Recalling one of the most famous road Porsche's in history, Porsche is launching the 4th generation Speedster. Based on the 911, the Speedster recalls Porsche's heritage of the original 356. The new Speedster is set to debut in Paris next month and will officially go on sale in December. Porsche is only going to produce 356 copies of the new classic. So act fast. Instantly noticeable is the lower ride height, wider rear track and raked windshield. All paired with the hard cover that goes over the 911s rear seat area. There are a few other body changes, like the rear bumper and side skirts. And who can deny those awesome modern Fuchs alloys taken from the 911 Sport Classic? The new Speedster packs a healthy 408 horsepower. The new 7 speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe transmission is the only choice and also Richard Hammond's favorite to pronounce. The Speedster will only be available in the exclusive Pure Blue paint or optional Carrara White. However, I'd imagine that further color choice are available to make your new Speedster a truly one of a kind car. The interior again is unique to the Speedster, but color options are not available. Check out the full press release after the video. Read the press release below:
Exclusive Small Series Limited to 356 Cars
Fourth Edition of a Sports Car Legend: The New Porsche 911 Speedster
Stuttgart. Very low-slung, very sporty, and very rare: The Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche
AG, Stuttgart, launches a small edition of a new 911 Speedster. Paying homage to
the first Porsche model that bore the name Speedster – the 356 Speedster –, the
production run for the new model is limited to 356 cars. The two-seater is significantly
different from the other members of the 911 family. In the best tradition, the 60 millimetre
lower, more raked windscreen, the flat contour of the sporty-look manual hood,
and the characteristic double-bubble hardcover for the soft top define the striking profile
of the new 911 Speedster. This makes the body of this rear-wheel drive with its
44 millimetre wider rear stand out even more. The new Porsche 911 Speedster will
celebrate its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in early October.
The new 911 Speedster combines the classic features of this type of Porsche sports
car with further improved performance of the current 911 generation: The 3.8-litre flat
six delivers 408 hp (300 kW), 23 hp more in comparison with the 911 Carrera S. With
its average consumption of 10.3 litres/100 km (27.43 mpg imp) (NEDC), the new
Speedster is no less efficient than the 911 Carrera S Cabriolet without Powerkit – an
effect of Porsche Intelligent Performance. The seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe
(PDK) is in charge of transmitting power to the rear axle fitted with a
standard differential lock. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche
Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) are standard, too. Add to that exemplary
protection for driver and passengers in the new 911 Speedster. Especially for this model, the Porsche engineers further improved the rollover protection system which
is standard in all open-top Porsche cars.
The conception of the current Speedster comes from Porsche Exclusive – the company-
owned "enhancer" specialising in individualisation of Porsche cars and small
series. The 911 Speedster heralds the 25th anniversary of Porsche Exclusive which
will be celebrated in 2011, and once again, demonstrates the small-series competence
of Porsche Exclusive after the big success of the 911 Sport Classic.
Living up to the Porsche Exclusive standard, the 911 Speedster features almost all
optional equipment of the 911 series and its appeal also comes from its meticulously
hand-finished interior in black smooth-finish leather with numerous exterior colour
painted details exclusive to the Speedster. These include decorative designs with
checkerboard patterns in the seat centre section of the adaptive sports seats reminiscent
of a chequered flag, and the leather side bolsters in the exterior colour.
The sporty flavour is further enhanced by the exterior colour “Pure Blue” that has
been developed exclusively for the Speedster, providing an intriguing contrast with
the tinted front lights, black headlight rings, black windscreen surround and other
black decorative designs. Upon request, the Speedster is available in Carrara White,
at no extra cost. It also features a special front apron, specific sideskirts and a distinct
rear apron.
In 1953, the Speedster series was launched with a puristic sports car based on the
Porsche 356, which had two sports bucket seats, doors with slide-in plastic side windows,
and a shortened, elegantly curved windscreen. In 1988, the Speedster based
on the 911 Carrera celebrated its revival with an added feature. For the first time, the
hood compartment lid had the characteristic double bubbles. In 1993/1994, the next
evolutionary stage of the 911 Carrera was ushered in with yet another Speedster.
In Germany, the 911 Speedster including country-specific equipment and 19 % VAT
is priced at Euro 201,682 and will be launched in December 2010.
