Star Road

Looking from this angle, it starts to make sense.

Replacing the easy-to-use power top and the convenient front-hinged trunk lid that all other Boxster models have, the Spyder has a rear-hinged trunk lid that must be manually opened in order to operate the very interesting soft top. Why?

Well, just look at it. Look at that voluptuous double-humped deck lid that flows into the ducktail spoiler, the same as the GT4 but without that model’s additional trunk-mounted rear wing.

Inside this particular car, you’ll find the “Spyder Classic” red and black interior with bucket seats, which is a surprisingly rare combination of options, despite being my personal most desirable configuration. Most Spyders were ordered with the 2-way or 18-way normal-type seats, derisively called “sofas” among hardcore Porsche people, despite being quite good for a normal reclining seat.

Most Spyders sold around the world were optioned with a black interior; only about 1/3 have the red leather and black Alcantara of the “Spyder Classic” interior.

The Boxster Spyder also gained the Cayman GT4’s more aggressive front bumper with the additional top vent that appeared on the 996 GT3 RS and has become a “GT Division” staple, gracing the nose of every 911 GT2 and GT3 since. In this author’s opinion, the front end appearance of the car is greatly enhanced by this simple bit of aero.

This car is Agate Grey. Using the Spyder Registry you can have some fun with the numbers. This is one of only 7 cars in the registry that are Agate Grey with the Spyder Classic interior and LWB’s, and this is the only one of those cars that has a leather steering column or the vehicle key painted in the exterior color. Click that link and use the filters to make your own silly combinations.

The 981 Boxster Spyder has the suspension from the Boxster GTS, brakes from the 911 Carrera, and the 3.8L engine from the Carrera S. They were only made at the end of 2015 with a few cars made in 2016, and they were all model year 2016 cars. They had a base price of $82,100 compared to a Boxster S at $66,800; and remember, no one ever buys a Porsche with zero options, so Boxster S’s tended to be around $80k and Spyders around $100k. But now in 2024 as I write this, Boxster S’s have depreciated to around $40-50k, while Spyders have held their value, still trading hands for around their original $100k sticker. Why is this car worth so much more when it drives practically the same?

Well, just look at it.