Porsche’s new 911 Speedster will essentially be a 911 R without a roof and the first open-top model to come out of the company’s GT department, and that comes straight from the lips of the man in charge of Porsche’s GT division, Andreas Preuninger.
We all know that the production version of the 911 Speedster is around the corner, even if the German car maker is still refusing to confirm it. We’ve seen too many spy shots of it being driven around but the prospect of the Speedster morphing into a proper motorsport-inspired machine is intriguing, to say the least.
Unlike previous Speedsters, this one will be based on the GT3 chassis, even using the same suspension. The concept features a manual transmission straight out of the GT3 Touring while the engine is the same, naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six unit found in the 911 R.
Preuninger tells Carfection that he wanted the 911 Speedster to become a more edgy, motorsport-themed sports car. He wanted to evoke the spirit of old race cars with it, and by the magnificent sound of the car, he did it.
Another elegant detail of the new 911 Speedster is that the rear bodywork now blends beautifully with the rest of the car; previous Speedsters could look a bit like the Hunchback of Notre-Dame from certain angles, so it’s great to see the new one nailing the shape.
Preuninger has a lot to share about the 911 Speedster, so the video that follows should make for pretty interesting viewing.