Porsche Speedster Celebrates Sixty Years of Driving Pleasure
The new Porsche 911 Speedster is just the latest in a long, rich tradition of open-top pleasure machines.
Double-Sided Coin
The recent re-release of the Porsche 911 Speedster is more than just another model to add to the legendary sports car's mix. It's also the revival of one of Porsche's longest-running body styles that dates all the way back to 1952. And it's also one that purposefully combines open-top driving pleasure with outstanding driving dynamics.
Forefather
The 356 America Roadster was actually the forefather of the Speedster, a lightweight, hand-assembled sports car that featured slot-in windows for the doors, a folding rain-cover top, and lightweight bucket seats. Only 16 of these rare machines were ever built.
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Legend Is Born
Famous U.S. importer Max Hoffmann convinced Porsche that there was, in fact, a market for these cars in the states. At his request, Porsche produced a much cheaper and simpler version of the 356 America Roadster that included Speedster in the model name for the very first time.
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Let the Sun Shine In
This new model featured the steel body of the Cabriolet with a raked windshield, rain top, and little in the way of interior options. With a price tag just under $3,000, the 356 1500 Speedster became an instant hit with folks living in sunny, coastal areas.
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New Generation
In 1988, a Speedster version of the 911 was introduced, based on the 911 Carrera with wide Turbo body panels, though 161 were built for export with a standard body. These cars also featured a shortened windshield and manually-operated rain top.
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Different Market
A grand total of 2,103 Speedsters were built as sort of a swan song for the G Series generation. And unlike the original 356 Speedster, they were rather expensive with a starting price of around $63,000 at the time.
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Improved Product
The 911 Speedster returned in 1992 and 1993, but this time around most was produced with a "lean" body. They featured a redesigned soft top mechanism that made opening and closing it much easier, and it cost around $74k even without air conditioning or power windows.
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Rarest Speedster Built
Porsche actually also made a Speedster version of the 993-gen 911 but built only two of them. One, a green example for Ferdinand Alexander Porsche himself. The other, for comedian and Porsche fanatic Jerry Seinfeld.
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Anniversary Celebration
The Speedster then disappeared until 2010, when it returned as part of the 997-gen 911. This new version helped the automaker mark the 25th anniversary of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur.
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Birthday Present
Likewise, 2018 marked 70 years of Porsche, so what better way to celebrate than with a new 911 Speedster Concept? Well, how about putting it into production? Thus, the latest version of the legendary Speedster carries on a long-standing tradition and offers fans a new way to experience open-air driving perfection.
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