SPORTS car fans are in for a treat when this year’s Paris motor show opens at the beginning of next month.
For hard on the heels of the announcement of Paris launches for new Lotus and Maserati supercars, comes news that the show will also see the return of one of the most evocative names in sports car history.
Revealed this week is an all-new Porsche 911 Speedster – only the fourth evolution of a rare and legendary sporting name which was first seen on the classic 356 model of 1953. And to commemorate its famous ‘50s forebear, the latest Speedster’s production run is limited to just 356 examples.
The name is synonymous with low-slung, open-top, two-seater Porsche sports cars that attracted free-spirited driving enthusiasts seeking the ultimate ‘wind in the hair’ experience.
Every Porsche Speedster was traditionally distinguished by its shortened windscreen and sleek tail, and the new 911 Speedster – based on of the Carrera 4 body - likewise features a 60mm lowered and raked windscreen and the characteristic ‘double-bubble’ hard cover for the manual soft top.
The 3.8-litre flat six used in the 911 Carrera S has been tuned to deliver an extra 23 horsepower and the 408 hp (300 kW) engine will rocket the car from standstill to 60mph in around 4.5 seconds and power on to a maximum speed just short of 190mph .
Power goes to the rear wheels – where else? – via a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox and a limited slip differential. Features include active suspension and ceramic composite brakes and a safety roll-over protection system which has been specifically tailored for the unique Speedster design.
As you’d expect from a car which will cost from £144,100 when it goes on sale in the UK next January, this latest Speedster comes with plenty of luxury kit as standard not least of which is Porsche’s Vehicle Tracking System – something very necessary on a car which is going to be as rare as the proverbial hen’s teeth on British roads.
The Porsche Speedster Story (optional sidebar panel with pic).
The original Speedster series was launched as a pure sports car based on the Porsche 356 and 1,234 examples were built, followed by a further 2,910 based on the 356A launched in 1955.
The Speedster name was revived in 1989 with an edition based on the 911 Carrera 3.2. Initially, a limited run of 171 were produced, but a wide-bodied ‘Turbolook’ version introduced shortly afterwards was sold to 2,103 customers.
In 1992/1993, 930 Speedsters were built based on the 911 Carrera Type 964 with a further 15 widebodied ‘Turbolook’ versions specially commissioned by customers. Most recently, two examples of the Type 993 911 Speedster have been built to special order.