At most times, trips to a Porsche dealership can normally be repetitive. The reason for this being that dealerships normally are stocked with the usual cars, which are the new regular-production vehicles for the time. On rare occasions, a dealer may have some eye candy sitting around the showroom, in other words, either an ultra-rare model, such as a Carrera GT or 918, or a limited edition model, an example being a 911R, for instance. These cars can be either for sale by the dealer or a customer car on display. Fortunately, this was one of those occasions, and it was a car that I’ve been really looking forward to seeing ever since deliveries started.

Recognized as the final “hurrah” of the 991-generation 911, the Speedster was developed from the 911 GT3, with both cars sharing the same chassis and engine. The result is a car that looks just like a GT3 from the front, but rid of its rear wing and roof. Also to note is that the sole transmission choice for the Speedster is the GT3’s 6-speed manual transmission. Given these specifications, the 991 iteration of the Speedster is a completely different car characteristic-wise in comparison to Porsche’s previous 997 version of the Speedster. The 997 iteration was more of a cruiser type of car, meaning that it was meant for comfortable drives during sunny days. This was evident through Porsche’s decision to offer this car only with the PDK, and this car was also based on the then-new 997 Carrera GTS. The 991 Speedster, on the other hand, has that “toy car” feel to it. Asides from one being able to enjoy a sunny day with the top down, the GT3 components and the manual transmission makes the 991 version more a driver’s car.

Thanks to an event I was invited to at Porsche Center North Toronto, I was able to finally see a Speedster in person. This particular car was finished in essentially what is the car’s launch specification. That being Guards Red on Black Interior, complete with the Sport Bucket Seats. To top it all off, the interior has red details everywhere, from the stitching, to the door pulleys, and finally, the seatbelts. As for the wheels, they painted black. In all honesty, this is my favourite specification for the car. Not only does the red exterior pop, but the black wheels make a perfect contrast with the other components of the car which are also black. Add to that the red details on the inside, and you got a looker of a car. Now, some people may disagree with me on this statement, but I feel that the Heritage Appearance Package is overkill for this car. There is just too much going on in both the exterior and interior when you choose it.

Overall, I’m glad that I got to see one of these cars in the flesh. Being one of only 1,948 cars, it is certain that the majority of these cars will be garage queens, while some will be driven. Having had the opportunity to chat with the car’s owner, he stated that this example is by no means a garage queen. That I like. It is unfortunate, however, that winter here in Canada at the moment is preventing Porsche owners to bring out the sportscars, until April at the earliest point. Anyhow, this is definitely another box ticked in terms of Porsches I’ve been wanting to see.

Best Regards,

Juan Reyes-Abreu

Credit goes to:
1.Porsche Center North Toronto for inviting me to their Chinese New Year’s celebration
2.The owner of the Speedster for allowing me to take pictures of his car.