Taking the roof and a few of the race car aspects off a 911 GT3 RS may not sound like the greatest idea — but it is.
Starting off as a concept that sent Porsche fanatics into a frenzy, the 2019 911 Speedster has been revealed at the New York Auto show, and its better than what we imagined.
Powering the sleek-looking Speedster is the 502hp (374kW) 4.0-litre flat six engine that comes standard in both GT3 and GT3 RS models. Revving to 9000rpm and featuring 469Nm of torque, this power plant is everything that this 911 needs.
Interestingly, the Speedster will be sold exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, just like its race orientated counterparts. Though it shares a similar chassis and engine, the Speedster is (expectedly) a little slower to 100km/h than the GT3 RS, taking 3.8 seconds compared to the RS' 2.9.
According to the press release, the chassis is “derived from the 911 GT3 models with a specifically-calibrated rear axle steering system and dynamic engine mounts to deliver a maximum amount of precision, stability and driving pleasure."
Due to the roofless nature of the car, Porsche has cut excess weight wherever they could, and a lot of carbon fibre is the result. The bonnet, front fenders, and boot lid are all “made from carbon fiber composite material” and the bumpers are polyurethane. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and the Speedster lost its air conditioning system in the name of saving weight, but can be added on as an extra if you so wish.
All this weight saving makes for an incredible-looking convertible that tips the scales at just 1465kg.
Priced at US$274,500 ($408,409) and considering that there are only going to be 2000 Speedsters produced, we'd be lucky to see any make it to our shores.
