DESPITE a span of 35 years between Porsche’s original Speedster, the 356, and its 911 namesake, there are signs the ’80s icon is developing a similar aura of adulation that has seen its predecessor become one of the most collectible classic cars.
With its steeply raked, low-cut windscreen and sleek “double-hump” fiberglass cover – paying homage to the 356 and other sports-racers of the 1950s era – the Carrera 911 Speedster stole the show at its public unveiling during the 1988 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Just as the 356 Speedster was introduced on the basis that a lower-cost, simply trimmed, open-top version of the car could sell well in the speed-obsessed American market, Helmuth Bott’s evocative design for the 911 Speedster was equally unequivocal in its desire to adopt an overtly sporting presence.
Although production models were marginally more luxurious than the Frankfurt prototype, with a taller windscreen and roll-up windows, the convertible top was manually-operated and simpler than that of the 911 Cabriolet, with no headliner and thinner insulation used.
Build of the new-generation Speedster began in 1989, with construction capped at just 2,104 Speedsters, all produced in a six month period from January to July. All were equipped with the Turbo-specification chassis and competition-style brakes with cross-drilled discs and four-piston calipers.
Although 171 cars were fitted with a narrow body, the majority of Speedsters were equipped with Porsche’s striking “Turbo Look” bodywork.
With the 911 Speedster the last Porsche model produced at the old factory in Stuttgart; a fact that along with its rakish lines and limited production numbers ensured it became a highly collectible car from the outset, a good example could expect to fetch in the region of £62,000 to £76,000.
For your chance to get your hands on one, an auction featuring a rare 911 Speedster will take place on the afternoon of Saturday November 24 at Brooklands Museum, near Weybridge in Surrey. Call 0800 988 3838 or visit www.historics.co.uk for more details.
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