From Concept To Reality, The Porsche 911 Speedster Makes Its Return

Last year the iconic marque that is Porsche celebrated a major milestone, it's 70th Birthday. Over the previous seven decades, Porsche has manufactured unquestionably some of the finest sports cars ever produced. However, for a firm of this stature, how do you celebrate a milestone as significant as this?

The answer? The Porsche 911 Speedster. An amalgamation of the best of Porsche from past and present, the 911 Speedster is a direct throwback to that iconic 356 Speedster of the late 1940s. A machine that started the design philosophy of the contemporary 911, the 356 was Porsches Concorde moment and it’s only befitting that this machine is celebrated in a 2019 reincarnation.

Unveiled at last Octobers Paris Motor Show, the 911 Speedster concept proved the centrepiece of Porsches impressive stand. Taking centre stage in striking guards red it’s clear that Porsche has put a lot of time and effort into what the essence of this machine should be.

In somewhat of a current trend, manufacturers and tuners alike are increasingly visiting their back catalogues to reignite the flames of old and to add a touch of vintage appeal to their contemporary machines.

With the new 911 Speedster, however, we have more than just a heritage vanity project or impressive concept prototype. This 911 Speedster is going into production roper and it's built on an impressive pedigree.

Naturally, with any concept machine, certain elements are always going to fall by the wayside when it comes to production. What initially stole the crowd's attention at Paris was those retro visual cues, most notably of which are those stunning and bespoke wing mirrors.

Sadly these don’t make the cut on the full-fat production model however other elements like the central filler cap and that achingly stunning curved architecture behind the headrests are retained in the production ready machine.

The car itself is based on the now discontinued, yet highly acclaimed 991 generation of the 911 and furthermore, will become one of the first machines from Porsche to feature the Heritage Design Packages, which will allow the cars owners an even higher degree of personalisation and customisation. Other key visual items present on the Speedster include the centre lock wheel nuts and cross-spoke alloy wheel design which is a nod to Porsche racing machines past and present.

Underneath that gorgeous body lies at 991 911 GT3 at its heart. Built for style and substance this Speedster has genuine potential to be a potent track day weapon proving that this thing is far more than just a pretty face. Power comes from a naturally-aspirated flat-six engine which is capable of developing more than 500 horsepower.

With the Speedster going into production imminently, no less than 1,948 units will be built. This number a direct reflection of the year that the very first Porsche 356 received its first operating license.

With Porsche arguably in the best health it has ever been in, the 911 Speedster is a fitting tribute to a marque that has done so much for the sports car over the last seven decades. Here’s to the next 70 Porsche.