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Gunterwerks took the last air-cooled Porsche 911 and turned it into an air-cooled Speedster to die for
by Dim Angelov, onWhen talking about driver’s cars, the Porsche 911 is, often, what people think about. Even with all the tech that newer generations bring, the rear-engine sports car from Stuttgart is still an exhilarating performance machine. But, what happens when you are a bit more hell-bent on tradition and want an air-cooled 911? Gunterwerks may have come up with the best solution, yet. It’s called the 993 Speedster, and, as Henry Catchpole from Carfection found out, it’s the company’s best open-top thrill machine yet.
What’s engine powers the Gunterwerks 993 Speedster?
Like Gunterwerks’ first 911 restomod, the 400R coupe, the Speedster is based on the Porsche 993. Most of the Speedster’s components are closely related to the 400R coupe, including the engine, which is a 4.0-liter, air-cooled, normally aspirated flat-six, developed by Rothsport Racing. The powerplant is good for 435 horsepower and 335 pound-feet of torque (454 Nm). With a six-speed manual sending power to the rear, the Speedster can sprint from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in about 3.7 seconds.
| Engine | 4.0-liter, air-cooled, normally-aspirated flat-six |
|---|---|
| Power | 435 HP |
| Torque | 335 LB-FT |
| Transmission | six-speed manual |
| 0 to 60 mph | 3.7 seconds |
| Weight | 2,590 pounds |
Chassis and suspension
Gunterwerk’s sister company, Vorsteiner, is responsible for the vast amount of carbon fiber, used in the 993 Speedster. These include various body parts, like the front fascia, dashboard, bucket seats, and even the steering wheel. As a result, the Gunterwerks 993 Speedster weighs just 2,590 pounds (1,175 kg) – about 66 pounds (30 kg) lighter than the 400R coupe.
Moreover, thanks to additional chassis bracing at the rear, the 993 Speedster is 50-percent more rigid than a regular Porsche 993 coupe, and twice as rigid as a 993 convertible. This allows for an, even more, epic handling, despite the slightly softer setting of the JRZ adjustable suspension. The Speedster rides on Continental rubber, which are 295 mm wide at the front and 335 mm wide at the back.
Styling
While the Gunterwerks 993 Speedster shares a lot of design cues with the 400R, such as the wide-body, it also brings some unique features. We see a unique front fascia, with carbon-fiber framed air vents. We also see Fuchs-inspired wheels, which are also available on the 400R. However, the coupe version could also be had with 993 Turbo twist wheels.
The windshield is from a Porsche 964 Speedster and nicely wraps around the sides of the car. True to a classic 911 performance version, the iconic ducktail rear spoiler is also present on the rear lid. The roll hoops, which are also framed in carbon fiber, open only to reveal a set of pouches, big enough for champagne bottles, as Henry Catchpole hints at the car’s true purpose. The taillight strip has been kept, and just like the headlights, it now features LED lighting.
This particular example has been finished in a color that resembles Porsche’s Fjord Green, non-metallic shade, which is contrasted by the signal-yellow Porsche logos on the side. Two colors that are available in Porsche’s paint-to-sample program.
The interior is a minimalistic mix of carbon fiber and leather. The classic 993 interior design has been kept, but has been reimagined in the highest-quality materials. The entire dashboard and steering wheel are made of carbon fiber, with the latter being wrapped in Alcantara. The leather bucket seats have carbon backs, just like the door sills, which reveal a special sign, revealing that this is one of only 25 Gunterwerks 993 Speedsters.
Final thoughts
With the 993 Speedster, Gunterwerks has done something epic. While it would probably struggle against the coupe on a racetrack, its lightweight and rigid chassis make it a blast to drive in a canyon, and its rev-happy racing engine easily turns any “hole in a rock” (tunnel) into a musical instrument. As Henry Catchpole notes, the idea of the Gunterwerks 993 Speedster follows the philosophy of the original 356 Speedster and the more recent 991 Speedster, which is to give enthusiasts something sportier than a regular cabriolet.
