It is powered by a Subaru motor. The heads of purists are sure to explode.
The 1957 Porsche Speedster is a great icon in the history of the German sports car manufacturer. It was the 356 model that established Porsche’s reputation. It was, in many ways, the precursor to today’s 911 GT3, and Cayman GT4, which are stripped-down specials capable of performing incredible lap times.
Value comes with iconic status. This is a huge asset. This means that rare Speedsters are out of reach for the average enthusiast. The Speedster’s iconic status also means it is the most copied car ever made.
Jay Leno stumbled upon a replica of this model and was impressed enough to ask Tom Murtaugh to have it brought by his garage.
California-based JPS Motorsports produced Tom’s Speedster reproduction. It is a remarkable one too. However, the quality of all the Speedster replicas on the market varies greatly.
A fiberglass body is attached to a steel frame. This is then bolted onto the VW Beetle’s floorpan, which has been reduced by 13 inches (330 mm). Tom and his wife designed the car and then built it from a set of parts.
So far so good. Every Speedster replica is made exactly the same. Tom’s has a surprise in the back, underneath the engine lid.
Most people use the engine that came along with their donor Beetle. This particular engine uses a Subaru. Porsche purists can be notoriously picky about replicas and get very hot under the collar. A replica engine from Japan? They will be stunned.
It’s a sensible choice. It is the same flat four-cylinder motor as a Beetle or genuine Speedster, but it is significantly more powerful and much cheaper. Tom’s comes from a Legacy late in the 1990s and has been tuned up to produce 140 horsepower (104 Kilowatts) at his wheels.
Jay, Jay’s brother who owned a Speedster back in 1960s, was impressed by the car. He noted that it is solid and safe, handles well, and has lots of power.
Is it more expensive than the real thing? This is a difficult question to answer. It does however show how useful a replica can prove to be.
