There was a gap in the history of the 911 Speedster. There was no fourth-generation Speedster, save for two one-offs. Designer Luca Trazzi decided to fill that gap and build a fourth-generation Speedster. He had to do it. It was his dream car. As an avid Speedster collector, Trazzi went to the Porsche factory with a project book full of sketches. He knew exactly what he wanted.
Porsche has been offering Speedster versions of the 911 since 1954. Two-seater design, high rear deck, short windshield and driving characteristics that satisfy speed enthusiasts. This is the essence of exclusive Speedster cars.
With the fourth generation 911, the 993 was the only model lacking a Speedster, so Luca Trazzi, Porsche enthusiast, designer and Speedster collector, decided to build his own. What came out of the Porsche Sonderwunsch studio was something entirely based on his orders. The car is on display at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.
“I searched around but couldn’t find my dream car. So, I decided to build it myself.“Trazzi explained the move. But he wasn’t the first to say so. The Verona-born, Milan-based designer actually borrowed the same from Ferdinand Porsche in 1948, when he built the 356 No. 1 Roadster.
Image: Porsche
But Trazzi had to be patient. It took more than three years to build his one-of-a-kind car. He started from scratch, basing his design on a 1994 911 Carrea Cabriolet Type 993.
Luca Trazzi knew exactly what he wanted from the start.
Luca Trazzi has been fascinated by the Porsche Speedster series since he was a child. It was a poster car for the young Italian boy. That explains his drive to build his own dream car. He recalls having to work very hard to afford his first Porsche. It was a 1955 Speedster 1600 Super.
From that moment on, his Speedster obsession took off. There was no turning back. And that’s exactly what led him to design the 911 Speedster, a car that Porsche had never built before, with the help of car designers. It was a new experience for the Sonderwunsch team as well. It was, after all, their first factory car built for a customer.
By the time he was invited to the factory to discuss, Luca Trazzi already had his own project book full of drafts and sketches. He knew exactly what he wanted.
Image: Porsche
It was the first of a long series of visits to the factory. He was there when his Speedster was dipped in cathode lacquer in the factory paint shop before undergoing a hand-painted cycle. It was the customer who named the specially designed yellow paint Otto Yellow. Otto was the name of his four-legged companion.
The Trazzi has redesigned the rear end, which also features black conical exterior mirrors, echoing the classic 1960s design. But it comes with the four-point daytime running lights of today’s Porsche models. At the same time, the design of the turn indicators, taillights and rear light bar has been reinterpreted.
The car features 18-inch lightweight alloy wheels in Turbo design, with a black finish and contrasting yellow stripes. Black leather with yellow decorative stitching creates a sporty atmosphere on board, which is further accentuated by carbon fibre elements on the dashboard, centre console, handbrake, gear lever and seat bolsters. The headrests also feature an embroidered Speedster logo.
For the first time on a Porsche 911 Type 993, the carbon door sills are illuminated. The Porsche team used Otto Yellow for the illumination. The car is equipped with Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM), which has been modified to match the classic ambience of the two-seater.
The 911 Carrera RS Type 993 was also the engine donor.
The 911 Carrera RS Type 993 also adorns the unique Speedster. The model is powered by a six-cylinder, air-cooled boxer engine that was the most powerful Porsche engine at the time.
Image: Porsche
The 3.8-liter engine produces about 296 horsepower (300 PS) and 262 pound-feet (355 Nm) of torque. A six-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels for a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) sprint in 4.7 seconds. The speedometer needle points to a top speed of 173 mph (278 km/h).
Porsche is keeping the new car’s specifications under wraps for now. The new Speedster also gets the steering and brakes from the Carrera RS.
One thing is for sure: designer Luca Trazzi would certainly enjoy creating his own car, the only one in the world. Obviously, no one can afford one. But for the right amount of money, Porsche will build one, even if it takes three years to complete.
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