It’s got to be tough being a Porsche 911 Turbo S. You spend most of your time as one of the top-performing models Porsche offers, then something faster, more advanced, and more exotic comes along.
So what did the Turbo S do when the 918 Spyder took its place at the top of Porsche’s lineup? Why, it pretended to be a 918 Spyder, of course.
Well, sorta. Meet the 2012 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet 918 Spyder Edition (if you hadn’t already). It was an exclusive version of the rear-engined, forced-induction drop-top made exclusively for customers who’d ordered a 918 to keep them happy while they awaited delivery.
It was based on the 997-generation Turbo S, so it packed 530 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque from its 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six engine, driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. No hybrid assist here, but it at least tried to look the part with acid-green accents inside, out, and behind the wheels (on the brake calipers) to mimic the 918 it was made to accompany.
Since there were only 918 of the Spyder made, there were only 918 of the special-edition Turbo offered. This was the 43rd of them, and with only 260 miles on the clock, it’s coming up for grabs in a couple of weeks as part Mecum Auctions‘ Monterey sale, where it’s expected to sell for between $150,000 and $200,000. Now for that kind of money, you could get yourself into a brand-new 911 Turbo Cabriolet (with a starting MSRP of $174k) or even a Turbo S Cabrio ($203k), but for what it’s worth, this limited-edition is bound to hold its value better in the long run – especially for Spyder owners who want the 911 to match.
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