Porsche Celebrates Milestone with Glorious Speedster Concept

A drop-top Porsche is arguably the most iconic images in sports car history, particularly the famed 911 line of Porsches, whose heritage stretches all the way back to 1948 with the 356 No.1 Roadster.

To celebrate this long-running history, the German manufacturer has constructed the Speedster Concept – a specially designed roadster which blends the old and new of Porsche’s best instalments.

The appearance very obviously has cues from Porsche’s modern 911 range – but with a few notable differences. The most prominent is the flatter rear half, which lacks a bit of the sloped curve present on most 911 models.

More specifically, the Speedster comes from the same Porsche Motorsport Centre that developed the 911 GT2 RS, GT3, and GT3 RS, and it shares a lot of attributes with the currently produced GT models, particularly the GT3.

Porsche aficionados will spot small nods spread across the car that evoke certain periods in Porsche’s production history. The silver and white colour combination is borrowed from Porsche’s earliest racing cars, and the central fuel tank cap in the middle of the bonnet is a nod to their ’50s designs.

While the Speedster concept is a celebration of tradition and heritage, the concept borrows so heavily from the GT line, meaning that what’s beneath the exterior is anything but old-fashioned. The exhaust system, 21-inch rims, titanium tailpipes, and the 500 horsepower flat-six engine that tops out at 9000rpm and feeds into a 6-speed manual, are all cutting-edge Porsche technology.

A very intriguing consideration about the Speedster is that Porsche have announced it could be used as a platform for a future production model. They’re playing their cards close to the chest, saying that a decision about a potential series-production version will be made in the coming months.

If this is true, a few of the very exclusive features and design traits of the Speedster might make into Porsche showroom floors in the not too distant future; and we’re not complaining one bit.