SPEEDSTER LEGACY
356 SPEEDSTER
It’s unusual for a non-911 model to grace these pages, but for accuracy please forgive us this significant 356 Speedster interloper. As pretty as cars can be, this is Speedster genesis; the 911’s forbearer, powered here by a 1,600cc engine. Power is a modest 75hp or so, but it weights nearly half that of the 991 Speedster, and feels quick enough.
The idea behind it was conceived by American car importer Max Hoffman, who wanted a low-cost, high-performance model to sell in America. Hoffman proposed stripping out equipment, the loss of the rear seats and simple buckets up front behind a removable raked windscreen. The hood was rudimentary and the sales were incredible, Hoffman’s vision helping Porsche cement its reputation as a sports car firm in the huge US market, the Speedster becoming a hugely significant model as a result.
For a car that’s in its sixth decade of being, it’s incredibly easy to drive. If vintage Porsche underline one thing, it’s that engineering has been at the firm’s absolute core since the beginning. The gearshift is unusually sweet for such an elderly vehicle, operating with the precision that’s a company hallmark. The brakes, too, are strong for this period of car, while the steering, though relatively slow-witted by modern standards, is incisive against its
