. The 981 air vents look better imo . First world problems lol.

I’m LOL about the Tesla commentary, P85D and a 981 Spyder here. Both are exemplary, horses for courses.

Where is the front splitter? None on that car?

How did you find the gearing on the Spyder? Is it very low geared so 60 is in second? Do yiu get chance to use all the gears? Greets video love the channel. Ps if you want to test a New Morgan plus six pm me 👍

I'm very conflicted over the 981 spyder. Owned mine for around 18 months. To start it does tickle all the senses but after a few months, when the exhaust wears off, its just too firm for UK roads, to the extent my feet would get flung of the pedals and my wife would beg to go in our 675LT as it rode better. As well as the suspension the power delivery is odd, it is definitely a detuned engine and you can feel the ECU reigning in the power. The exhaust farts soon become an irritation and you will long for the mechanical flat six howl without the audiesque farts and machine guns. It is a beautiful car, well made and was great for Europe. Perhaps I should have kept mine. I now have a 718 4.0 GTS coming, it feels quite a bit faster, has a more mechanical engine noise, strangely feels smaller and more nimble and most importantly has compliant suspension. The roof on the 981 spyder never bothered me, its a non issue. I'm still conflicted but overall 718 4.0, even GTS, is a better drive. Nice review 👍🏻

good one

How reliable is the spyder to own?

How do I contact you. I have a rather unique car I’d like you to sample. You could say it’s spyder turned up to 11. Very special thing! Dave

“ essentially a GT4 without a roof” is not a correct statement. The 982 is an actual GT car unlike the 981. THE 982 shares the same parts with the 982 GT4, the 981 GT4does not share the same parts with the Spyder. The 981 is a dressed up Boxster basically. It also has more then 40 less HP. Nothing wrong with a 981 Spyder, they’re beautiful cars and look amazing. But they’re not extra special like the 972 Spyder.

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Good video…but 718 Spyder > 981 spyder. One is a true Porsche motorsports car, the other is not. Would rather pick the original, more raw 987.2 spyder than this to add with the 718 GT car.

Hi mate and thanks for the video! It's not at all a GT4 without a roof... I love it but it's not. The 718 Spyder is. Cheers from Italy!