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Porsche revives the Speedster as a 70th birthday present to itself

On 8 June 1948, the Porsche 356 ‘No. 1’ Roadster hit the road. On the occasion of its 70th birthday, Porsche has presented itself with the new Speedster Concept and announced the name of its new all-electric sports car…

With its flat windshield, small side windows, and low waistline, the new 911 Speedster Concept is reminiscent of Porsche’s illustrious line of Speedster models, including the 356 1500 Speedster. Beneath the carbon-fibre rear panel, with its two humps inspired by the 964-generation model, resides not a hardtop but a modern roll bar instead. Protection from the elements is provided by a light tonneau cover, though let’s face it, the Speedster has never been renowned as a watertight car. 

Other nostalgic touches implemented by the designers include the classic silver-and-white finish, cognac aniline leather, central fuel-filler cap, ‘Talbot-shaped’ side mirrors, and the cross-hatched headlights. Essentially, this is a GT3 with the roof chopped off, which is in no way a bad thing. Should the design study prove popular enough to interest customers (of which there’s no doubt), the Speedster Concept could (read will) go into production in 2019. 

On its 70th birthday, Porsche didn’t only look back at its history – it also gave us a glimpse into its future. The marque’s first all-electric model, which was previously named the ‘Mission E’, will go into production as the Taycan. The name apparently refers to the lively young horse that appears on the company’s crest. The six-billion-euro electric offensive is expected to create around 1,200 new jobs at Porsche by 2022. 

Photos: Porsche 

You can find the greatest Porsches from the last 70 years listed for sale in the Classic Driver Market.