2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder Road Trip Review

Boxster RS 60 Spyder Photos

There's no two ways around it - the Boxster RS 60 is a fantastic car. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

19-inch wheels look great; the Michelin tires provide massive amounts of grip. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Body kit is a subtle, but nice touch. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

This was car No. 19 out of 1960. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Interior is available in two colors, red or this more subdued charcoal. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Note the lack of an overhead shield... it is one of the more noteworthy details. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The bassy clatter of the Mercedes-Benz diesel taxicab that dropped us off at the gates of Porsche’s headquarters in Zuffenhausen, Stuttgart, has faded into the din of city traffic and I’m here, luggage in hand with four days ahead of me in what could quite possibly be the best Boxster ever built. It’s the RS 60 Spyder, a vehicle that celebrates one of the most successful Porsche racers ever made, the 1960 718 RS 60 Spyder.

I will admit to you up front that classic Porsches aren’t my area of expertise. The key models of Porsche’s past - the 356, the 550 - I know well, and I also happen to know quite a bit about the vehicles produced post-1985, but not a lot about what came in between. If you’re in the same boat as me, here’s an introduction to the legendary 718 RS 60, without diving headfirst into a history lesson.

The 718 RS 60 Spyder was developed off the mid-engine 550 Spyder. During the 1950s, in a number of different configurations and models, the Spyder earned a reputation as a giant slayer in endurance and sports car racing. By the 1957, Porsche began to tinker with the aerodynamics of the 550, tweaking the styling of its aluminum skin to improve performance - this particular model was dubbed the Type 718 RSK, which earned victories at Le Mans, the Targa Florio and 12 Hours of Sebring amongst others. A re-bodied version of the 718 RSK with a centrally mounted driver’s seat also competed in Formula One.

In 1960, Porsche was forced by racing regulations to rework the RSK with a wider track and a longer wheelbase. Aside from fulfilling these requests, Porsche took the opportunity to further improve things. The swing-axle suspension system, which dated back to the 356, was abandoned in favor of a new double wishbone design, improving its drivability at the limit, while a more powerful 160 horsepower motor was mounted midship. So impressive were these changes that the RS 60 with its tiny 1.6-liter engine blew away the competition, which was comprised of three-liter Ferraris amongst other more powerful rivals. The simplicity, durability and extraordinary fuel efficiency helped the RS 60 win the 12 Hours of Sebring with a one-two finish and an eleven lap lead over the third place Ferrari, and the RS 60 also won at the Targa Florio. Even more impressively, the RS 60 was successfully raced for more than ten years, demonstrating how advanced the design was when originally introduced.


To the definitive Porsche enthusiast, the use of the Boxster S as a means to revive the RS 60 name may seem odd, given the Boxster’s lack of motorsports participation, but on the street you couldn’t ask for a better car. After all, this is a vehicle that’s revered as one of the best all-round sports cars for its balance, performance and comfort. Squint, and you might just see a bit of the tiny 718’s facial features echoed in the Boxster’s comparably giant body.

You’ll probably also need to squint to tell the difference between this modern RS 60 and a standard Boxster S, as the differences are solely in the details. There’s the subtle but tasteful SportDesign body kit which enhances stability at higher speeds, stunning 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and a black frame that surrounds the windscreen. All 1,960 (get it?) limited edition cars are painted in GT Silver, which is closely matched to the original racers’ scheme, and the interior and roof can be had in either Carrera Red leather, or, for the more subdued, black.


Paperwork signed and luggage placed into its surprisingly spacious double trunks, it’s time to head off. But even before the key slots into its home to the left of the steering column, it’s difficult not to take time to inspect the interior. Despite coming from a relatively small-scale (albeit profitable) auto manufacturer, the Boxster’s cabin feels immaculate and solidly constructed with fine leathers and high-quality plastics. The design has been criticized as being a bit bland, but the functionality and solid ergonomics are a plus, as I discover. With everything exactly where you’d expect it to be, there’s no second guessing where anything is, which is handy when traveling at speeds of over 125 mph.

With three days of travel ahead, and a final destination of the tiny Alsatian town of Molsheim in France, we planned our routes carefully to sample modern Frankfurt, twisty country back roads and, of course, several jaunts on the nation’s hallmark road system, the de-restricted autobahns. Despite passing right by it, our journey would unfortunately not take us to the Nürburgring.


Out from the gates and onto the street, within the first thirty seconds after easing the RS 60 from beneath the yellow and black striped gate, it is very clear that this is a very special car. The clutch is a touch stiff, but the gearshift, throttle, brakes and steering are genuinely telepathic. Attentiveness to the grind of the city is crucial in keeping the lip spoiler unscathed over speed bumps and when entering driveways, but the Boxster RS 60 is a breeze to drive in the city.

By the time we reach Frankfurt, dusk approaches. Children playing in the suburban streets and pedestrians gawk at the RS 60 with the sort of enthusiasm normally reserved for Ferraris. It’s most certainly surprising, but just as rewarding to see such an interest. It will be an early night for us, as it’s a long day’s drive up the western border of Germany to Aachen.

The triple diagonal lines indicate a de-restricted area as we pull onto the highway the next morning, but you’ll know it immediately by the number of fast-moving turbodiesel Passats and BMW 3-Series that zoom by. By 200, thoughts of Ontario’s “50 Over” law fill my mind, but there’s no worry of vehicle and license confiscation here. On a second downhill stretch, I push on. Not that the RS 60’s eight extra horses over the standard Boxster S make a difference, but it sure sounds good with the right foot welded to the floor. Calmly, the Boxster stretches its legs to 140+ mph. Despite having plenty left in reserve, and being firmly planted to the road, my nerves aren’t nearly as strong as its mettle.

With a top speed that’s drag limited rather than electronically limited, the RS 60 will walk away from much more powerful machinery. With the exception of a handful of cars, unmodified Beemers, Audis and Mercs are no match. With this fact in mind, I summon every fiber of courage and go for one last all-out run on the way to France. The last time I glance at the speedometer, it’s hovering at the 265 km/h (165 mph) mark, just 7 km/h (4 mph) short of its top speed and yet the RS 60 remains calm, its cabin like the eye of the storm even with the roof down. It shrugs it off as if it’s nothing, suggesting the idea that it could happily sustain this speed for hours. But as fast as the RS 60 is, bigger fish are never far away. In this case it’s a 911 Turbo, verging on what I might guess to be 180 mph and closing in at a remarkably quick pace. I pull to the right and it passes by as if we’re standing still. Wow. Just wow.


France is an entirely different story. De-restricted zones don’t exist, and the speed limits are judiciously enforced by the French gendarmerie who reportedly do not have a sense of humor, or tolerance for fast-moving German-plated vehicles. It is at the cruise-control limited speed of 70 mph that the RS 60 shows another side - its ability to comfortably deal with traffic. Optional to all Boxsters, but standard on the RS 60 is PASM, Porsche’s active damping system. It’s uncanny how much suppleness Porsche has eked out of a car wearing 35-profile tires, while maintaining perfect body control. Engaged, the Boxster rides like a sports car - firm, transmitting every last nook and cranny, not to mention it also sharpens the throttle response. For most of the journey, PASM is left in “Comfort” mode, and I begin to convince myself that indeed I could use it as a daily driver, all-year ‘round.

Molshiem, France. It’s home to the one, the only Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., and we’re on assignment to drive the Veyron. After a satisfying afternoon behind the wheel of a 1001 ps (987 hp), multi-million Euro machine, the grand daddy of supercars, we have to depart. We’re on a tight schedule, heading back to Stuttgart to catch and early morning flight. Sliding back into the driver’s seat, we opt for back roads to lead us back into the industrial city. The Boxster RS 60 may not be as fast or as opulent as the Veyron, but in terms of purity and enjoyment, it does not disappoint.

Rather than take the express routes back, we unfold a map and pick a route that leads us through Schwartzwald country, via tiny villages highlighted by red-roofed buildings that haven’t changed one bit since the 18th century, and some before that. But it’s the smoothly paved, hair-pinned switchbacks that beckon enthusiasts to take this route rather than the city-to-city nonstop express that is the autobahn. The extra eight horsepower liberated by the new exhaust system is mostly unfelt, but the difference is most definitely heard, the engine upping its vocal ante at 4,000 and 6,000 rpm respectively. The flat six’s rasp is harder edged, stronger but no less delightful. With 303 horsepower, the RS 60 pulls ahead with strength and speed into each and every corner. Perfectly weighted and communicative, the steering holds its own, as do the powerful brakes. They work in concert with the Michelin Pilot Sport 2 that grip the road with extreme tenacity and nary any understeer. Motoring nirvana? It could very well be.

Arriving on a weekday evening in Stuttgart, we hit rush hour. What’s worse is we’re lost, stuck in traffic and can’t find out where we are on our road atlas. Despite being completely in German, and riddled with dozens of small buttons, the navigation proves itself to be surprisingly effective. We managed to set the destination of Porsche’s HQ despite having the German vocabulary that could be bested by a toddler, and the system quickly guides us back to the gates.

Before heading back, we stop to fill up the Porsche one final time. At 1.60 euro per liter for premium, a price that threw France’s truckers into a fit, fill-ups were nothing short of shockingly expensive. However, over the course of our journey the RS 60 averaged less than 10 liters per 100 km (or translated about 23 to 24 mpg), a remarkably efficient figure and perhaps a tip of the hat to the 718. Nevertheless, it’s still a reminder of how good we have things here in America, even when the finest fuels cost $3.50 per gallon.

The low-pitched clatter rounds out our trip, as we are dropped off to the airport by another E-Class diesel taxicab, and even before we enter Stuttgart’s main terminal it’s faded off into the distance. Unlike the taxi, memories of my time behind the wheel of the RS 60 won’t pass anytime soon. It may live in the shadows of the 911 in Porsche’s family lineup, but it is a spectacularly competent vehicle all on its own, an achievement produced through the pursuit of balance. And while the RS 60 is only around for one year, it’s destined to be a sought-after classic, albeit one more attainable than its legendary sibling.

Specifications (Boxster RS 60 Spyder):