2025 Porsche Spyder RS Review: A Love Letter to Pure Driving

For those of you who may have wondered how it feels to be fully alive behind the wheel, Porsche has done it again with this 2025 Porsche Spyder RS. This is one car you ought to add to your bucket list. The Spyder RS is the last hurrah for Porsche’s mid-engine, naturally aspirated flat-six Boxster, and they made sure it gives a great big bang. If I can’t sell all my belongings to fund one of these, quit my job and ride into the sunset, well, what’s the freakin’ point? So here in our 2025 Porsche Spyder RS review, we find out what makes it a future classic.

First Take: The Art of Making You Drool

The 2025 Spyder RS – at first glance, it is apparent that speed god Savitar is responsible for the design of this stunning vehicle. It is aggressive and sexy, aerodynamics that shout this car is here to get down to business. The giant front intakes, manipulated hood vents, and a rear diffuser that resembles something that should be on a race car all combine to help make this one of the best-looking Porsche designs we’ve seen in some time. And then there’s the manually operated soft-top: It’s lightweight and simplistic and harks back to actuation systems found on pure driver-oriented roadsters of yore.

Under the Hood: Porsche’s Greatest Hits Album

Porsche understood its market and provided it with the ultimate hits collection in the form of the 2025 Spyder RS. The car shares an engine with the 911 GT3 — a naturally aspirated, high-revving 4.0L flat-six that sounds like the automotive equivalent of an aria. Here’s what makes it tick:

• Engine: 4.0L naturally aspirated flat-six
• Horsepower: 493 hp
• Torque: 331 lb-ft
• Transmission: 7-speed PDK dual-clutch auto (no manual—cue the purists’ wail)
• 0-60 mph: 2.8 seconds
• Top Speed: 191 mph
• Weight: Approximately 3,100 lbs.
• Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive

The engine redlines at an intoxicating 9,000 RPM, and for the sound alone, the $162,000 starting price seems about right. It pulls like a freight train; the throttle response is knife-edged with… enough fire to make you want to go round the block again just for the hell of it.

How It Drives: Masterful Bliss

Behind the wheel of the Spyder RS is an experience. Every. Single. Time.

The steering is laser-precise and feeds back so much that it feels like you’re telepathically connected to the front wheels. The suspension borrowed from the Cayman GT4 RS is dialed in just right for some spirited driving — stiff enough for the track, but forgiving enough for a fun road trip.

Some die-hard enthusiasts would be put off by the fact that the car doesn’t come with a traditional, manual gearbox, but the PDK shifts gears so fast and engages with the driver so well that even the most resolute stick-shift fans will be grinning from ear to ear. The grip is almost silly, but the rear end is playful enough to keep things interesting when you want them to be.

How It Stacks Up: Roadway Rivals

Competition As with all things sport, the 2025 Porsche Spyder RS comes with some competition. These are some of the rivals attempting to hold its feet to the fire:

1. Chevy Corvette Z06

• Engine: 5.5L naturally aspirated flat-plane crank V8
• Horsepower: 670 hp
• 0-60 mph: 2.6 seconds
• Strengths: Stupid amounts of performance, crazy exhaust note, mid-ship layout, value price
• Weaknesses: A bit heavier than the Spyder RS, not as much finesse on the twisties

2. Audi R8 V10 Performance (RWD)

• Engine: 5.2L naturally aspirated V10
• Horsepower: 562 hp
• 0-60 mph: 3.2 seconds
• Strengths: Exotic looks, V10 noise, daily usability
• Weaknesses: Heavier, nearing the end of its production run

3. Lotus Emira

• Engine: 3.5L supercharged V6 or 2.0L turbo-four
• Horsepower: Up to 400 hp
• 0-60 mph: Around 4.2 seconds
• Strengths: Light, nimble, beautiful design
• Weaknesses: Less powerful than the Spyder RS; few dealers

4. BMW M4 CSL (Not a Roadster, But a Threat)

• Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo inline-six
• Horsepower: 543 hp
• 0-60 mph: 3.2 seconds
• Strengths: Vicious acceleration, track-ready setting, mean looks
• Weaknesses: Heavy, not as dramatic as a mid-engine car

Certainly, all of these cars step to the table and provide an element that seems to be missing, but nothing is driven as purely and executed as well as the Spyder RS.

Strengths: Why the 2025 Porsche Spyder RS is Worth Every Penny

• Naturally Aspirated Engine: No turbos, no lag, just pure, high-revving excitement.
• Handling Perfection: Mid-engine balance, razor-sharp steering, and grip levels that make you feel invincible.
• Exclusivity: This is the final run of a car that will be a collector’s item down the road.
• Weight Savings: Everything about this car is designed for performance, down to the manually operated soft-top.
• Soundtrack: The 4.0L flat-six at full song is pure mechanical bliss.

Weaknesses: The Things That Could Have Been Better

• No Manual Transmission: Porsche, why? The PDK is great, but a manual would have made this car legendary.
• Price: The Spyder RS isn’t cheap, and with Porsche’s infamous option list, the price can easily creep into six-figure territory.
• Limited Practicality: Small trunk, tight cabin, and a manually operated soft-top that takes some patience.
• Harsh Ride on Bad Roads: It’s track-ready suspension means you’ll feel every pothole in excruciating detail.

Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?

For those in search of a roadster that combines high performance with a driving experience that’s second to none, the 2025 Porsche Spyder RS is as good as it gets. Is it the quickest? Is it the most powerful? Not exactly, but it nails what makes driving a sports car fun. There is nothing that holds a candle to the experience that the driver has piloting this car, the way that it sounds, how much of an absolute looker the car is.

Yeah, it’s expensive, has no manual, and is far from the most practical pick. But when has buying a Porsche ever been a practical decision? This is passion, and the Spyder RS has it in abundance.

So what do you like about the 2025 Porsche Spyder RS? If not, is this your dream car, or do you prefer something else? Tell us in the comments below!