Beschreibung:

Introduction: The Ultimate Speedster Collection Introduced at Watkins Glen in September 1954, where it won the Concours award, Porsche’s Speedster was launched two years after the ill-fated and extremely rare Sport Roadster (best known as the “America Roadster”). The Speedster is widely acknowledged to be the Porsche that spearheaded the company’s successes in the United States and, ultimately, the world. This new open Porsche was the ultimate car for the enthusiast who wanted to drive during the week and go racing on the weekend. It received immediate acclaim. In both pushrod and 4-cam versions it was a mainstay on North American and European racing circuits. Among others, successful Speedster racers included Erich Buecklers, Hans Stanek, Jan Brundage, Paul-Ernst Straehle and Bruce Jennings. Legendary movie star James Dean also owned a 1500S Speedster which was his first racer. It was also the car he traded-in on the 550 Spyder in which he was tragically killed in an accident on the way to his first race in his new car. For every new model Porsche builds, there are prototypes and pre-series cars. However, these cars are destroyed and never reach customers. In the early days Porsche rarely designated a car as a prototype or pre-series vehicle. In fact, the only production car of the 356 series designated as a prototype is one of the Speedsters included in this collection. For those who seek even more unusual examples, the collection also includes the only two Pre-A Carrera (4-cam) ‘RS’ Speedsters with 547 Spyder motors. In addition, the first Speedster ever raced is part of the collection, as is the first 4-cam Carrera Speedster to see competition. It took more than 20 years to assemble and restore this collection of six stunning Speedsters. Each car was restored by world-renowned expert Tim Goodrich to impeccable standards, and each has won numerous awards. Many would argue that the Speedster was Porsche’s most important car. Few would argue that the six stunning and rare open 356 Porsches on offer constitute the finest collection of Speedsters extant anywhere in the world. The Prototype Porsche Speedster 1954 Porsche Speedster Chassis no. 12223 Max Hoffman was determined to convince Ferry Porsche that there was a growing market in the United States for a simpler, cheaper Porsche sports car. The aluminum sports roadster was a racing success but it was too costly to manufacture and its retail price was too high. Ferry Porsche was a tough sell; he did not want to compromise quality for price. In May 1952 Hoffman arranged for Ferry Porsche to meet with executives of Studebaker. The meeting resulted in a distribution contract for Porsche that, in effect, allowed Porsche to expand its production facilities. During the same trip, Hoffman arranged a meeting for Ferry Porsche with the president of a racing club in the New York area. They discussed a maximum price of $3,000 for an acceptable sports car. Additionally, Hoffman said that once such a car could be agreed upon, he would issue a blank order for 200 cars. For many reasons, Hoffman’s vision was not realized until the fall of 1954. Porsche was busy with the Studebaker contract, a new production building and the 550 Spyder and 4-cam motor development. However, when the Speedster was finally announced, Hoffman lived up to his promise and took the first 200 units. He also received most of the series after that. Back in the spring of 1954, the work order was issued to build a prototype roadster body. Replacement or spare bodies were then generally used for experimental work or for the repair of damaged cars. The body/chassis unit from a 1952 Cabriolet (Number 12223) served as the donor car. Modifications to the cabriolet body included removing the windshield frame and lowering the top edges of the rear of the body. The doors were very simple and had neither windows nor exterior door handles. Many other modifications to simplify the design and construction were made, including the i