Porsche's 911 Speedster lives!

By Paul Bond

September 2010

Porsche is plundering its past once again! Only months after building the retro duck-tailed 911 Sport Classic, the German marque has revived another legendary model from its heritage in Paris – the chop-top Speedster.

This is the first Speedster version of the 911 in 18 years, and fans of previous incarnations will instantly recognise the classic styling touches.

The sharply raked windscreen has been shortened by 60mm compared to the standard car, while the swollen ‘double-bubble’ roof covers and the Eighties-inspired black stone guards on the rear arches hark back to original Speedsters.

Other unique touches on the new machine include black surrounds for the headlights, while the Speedster also gets the same silver-rimmed Fuchs alloys and the big-bore twin exhausts found on the Sport Classic.

As with previous drop-tops, Porsche reckons the Speedster will be used purely for top-down thrills, but if the weather does turn bad, a lightweight canvas roof is stowed under the rear humps and comes with no electric assistance.

Underneath, the new car shares its running gear with the new 911 GTS – a possible last hurrah for the 997, with rumours that the latest model is being readied for production. That means the rear track is 44mm wider than on the standard Carrera 4, while power comes from an uprated version of the standard 3.8-litre direct-injection flat six engine, now producing 402bhp.

That’s delivered to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential for better control of the power. It will certainly shift: top speed is 189mph, while the benchmark 0-62mph sprint is dealt with in only 4.6 seconds.

Helping you achieve that is the crisp seven-speed PDK double-clutch gearbox, with steering wheel paddles as standard. For extra stopping power, ceramic composite brakes are standard. Fuel economy is rated at 27.4mpg – exactly the same as the less potent Carrera S.

The dramatic ‘Pure Blue’ paintwork has been developed especially for this car, with colour-coordinated inserts on the seatbacks, door handles and dashboard giving the interior a bolder look. A metal plaque displays the model number, while a chequered flag motif is stitched into the seat squabs.

Order books will open in October, and the Speedster is due on sale in January with a hefty price tag of £144,000 – making it Porsche’s second most expensive model after the GT2 RS flagship. The new car will be a rare sight. Only 356 examples of the model are planned, in a deliberate homage to the original 356 Speedster from the Fifties.