Back in the earlier days of motoring, when on-board tech meant having a radio, and safety systems beyond brakes and a seat belt were unheard of, cars used to weigh just a few hundreds of kilograms.
Porsche’s chief of design Michael Mauer certainly remembers those days, as one of his favorite models ever is the 550 Spyder. Built in the mid-‘50s, it tipped the scales at approximately 1,200 lbs (550 kg) and came with a small 1.5-liter flat-four engine.
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An ultimate driver’s car, the 550 Spyder is deeply embedded into Mauer’s mind, who told CarMagazine that he would take on the task of building an extremely lightweight small modern sports car in a heartbeat. “I’d love to do a pure new sports car, reduced to the maximum. We will see. There is a lot of discussion. I think it’s possible, especially with new materials.”
So, how would they approach the matter? One way would be to take the platform of the current 718 Boxster/Cayman duo, strap a smaller aluminum or carbon fiber body on top of it, get rid of any unnecessary gear and put a flat-four or flat-six engine on top of the rear axle, preferably without any turbochargers, and link it to a stick shift. The ultimate Porsche sports car for driving enthusiasts would need to have seating for two and perhaps a fixed roof on top of the cabin, which wouldn’t require any structure reinforcements.
The model could be a great way to send off the current 718, but it could also live on alongside the next-gen Cayman and Boxster, which might go full electric (decision pending), as a way to appeal to those who want extreme thrills packed into a modern package at an affordable cost.
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