Thursday 30th September 2010

Paris: Porsche 911 Speedster

Porsche (re-)re-visits a favourite theme with hi-spec limited edition

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Because 19 variants of the 911 weren't enough, Porsche's 20th has been unveiled here at Paris.

Mining the depths of their heritage (Shouldn't that be reliving the highlights? Ed), Porsche has decided to look back to the 1989 speedster. They've even nicked the 'double-bubble' rear end.

What sets the Speedster apart from a regular 911 Cabriolet is a more steeply raked, 60mm lower windscreen, an exclusive 'Pure Blue' paintjob (with interior fittings to match) and a £64,000 premium over a Carrera 4 Cabriolet. Ouch.

So, £114,100 price tag aside, what else makes it worth having? Well, Porsche is playing the exclusivity card with this one. Only 356 (see what they did there?) will ever be made, so if you want one you'll have to get in fairly quickly.

Under the bonnet/bootlid is the same 402bhp 3.8-litre flat six you'll find in the freshly announced GTS. It will, they point out, sip fuel at 27.4mpg - the same as a Carrera S - although why that's really relevant we're not entirely sure.

You'll swap cogs with the 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) auto 'box, which is a generous inclusion on the 'standard' spec list. You'll also get a limited slip diff, carbon ceramic brakes and Porsche Active Suspension Management entirely gratis.

[chazwozza]

i'll take 2 please

[80s Matchbox]

A 911 Speedster is supposed to be a better looking version of the standard cabriolet. This one isn't.

Edited by 80s Matchbox on Thursday 30th September 08:29

[nonplussed]

"Qvick, Rudolf, ve haff no pointless 911 for zis Paris show zat ve can flog to orange vealthy people."

[dr00py]

A 911 that actually looks as tail-heavy as they handle.
Makes the rear wheels seem too small.

[A911DOM]

I love 911's and think the 997 brought things back to a more classic attractive look - But this really is looking way too bubbly at the back.

I dont expect I'll ever see one due to their limited number, but even if I had the money I dont think I'd buy one.

Having said all that - Im not a big fan of a 911 drop top full stop...

Come on Porsche - time to up the anti a bit!

[LuS1fer]

Can't be far off making the 911th varant of the 911.

[Whitean3]

dr00py said:

A 911 that actually looks as tail-heavy as they handle.

You've never driven one, then?

[[AJ]]

I'm saddened to say that I'm not a fan. The speedster concept just doesn't work on this shape. We know Porsche are more than capable of whipping out a modern future classic, the Boxster Spyder, 918 Spyder and even the Sport Classic are testament to that, but this is just horrid.

[dr00py]

Whitean3 said:

dr00py said:

A 911 that actually looks as tail-heavy as they handle.

You've never driven one, then?

Admittedly no, but I've read enough reviews to have an informed opinion.
...and I can see the steamrollers under the rear guards required for taming all of that mass back there.

[5pen]

£64k premium, £114k price tag. Is a C4 Cabriolet only £50k?

[LukeBird]

Love the idea of the Speedster, but the execution never fulfils it (visually at least!) for me.

[juansolo]

It should just not be. Horror... the horror! You see as far as I'm concerned, they built a perfectly good topless Porsche, that was designed to be that way so didn't look like a snail. It's packaging was excellent and should be the only topless pork available. 911's sans a roof are just wrong and should be locked away in some dark warehouse somewhere and forgotten. Along with the Cayenne, the Panamera and the twisted evil bastid that designed them. Look at the 918, they *CAN* design pretty cars when they want to. Not just these humpbacked abominations.

[valium]

My eyes, my eyes...

[zeppelin101]

Looks disabled with a hunch-back in all honesty.

[mat205125]

"THE BELLS! THE BELLS!"

[hornetrider]

5pen said:

£64k premium, £114k price tag. Is a C4 Cabriolet only £50k?

I also spotted this glaring statistical anomaly

Car looks atrocious, and I do like my 911s.

[dazren]

5pen said:

£64k premium, £114k price tag. Is a C4 Cabriolet only £50k?

Pretty sure it's £140k, not £114k. I've asked the editorial team to check.

[bencollins]

"THE BELLS! PENDULUM, THE BELLS! PENDULUM"


EFA

[RudeDog]

I'm not a fan either. The proportions are all wrong.

I thought the Sport Classic was ridiculously priced but at least it was gorgeous looking. This is ridiculously priced and hideous.

[Mini1275]

That rear is hideous!. I'd rather have the 911 Turbo, but i guess it's more the exclusivity than the 'looks'.