You may be surprised to learn that for all Porsche were founded in 1931, the first road certified car didn’t roll off the production line until June 1938, making this month the 70th Anniversary. So, to celebrate the automotive giant has produced the 911 Speedster that merges heritage with state-of-the-art.
Founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche the namesake company initially offered motor vehicle development and consulting, and although they didn’t build any cars themselves they were instrumental in designing the Beetle on behalf of Volkswagen.
During World War II their design nous was used by the military, in particular designing tanks, however once the war was over they set about designing and building for themselves, with several prototypes being created, but it wasn’t until June 1948 that the first road certified car came off the production line……the Porsche 356.
Over the next 70 years the company has produced numerous cars with undoubtedly the most famous being the 911.
So, with this month being exactly 70 years they decided to give themselves a present; the 911 Speedster Concept – a road-ready open-top exciting sports car that forges a link between year 1 and year 70.
The broad body strikes of a 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, although it’s wings, front bonnet and rear cover have been replaced with lightweight carbon fibre instead.
With a very low fly line, it has a stocky profile that is accentuated even more so with a shorter window frame, shortened side windows and a more inclined windscreen, which also helps the aerodynamics. At the rear the sports car has a special rear cover that connects behind the seats covering a roll-over protection structure and creating contrasting black slats between its ‘humps’.
Inside its’s simplistic, but still elegant. The sat nav, radio, and air conditioning have all been removed. This all helps with weight reduction, as does the bucket seats that are made of carbon. Speaking of the seats they are upholstered in light brown aniline leather in cognac 365 – a throwback to yesteryear.
Further tributes to the cars heritage are even more apparent with its exterior styling. Firstly, its paintwork of GT silver and white colours reference Porsche’s race-cars. Secondly it features a 50’s style central fuel tank cap that is positioned right in the centre of the bonnet, as well as classic Talbot shaped wing mirrors, and unique headlights which sport an X on it paying homage to a time when Porsche taped its headlights to protect the glass when performing in motorsport.
Finally, there are unique 21-inch rims, classic 5-spoke wheels, and there’s wide B-pillars and the rear is decorated with milled, gold-plated ‘speedster’ lettering.
Under the skin, the chassis is derived from the 911 GT3, while the naturally-aspirated flat-6 engine produces 500 horsepower with an insane redline of 9,000 rpm.
Helping the mill produce its power is a titanium exhaust system, while a 6-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear.
For further information please head over to porsche.com/uk
