We thought Porsche was just being nostalgic when they showed two different 911 Speedster concepts at recent auto shows. Turns out their plans were much bigger, as 1,948 people will actually be able to buy one. 

Based on the outgoing 991 chassis, the 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster gets a 502-horsepower version of the GT3’s naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat-6. Hopefully, you’re okay with manually shifting gears, as no PDK is available here. Oh, and it’s the 6-speed from the race shop, not the base 911’s 7-speed. 

From a car company that boasts of building cars for purists, this may just be their purist offering yet. 

No air-conditioning, and if you insist on covering up the beautiful twin humps that immediately identify it as a Speedster, you’ll have to do it with a manually operated fabric top. 

But, purist doesn’t mean de-contented; being based on the GT3 means there’s carbon fiber everywhere, rear axle steering, and standard Porsche Ceramic Composite brakes. 

Now, if you had to compile a list of the perfect places to experience such a car, the island of Sardinia is a great place to start. 

“I thought it would be a real challenge to avoid all of the wonderful scenery around here and actually pay attention to driving this thing, but everything about the Speedster is so precise and so responsive; it’s an incredibly engaging driving experience that quickly turns the scenery into a blur.”

That visceral experience is of course intensified by the cut down windshield; though it’s not vastly different from other lightweight 911s, just a little breezier. Weight here is 3,230-lbs. 

Porsche dealers are taking orders for the 2019 911 Speedster now, with deliveries slated to begin later this year. Oh, and you’ll need at least $275,000 to make it happen.  

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.0 liter
  • Horsepower: 502
  • Price: $275,000