Open all hours and all weathers

Picture it now – you’re at the wheel of an open-top Porsche, engine singing as you thread the car along a perfect stretch of tarmac by a glittering blue ocean in the warm sun. Perhaps you’re in the south of France or on America’s west coast. Whilst that sounds idyllic, it’s not necessary to travel so far – just head for some of the jaw-dropping roads that can be found in the UK.

The north-east of England, chosen by Porsche for some special, open-all-hours, open-all-weathers hood-down driving, is a case in point. The mesmerising, engaging and (best of all) traffic-free roads that wind through the North Pennines and Kielder Forest would be an utter joy in any vehicle, let alone a razor-sharp Porsche.

Star performer

My first sortie comes under the cover of darkness at the wheel of a Porsche 718 Boxster T – a new, even more performance-focused variant of the 718 Boxster – on roads that run right into the heart of the Northumberland Dark Sky Park. This area is almost completely free of light pollution, making it one of the best places in the country to enjoy gazing up at the starry skies.

Powered by the existing Porsche 300PS 2.0-litre turbocharged flat-four ‘boxer’ engine, a host of standard-fit extras give the T an even more heightened sense of driver involvement and enjoyment. Highlights include the Porsche Active Stability Management (PASM) sports chassis lowered by 20mm, a shortened gear shift and the Sport Chrono package.

Subtle styling enhancements include 20-inch alloy wheels finished in high-gloss titanium grey, ‘718 Boxster T’ logos on the doors and a black chrome-plated sports exhaust system. On the road, the T’s engine feels wonderfully flexible, pulls strongly right across the rev range – the sprint from 0-62mph takes just 5.1 seconds – and is perfectly matched to the slick and precise six-speed manual transmission.

The Sport Chrono package offers four driving modes that can be selected using the Mode switch on the GT sports steering wheel: Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual. Sport and Sport Plus sharpen throttle response and activate the automatic throttle-blip function, which perfectly matches the revs on each down-change. These modes also improve cornering agility and stability under heavy acceleration and braking via the Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts.

After a thrilling blast along impossibly dark lanes, we arrive at our destination and spend the bitterly cold evening gazing at a breathtaking array of astrological wonders under the guidance of a local expert. We overnight at the cosy Langley Castle – the perfect place to get some much needed rest in preparation for a long day of driving.

Unmatched thrills

The following morning, I’m greeted by thick frost – ideal conditions to wrap up warm and enjoy some sublime roads. It’s fitting, then, that this morning’s drive is in a Porsche 718 Spyder. With a chassis developed by the Porsche GT division and a sonorous 4.0-litre flat-six engine, this third-generation Spyder certainly has all of the ingredients to deliver unmatched thrills.

The mid-mounted, naturally-aspirated unit is derived from the turbo engine found in 911 Carrera models and delivers 420PS – 45PS more than its predecessor. Throttle response is immediate and the soundtrack is pure motorsport – particularly when you take the engine all the way to 8000rpm.

For the first time, the 718 Spyder shares the high-performance GT chassis of its coupé sibling, the Cayman GT4. Even on uneven roads, the Spyder feels supremely agile and precise. As I ascend the epic B6277 – one of the highest B-roads in the UK – the 718 Spyder is absolutely in its element, engine and chassis working in perfect harmony.

Higher up, the weather worsens, and as I round the next turn the road is covered in a dusting of snow. Yet even on its ultra-high-performance tyres, the Spyder feels incredibly stable. When the snow clears I drop down a gear, using the perfectly spaced pedals to pull off a satisfying rev-matched shift and bury the throttle, to send the engine note echoing off the hills.

Third strike

Next it’s time to sample the sleek Porsche 911 Speedster – the fastest, most powerful, most exclusive of our roadster trio. In honour of the 1948 356 No 1 Roadster, widely regarded as the genesis of Porsche sports cars, just 1948 examples of the 911 Speedster will be built. Inside the cabin, a number of touches hark back to the 911 Speedster’s iconic forebear, including all-black instrument dials, central rev counter and classic green numbering.

The 911 Speedster shares its heart with the track-focused 911 GT3, its revised 510PS engine featuring a modified intake system, plus a lightweight stainless-steel sports exhaust. The aural assault of extending the engine to its 9000rpm redline, before slotting into the next gear of the six-speed manual transmission, is joyous. On twisting roads, the car feels fantastically agile thanks to rear-axle steering and dynamic engine mounts, while Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with mechanical rear limited slip differential helps put down the power.