Porsche has a long history of exceptionally unique cars, and the 993-generation 911 Speedster holds a special place in this hall of rarities. Porsche only built two of them – one for Ferdinand Alexander Porsche and one for Jerry Seinfeld. However, architect and industrial designer Luca Trazzi collects Porsche Speedster models and, thanks to the special request program, was able to convince Porsche to build him a brand new 993 Speedster.
It’s brand new, because this car actually started life as a 1994 911 Carrera Cabriolet before the Sonderwunsch team got their hands on it. See, at Porsche, there’s your normal options, there’s your pre-selected menu of Porsche Exclusive options, and if you really want to get crazy, there’s Sonderwunsch. Historically, it’s been a program for one-off colors, trim, leather, and even low-profile bodywork, but Trazzi had something bigger in mind.
Make no mistake, this 993 is a true Speedster. It seats just two, with the area normally occupied by a tiny pair of rear seats covered by a tonneau cover. This one isn’t like the tonneau cover on the other 993 Speedster models, however. Instead, it features a nod to the iconic 911 Targa bar, a black stripe along the leading edge of the tonneau cover that creates a more finished look than the monochromatic tonneau covers on existing models. Of course, the windshield and its frame had to be shortened so that they didn’t protrude too much beyond the tonneau cover, but that’s not all Porsche has done here.
Bullet mirrors hark back to the sports car’s golden era, new lighting looks to the future and the front bumper and side skirts are inspired by the 993 Turbo. To match the signature Speedster stone guards, the door handles and wheels have been painted black, the latter with yellow stripes to match the bodywork. Taking full advantage of the Paint To Sample Plus program, this one-off Porsche is bathed in a new color called Otto Yellow, named after Trazzi’s dog. It’s simply an excellent yellow and is continued inside with details like yellow checkered seat inserts, yellow stitching, yellow instrument dials and yellow text on the door sills.
But Trazzi and the special requests department weren’t done there. Under the hood sits a 993 RS-spec, air-cooled, 3.8-litre flat-six engine with 296bhp. Considering a 1994 911 Carrera Cabriolet would normally have 247bhp, that’s a useful upgrade, enough to have fun on the road, but not so much that you’ll get into serious trouble.
Is it a bargain for Porsche to build a one-off 993 Speedster as far as Porsche restomods go? Well, that depends. The work certainly wasn’t cheap, but the result is a factory-approved one-off with serious provenance. Compared to something like a Singer, I can certainly see the appeal, even if the lead time was a bit long. It took Porsche three years to build this car, but judging by the photos alone, it seems to have been worth the wait. It certainly turned heads at Monterey Car Week and looks like an absolute gem on a popular back road.
(Image credit: Porsche)
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