RE: Porsche unveils 911 Speedster in New York

RE: Porsche unveils 911 Speedster in New York

Wednesday 17th April 2019

Porsche unveils 911 Speedster in New York

Run-out 991 model will be limited to just 1948 examples globally. Form an orderly queue



It's fair to say Porsche has been building up to the new 911 Speedster for a while. We were treated to the first concept car last summer at Goodwood, followed by a 'second study' at the Paris show in October. Naturally the show car pretence was all just about window dressing; Stuttgart had decided that the model would be the last hurrah of the 991 aeons ago. And what a way for the generation to exit stage right.

Being a Speedster obviously makes it special right out of the gate. It's been almost ten years since Porsche attached the name to a 911, and back then it was grafted to the outgoing 997 in a limited 356-unit run. But that car made do with the then Carrera GTS engine; this time around - and for the first time ever - Porsche Motorsport has been charged with development duties, which means that (as expected) the car inherits the same naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six that helped make the 991 variant of GT3 one of the finest sports cars ever made.


In the Speedster it develops 502hp and 346lb ft, and is reportedly the recipient of individual throttle bodies, much as you'd find in the GT3 R race car. The result is an even faster throttle response - and presumably bragging rights for buyers of the convertible. They will be far more numerous than the owners of the 997 version - Porsche will build 1948 units globally - but each can expect to pay an extravagant premium when the car is made available for ordering on May 7th.

The prospect does seem a compelling one, though. Not only is greater exposure to that 9,000rpm-capable engine guaranteed by design, it may yet turn out to be the final resting place for the atmospheric 4.0-litre flat-six. Fittingly - and as it suggested it would - the Speedster is offered exclusively with the GT Sport six-speed manual gearbox, which still permits 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 192mph.

Elsewhere the new model follows the template established by the concept cars. It simply wouldn't be a 911 Speedster without the low-cut front windshield and side windows, and the fabric hood is manually operated (though not the latch). The justification for that of course is low weight - and that theme continues inside where you get lightweight door panels with storage nets and door pulls. Opt to have the standard leather interior augmented by red stitching and the latter will come in red, too. Expect the splattering of carbon fibre trim in the cabin to be liberal.


This extends into the exterior bodywork, where the front luggage compartment lid, front bumpers and the rear deck are all made from composite. Ceramic brakes (PCCB) are standard, too - though not air conditioning, unless you plump for the no-cost option tick. All this means that the Speedster tips the scale at 1,465kg - and while Porsche doesn't qualify the precise nature of that number, we'd expect it to equate to a significant saving over the standard 991 convertible.

Not that the Speedster is likely to have much problem in containing its mass anyway. Underneath the model gets a chassis directly derived from the GT3, which means it shares the same rear-axle steering system and dynamic engine mounts along with 20-inch centre lock wheels. The latter come in Satin Black and are shod in what Porsche likes to call its Ultra High Performance tyre. Oh and you get a watch with it, too: the Porsche Design 911 Speedster Chronograph, to be precise. A kicker, if one were needed, for what is likely to be one of the most sought after cars of this or any other generation. Expect deliveries of the £275,750 (£211,000) run-out model to begin before the end of the year.




Author
Discussion

mersontheperson

Original Poster:

700 posts

164 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
But not in red

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
There’s always been something that little bit special about the speedster to me.

More than the sum of it’s parts somehow.

CoolHands

18,496 posts

194 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
How much? And what does “the low-cut front windshield” mean?

stongle

5,910 posts

161 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
CoolHands said:
How much? And what does “the low-cut front windshield” mean?
Your are joking? Or hand PH cards in!!! The speedster is "chopped" or rather has a reduced height/length screen. All of them have....

CacheMonet

102 posts

85 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
I don't think I have ever loved the look of a new car this much in the last 10 years

moonigan

2,127 posts

240 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
I cant believe the wing mirrors from the concepts haven't made it to production. They were the stand out feature in my eyes.


Djtemeka

1,802 posts

191 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
I’m no Porsche officianado(?) but that looks like a regular Porsche to me smile

Having said that. 500bhp naturally aspirated engine. Yum!

Bob-2146

286 posts

71 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
Great marketing if you really want to be priced gouged. I can see these ‘limited’ run out naturally aspirated models paying their Directors’ bonuses for generations... smile

Juno

4,481 posts

248 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
Defo a plus to have decided on a fabric roof,a plus with the UK weather in an emergency.

Reminds me of my Porsche ownership in the late 80’s/90’s, it did leak a bit but what times they were!!!


traxx

3,143 posts

221 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
1948 - not exactly that limited is it?

zebede

122 posts

270 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all


If you compare with the attached you will see it’s chopped although not by much!

matrignano

4,344 posts

209 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
It's a shame that they toned down the concept car so much.

It looks like a convertible GT3 (touring), with very few different design details to make it really stand out.
The lower windshield is barely noticeable and the rear buttresses are not as pronounced as they could/should have been.

They could at least given it some new wheels!

jas xjr

11,309 posts

238 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
I am no expert but I am sure Porsche have used the speedster name on much earlier cars than the 997. Might have been a 964

Ilovejapcrap

3,274 posts

111 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
What’s I look like with the hood up

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
jas xjr said:
I am no expert but I am sure Porsche have used the speedster name on much earlier cars than the 997. Might have been a 964
All the way back to the 356 and 550!

It was resurrected for the end of run g series, then the 964, they only made one “official” 993 speedster before it came back for the 997.

MDL111

6,891 posts

176 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
traxx said:
1948 - not exactly that limited is it?
nope, they built fewer "unlimited" 996.1 GT3s, 996 and 997 GT2s than that. I suspect if Porsche GT cars were currently not trading for overs, then this would be one of those "we stopped production at 1.000 units" or loads of unsold cars on lots at a discount type scenarios. Wasn't it the same with the Carrera GT (I think they wanted to build 1,500 and stopped at 1,2XX).

WhatHappenedThere

268 posts

60 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
Wasn't the 911R meant to be 'the ultimate' combo ? ?


or is this becoming simply an N+1 scenario.... ?

NickCQ

5,392 posts

95 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
Juno said:
Defo a plus to have decided on a fabric roof,a plus with the UK weather in an emergency.

Reminds me of my Porsche ownership in the late 80’s/90’s, it did leak a bit but what times they were!!!

that plate! eek

DS240

4,636 posts

217 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
That is absolutely gorgeous. 911 perfection.

Perfect and more appeal on roads than a gt3/RS for me personally.

Imagine that perfect sunny day, fantastic road, the med glistening in the distance.

smithyithy

7,191 posts

117 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
quotequote all
Lovely looking thing, bet it drives incredibly too.

I think I'd opt for a more classic spec though, Crayon (or whatever it's called) with some Fuchs-style wheels - I'm not sure if Porsche offer then but there are some aftermarket ones that are just like the 991.1 50th Anni wheels but sized for these later GT cars.