It was designed as a minimalist variant of the 356 series that, with its low weight, could compete in road racing across the United States. Today, the 50s concept lives on as replica cars.
We can thank Max hoffman for Porsche to create the Speedster. He made his living importing European luxury cars to the United States, including Porsche. The car brand made its debut in the United States in 1950. Within a few years, a third of Porsche's production of 356 cars went to the United States via Hoffman's import company.
Hoffman imagined that a lightweight, low-cost, spartanly furnished Porsche 356 without a roof could be a success in the United States. The Germans took the hint, and in September 1954 the Porsche 356 Speedster was launched. 4822 Speedsters were produced until the end of 1959.
High prices
If you want one of the original cars, you have to be prepared to pay a lot. Prices have risen in recent years. You're lucky if you can get a good car for under €300000 – but you could risk paying a lot more. With such high prices, unfortunately, the cars often end up with collectors who never take them out on the road.
Replica models
Some 65 years after the last Porsche 356 Speedster was produced, many replica cars have been made that owners are more than happy to take out on the road on nice summer days. You can acquire a replica in the following ways:
- Factory-built, new cars that are delivered ready-made – ready to turn the ignition key.
- Cars that are delivered as kits in different levels of finish.
- Construction kit based on a chassis from a donor car.
Continuation models?
No replica manufacturers are approved by Porsche to produce any official continuation models. The closest ones are probably Reutter Body Works in Stuttgart. Some cars are said to have been built by Reutters after regular production ceased. Reutter supplied bodies to Porsche, including the Speedster. Any cars produced by Reutter afterwards are then more closely related to the original cars than later replicas built by other players.
Recognized replica models
Several manufacturers have subsequently delivered fully built cars that can be considered continuation models. Chesil Motor Company can deliver fully built cars with a new chassis, new engine and disc brakes on all wheels. The cars are approved by the British IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) and will probably be approved in Norway as well. A new factory-built car with new parts costs from £79995. A self-build kit costs a total of £33000 if you have a donor car with ID, chassis and drivetrain. Chesil is British, but also makes cars with the steering wheel on the left side (LHD).
Another manufacturer, Beck Speedster in Indiana, USA, delivers ready-made cars with new components for $50165 – prepared for the installation of the desired powertrain – for example, air-cooled VW.
Replica manufacturers
Chesil Motor Company, Oxfordshire, UK.
Beck Speedster, Indiana, USA.
APAL Speedster – Belgian company that is no longer active, but their cars are considered very good replicas.
Chamonix NG Cars – Brazilian company that, among other things, has been involved in building the Puma with technology based on VW. No longer supplies cars, but previously built cars are considered very good.
JPS Motorsports, San Diego, USA.
CMC Speedster (Classic Motor Carriages), Miami USA. The company no longer exists, but the cars are considered very good replicas.
Vintage Motorcars, Inc., Miami, USA can supply Speedster replicas with several engine choices.
Pilgrim Speedster Ltd, West Sussex, UK. Delivers ready-built cars (also LHD) with VW 1600 95hp.
Martin & Walker, UK, no longer exists, but built sporty Porsche replicas that are highly regarded on the second-hand market.
Speedster Clinic – Building kit supplier in Warwickshire, UK.
Speedster Werks Construction kit supplier in Derbyshire, UK.
Factory built new or used Speedster?
A ready-made replica car from a low-volume production run that has already been approved by a European inspection body will probably be the easiest way to get behind the wheel of a classic Porsche Speedster. Prices are about the same as what a Cobra replica costs. We are talking about a budget of between NOK 750000 and 1 million. Then you get a hand-built car with a fiberglass body on a new chassis and a rebuilt or new air-cooled VW engine, Porsche 914 engine or water-cooled Subaru boxer engine. The car drives as well – or better – than an original Speedster. One advantage of a factory-built car may also be that you can clarify early on whether the car can be approved in Norway.
In Europe, well-built, used Speedster replicas with low mileage cost from €40000-60000 before taxes. With approval from another European country, it will probably be possible to clarify approval also with Norwegian authorities before the car is brought into Norway.
Used Speedster replicas are expensive cars that are often sold through dealers of finer, classic cars. Reputable dealers will state the name of the manufacturer and probably also who built the car if it was delivered as a kit. Reputable kit and car builders defend the high price. It is pathetic when sellers try to hide the fact that the car is a replica, even though everyone should know that a real car would have cost 10 times as much.
Real Speedster or replica?
All original cars had steel bodies. There may also be cars with steel bodies sold subsequently by the bodywork manufacturer. ReutersAll other cars have fiberglass bodies.
The following things can reveal that the car is a replica:
- 4 wheel nuts, not 5.
- The pedals are attached to the floor, not to the wall behind.
- The handbrake is located between the seats, not as a handle under the dashboard on the left (LHD).
- Straight gear lever, not bent
- Several replica cars have raised the canopy somewhat.
Self-built Speedster?
If you have an old Volkswagen, you can transform it into a dream car. The wheelbase of the Porsche 356 is 30 cm shorter than the Volkswagen Type 1, so the first challenge for the DIYer is to shorten the chassis of the donor car. The Porsche 356 Speedster had either a 1500 cc engine with 60 hp or a 1600 cc engine with 75 hp, but several replicas work well with the donor car's original VW engine. With a fiberglass body and spartan interior, the weight can be kept very low.
About the pictures
The car in the main photo was taken in Bicester, 2022, probably in connection with an event held by the Chesil Motor Company based there. Photo by Sue Thatcher (Shutterstock.com). The photos of the ivory white car were taken in connection with a car meet in Perpignan, 2023. The black car was also photographed in the same place, but at a car meet earlier that year. The gray car with beige hood and interior was taken during a Cars & Coffee car meet at Øvrevoll racetrack in 2025. The car is built on the chassis of a 1963 Volkswagen 1200. The ivory white car with Norwegian registration number was photographed during a car meet at Skui gård in Bærum. The red, original Porsche 356 Speedster, participated in a VW exhibition in the town yard of the Norwegian Folk Museum in 2016.
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