Matt Farah 718 Spyder – What’s causing all this commotion?
There has been a little bit of controversy in the Porsche community recently, all due to Matt Farah. This isn’t the first time he has done something that has upset the Porsche community, so can we really be surprised?
This time, though, is a little different. And you might even find that you feel a bit sympathetic to Matt, perhaps even those of you who are less than fond of him!
So, this quick blog post will give you a little bit of info on Matt Farah and the 718 Spyder and how they came to be involved in a pretend Porsche scandal. Let’s dive right in:
Highlights
- Matt Farah is an American automotive journalist, YouTuber, and podcast host known for “The Smoking Tire” channel and podcast.
- The Porsche 718 Spyder is a high-demand sports car powered by a 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine producing around 420 brake horsepower.
- Matt Farah faced controversy for making significant alterations to his Porsche 718 Spyder, including a 4.5-liter engine upgrade to 565 brake horsepower and a unique pink paint job, red interior, and gold rims.
- Customizations to cars, including Porsches, are common, with modifications typically involving exhaust, suspension, and brake upgrades, as well as safety equipment for track use.
- There’s no inherent issue with customizations, and opinions on Matt Farah’s modifications vary; some consider them bold, while others disagree with the choices made.
- Notably, Matt Farah’s Porsche was shipped overseas but sank in transit, adding an ironic twist to the story.
A little bit about Matt Farah
Just in case you were unsure or wanted a quick reminder, Matt Farah is an American automotive journalist, YouTuber, and podcast host.
A huge member of the automotive community as a whole and the Porsche community more so. He is probably best known for hosting “The Smoking Tire” YouTube channel and podcast, where he reviews cars and discusses the automotive industry as a whole.
Who’s doing what, scandals, innovative ideas, and other fun tidbits. Most people don’t know, but Matt Farah also used to be a professional driver and has competed in various racing events. With varied success.
Love him or hate him, Matt is an incredibly successful individual who has a love of cars that cannot be denied. Even by his most staunch haters! The man clearly loves Porsche and cars in general, so there you go. Now it’s time to find out where the 718 Spyder fits into all of this.
A little bit about the 718 Spyder
The Porsche 718 Spyder is a two-seater sport version of the Boxster and is probably one of the most in-demand Porsches of the last few years.
It is a very, very nice car. It is powered by a hefty 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine that could produce almost 420 brake horsepower and was capable of putting out over 309 lb-ft of torque.
The stock 718 Spyder tops out at a speed of 187 mph and accelerates from 0-62 mph in just 4.2 seconds. As we said, a nice car, a fast car, a popular car.
This makes a lot of sense when we start to look into what Matt Farah has actually done and why people seem to be a little “outraged”.
Matt Farah’s 718 Spyder – Why are people getting upset?
So, why are people getting all worked up? Because Matt Farah ordered a beautiful 718 Spyder and made some pretty major alterations to it.
Some mechanical, some looks wise. And, well, they are pretty bold. People seem to think that Matt has disrespected the car and, therefore, themselves by making some pretty out-there changes.
Many people see it as a cardinal sin to take a car like the 718 Spyder, a car most people can only ever dream of owning and transform into an abomination. A bit harsh, other people’s words, not ours. So what did Matt actually do?
He took his 718 Spyder to DeMan Motorsport in New York and replaced the 4.0-liter stock engine with a 4.5-liter aftermarket upgrade that could produce 565 brake horsepower! Wow!
He also swapped the stock gears out for shorter gear ratios as well as slightly adjusted the shift points. This all sounds fine, right?
The problem is that Matt painted the car “Frozen Berry” pink, completely rehauled the interior to make it bright red, and added bright, shining gold rims. Does it sound awful? Some people think so.
The Porsche 718 Spyder – What modifications are most common
It isn’t exactly like the Porsche 718 is banned from being upgraded. People make modifications to 718s all the time! Common upgrades to the 718 Spyder usually include aftermarket exhaust systems, suspension upgrades, and brake upgrades.
You can actually ask Porsche to install race suspension and PCCB brakes before you even get your car.
However, you’ll have to find the aftermarket exhausts elsewhere. Some race enthusiasts also choose to install roll bars, harnesses, and other safety equipment for track use, which you will definitely want to do if you feel the need to spring for PCCB brakes for track racing. Spend the extra few grand on a roll bar. Seriously.
Matt Farah’s 718 Spyder – Is there anything wrong with people making crazy customizations?
Of course, there isn’t. Anybody that gets overly upset about customizations that someone else is making needs to consider why they care so much about someone else’s business on earth.
Sure, there are some upgrades that are outright abominations, but what Matt has done doesn’t even come close to that.
It looks kind of cool, even if it’s not exactly your style. Be honest; would you say no if he offered to gift it to you for free?
I wouldn’t. He isn’t hurting anyone, apart from his abrasive personality. But that’s not the poor 718s fault! We sometimes are a little bit purist about cars, especially Porsches, which have much more history and prestige than other manufacturers.
Matt Farah’s 718 Spyder – A Summary of the Situation
So, there you have it, all the facts. Matt Farah made some pretty out-there upgrades to his 718 Spyder, and it certainly got some people pretty riled up.
At the beginning of the blog post, we mentioned that you might feel a little bad for Matt by the time you are finished. Your patience is about to be rewarded! Now, Matt ordered his Porsche from overseas, which naturally required it to be shipped via boat.
A boat, which, unfortunately, sank. Yeah. Is that potentially a sign so ominous that people can justify giving Matt some abuse? No.
But it’s pretty funny that the Porsche he so desperately wanted to modify “drowned itself” rather than let him have his way with it! Only kidding! Hopefully, you enjoyed this blog post; it was certainly fun! Let us know what you think of Matt Farah’s 718 Spyder in the comments. Work of art or crime against nature?
