Tuesday 21st September 2010

New Porsche Speedster Set For Paris Debut

Limited-run soft-top Porsche continues the tradition started by the 356

---

Not keen to let a week go by without the unveiling of some new model variant, Porsche has come up with yet another new special edition - the 911 Speedster.

Unlike last week's new Porsche - the 911 GTS - the Speedster is a strictly limited-edition affair, built to commemorate the 'original' Porsche 356 Speedster. As a result - and you can probably see what's coming here - Porsche will build just 356 examples of the new Speedster as a nod to its 1950s forebear.

The Speedster uses the same 402bhp version of the 911's 3.8-litre flat six as in the new 911 GTS, giving it 22bhp (gasp) more than a standard Carrera S, although fuel consumption is unchanged at 27.4mpg combined (actually, we're secretly quite impressed by that).

That power goes through the near-unpronounceable 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) gearbox as standard, while a limited-slip differential, carbon-ceramic brakes and the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system are also standard fit.

Good thing there's all that kit, too, because Porsche is asking a pretty steep price for the Speedster. At £144,100 it's almost £64,000 (or an entire 911 Carrera 3.6) dearer than a standard Carrera S cab. Crikey.

The most significant differences between the Speedster and regular 911s, however, are visual. That distinctive 'double bubble' hood cover first seen on the 1989 Speedster special edition is back, and the wide body from the Carrera 4 gives the Speedster an aggressively low and wide stance. The windscreen is also 60mm lower and more steeply raked.

The Speedster also gets a unique blue paintjob, and bespoke interior highlights that match the 'Pure Blue' exterior paintwork.

The 911 Speedster will be built by Porsche Exclusive, the arm of Porsche that's responsible for limited edition offerings such as the recent 911 Sport Classic, and that celebrates its 25th birthday this year.

The 911 Speedster will make its in-the-metal debut at the Paris motor show in a couple of weeks time, and will be on sale in the UK by January 2011.

[BUG4LIFE]

That is a big ass!

[SAndals]

Kerrrrrrrrching!

[Ed.]

hunchback of stuttgart

[TimmmyT]

That back end does not do it any favours at all!

[morgrp]

rip off but looks great deja vu? Sport classic springs to mind

[Accelerated]

I prefer this-

[messer1978]

60 odd K to lose two seats and gain a boil on your back ????????

[Agoogy]

I love it.
I DO love the red one more, but I still think the new one is fantatstic
Stupid stupid price...you have to say though, that despite global economic pressures, companies like Porsche, Lambo, Pagini et al charge what they want, people pay and thats the end of it.

[SmartVenom]

I love porsche speedsters. I know it's a rip-off, but I also reckon porsche will have sold the entire lot within a week. I doubt I'll ever see one on the road!

[needham]

Excellent...the 679th version of the 911 S . I wonder if I will live long enough to see a genuinely new replacement for this Porsche product.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

New market place opens up for someone making "Speedster humps" at sensible money presumably?

[RDMcG]

Its getting a bit wearying , all the special editions of the end of the 997....Sport Classic,GT2RS,Speedster, (rumoured GT3RS), and I think it does no favours for the brand. It seems as if marketing is trumping engineering. We are getting more wings and body cladding than General Motors of 1959.........

[TommyBuoy]

needham said:

Excellent...the 679th version of the 911 S . I wonder if I will live long enough to see a genuinely new replacement for this Porsche product.

I wonder if you would be able to tell when a replacement is released

I'm not a 911 fan, I have never been able to get to grips with the proportions, so you may understand why I think this car looks awful! The soft top 911's always struggled with proportions IMO.

[Furyblade_Lee]

I too cannot deal with the rear end styling of all the recent 911 Cabrios. I am sure there is a valid reason they cannot make the rear pretty, packaging or cooling or something, but looks terrible especially with the roof down. Like the car is wearing a rucksack on its back, or a picnic basket!

[TommyBuoy]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

New market place opens up for someone making "Speedster humps" at sensible money presumably?

http://www.boxster-hardtop.co.uk/boxster-hardtop-pricing.asp

Looks like someone already is - I believe Porsche do as well IIRC

[Gold]

RDMcG said:

Its getting a bit wearying , all the special editions of the end of the 997....Sport Classic,GT2RS,Speedster, (rumoured GT3RS), and I think it does no favours for the brand. It seems as if marketing is trumping engineering. We are getting more wings and body cladding than General Motors of 1959.........

You can't complain at the GT2RS being marketing over engineering, absolute weapon.

[rossyIIa]

Why can't Porsche design rear ends, It's like they get to the rear and give up, maybe fall asleep and the pencil just wonders freely to a droopy boring mess!

[V88Dicky]

Let down by the cowling behind the front seats. Should be black IMHO, to give the impression of less bulbousness.

Otherwise, I'll take it.

Edited by V88Dicky on Tuesday 21st September 09:58

[Dr Z]

Gah! Porsche's determination to bring out these seemingly infinite variants of the 911 S every other week is really diluting the 'special' appeal of these 'limited editions' (oddly enough) and is very boring! Don't get me wrong Mr. Porsche, I really like a 911/911 S, I just wish for once, you'll let it be!

[RSchneider]

They should have given it a custom low-cut windscreen, not just the regular cabriolet version.