The 20-inch 718 Spyder WHEELS come in four colors : standard silver , satin black , satin aurum and satin platinum . Six-piston aluminum brake calipers add a touch of color and help the car stop on that proverbial dime .
`
At the touch of a button on the center console , the lightweight FABRIC ROOF emerges from its cubbyhole behind the roll bars and must then be pulled into position and fastened to the body by hand . Some people find it burdensome though others enjoy the throwback to an era when all ragtops came that way .
Set behind twin rollover bars , the raised aluminum streamliners are another aerodynamic aid but also a nod to the futuristically contoured bodies that characterized 1950s Porsches . They lead the eye to the REAR spoiler and over the back end to the double-pipe sports exhaust system and diffuser .
75 YEARS OF PORSCHE
The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is marking 75 years of speed and styling with a special exhibit titled “ We Are Porsche .” In addition to 40 vehicles that trace the German automaker ’ s street and motorsport heritage , the show features podcasts , immersive in-person experiences and lots of Porsche merchandise . It will be on display through April 2024 . ( petersen . org / porsche-75 )
DEALERSHIP INFO
PORSCHE NEWPORT BEACH
445 E . Pacific Coast Highway 949-478-0590 ; porschenewportbeach . com in bygone days at the famous French track ).
So , why is it called a Spyder ? That was the name given to the legendary Porsche 550 of the 1950s and early 1960s : the little silver speedsters that helped make the marquee famous via motor racing victories , the original 1954 cinematic version of “ The Fast and the Furious ” and its association with James Dean .
But the name goes back farther , to the late 1800s when fast , lightweight , open-topped horse-drawn carriages were called spiders ( or spyders ) because people thought their large , thin-spoked wheels resembled arachnid legs . When motor vehicles came around , it just seemed natural to transfer the nickname to fast , lightweight , open-topped roadsters .
While the powertrain , six-speed manual transmission , adaptive GT sport suspension with GT brakes , and safety features like a rearview camera are all very 21st century , the cockpit is decidedly old school . So don ’ t expect a lot of high tech on standard models , which start at $ 103,400 . You ’ ll have to pay extra for navigation , heated seats , automatic climate control , surround sound and other post-modern gadgetry .
As Porsche proudly points out , this car was made for driving . NBM
NEWPORT BEACH MAGAZINE 33