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porsche hangout Getting To Grips With The Porsche 911 Speedster

The Porsche 911 Speedster Concept is the German carmaker’s special gift to itself, as it celebrates its 70th anniversary. The sexy open-top car will be hitting the market in early 2019. Exactly 1,948 models will be made, in honor of the year the brand was born. 1948 marks the year the first Porsche, the 356 ‘No. 1’Roadster, received its operating license.

In typical Porsche tradition, the 911 Speedster closes the era of the 991 generation, opening the doors for the 992.

911 Speedster Concept Confirmed For Production

Porsche 911 Speedster

We’ve been holding our breath since June 8, when the company presented the first study of the anniversary vehicle. The sporty, two-toned, pure concept study left us in awe(refresh your memory of the 911 Speedster Concept video), but no one was sure if it was going to be produced or not.

The Stuttgart sports car manufacturer put us all at ease on October the 2nd, at the Paris Motor Show, when it presented the second study, in striking ‘Guards Red’. Porsche officially confirmed that it would roll the car out as an extremely limited-edition next year. 

The future Speedster will be the first Porsche vehicle to come with the exclusive Heritage Design Packages. You will have the pleasure of choosing just what you like from the highly personalized accessory line.

Paying Homage to the Early Cars

Fusing cutting-edge, conceptual design with iconic features from its predecessors, the new 911 Speedster carries the true spirit of the Stuttgart-based brand. It ushers tradition into the future in a way that only Porsche knows how. 

You can see echoes of Porsche’s past in its inclined windscreen, short side windows and shortened window frame. The sports car derives its body from the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet. At the same time, its thickset profile and super low fly-line point back at models such as the 356 1500 Speedster of 1955. 

The future 911 Speedster’s eye-catching red body is reminiscent of the 1988 911 Speedster. To complement the paintwork and add to the car’s sportiness, its daytime running lights are tinted red. A tastefully finished, black and red interior completes the look. The bucket seats, finished in partly perforated leather, ensure that you enjoy the engine’s song in comfort.

Retro Porsche Features

Dazzling in black-chrome and platinum are Talbot-style side mirrors, and a fuel tank cap that is right in the middle of the front bonnet. Both are reminiscent of the 1950s.

Although the broad body makes the central fuel cap less practical than on earlier models, the manufacturer seems keen on keeping the feature. 

On the first study, the main headlights had across-like effect, created by a mix of transparent and opaque material. They are now fully transparent. However, the lights still maintain a notable, oval shape that takes you back to the early 911s.

Open-Top and Lightweight

Don’t expect a convertible top with this beauty. It is designed purely for the open-top experience.

The classic Porsche ‘double-bubble’ rear feature contains a lightweight Tonneau cover, to protect the interior when parked. Tenax buttons fasten it the body.

Continuing on the lightweight principles of the Speedster, the car is without a radio, air conditioner or navigation system.The rear bonnet is made from a lightweight carbon fiber composite, and so are the fenders.

Below the Body

In the spirit of “bringing the Speedster idea closer to motorsport again,” as Porsche’s Andreas Preuninger puts it, this anniversary design is built for high performance. The Porsche Motorsport Center, home of the 911, made sure of that by equipping it with powerful, cutting-edge components.

Below the open-top body is the same chassis as the 911 GT3. It also shares the 4.0 liter, naturally aspirated, flat-6 engine with the race car. Expect up to 500 hp and speeds of up to 9,000 from this powerful engine.

“A pure driving experience” is the focus of the Porsche 911 Speedster. The powertrain has a six-speed manual transmission and titanium tailpipes, for optimal performance. Carrying the vehicle are 21-inch, center-lock, alloy wheels on both ends.Their cross-spoke design takes inspiration from racers such as the 911 RSR and GT3 R.

One thing is certain, if you can get your hands on one of these machines, you’re in for an incredible a treat.

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