Back in 1954, Porsche importer Max Hoffmann convinced the folks in Stuttgart to create a stripped-down, low-cost, “purist’s” version of the 356 America. Porsche responded with the 1500 Speedster, priced at $2,995 (about $35,000 in 2024 dollars—yeah, wish you had a time machine?). The concept was a hit—thank you, James Dean—and since the late 1980s, Porsche has sporadically used the Speedster name on special droptop 911s.
One version of the 911 that didn’t get much Speedsterization was the 993. For those who can’t rattle off Porsche 911 generations like they can their kids’ birthdays, the 993 was the 911 built between 1994 and 1998, notable for being the last air-cooled 911. (Its predecessor, the 964, did get a Speedster.) Porsche custom-built two 993 Speedsters, one for Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche—son of Ferry, grandson of Ferdinand, and designer of the 911—and one for Jerry Seinfeld.
Good luck buying either one of those—but here’s the good news, friends, you don’t have to. Porsche’s Sonderwunsch division will custom-build or modify pretty much any Porsche your wallet will allow, effectively working under you as the project manager. So when Italian designer Luca Trazzi decided he wanted to design a 993 Speedster, Sonderwunsch made the car a reality. Three years in the making, Trazzi’s 993 debuts at the Quail at this year’s Monterey Car Week.
The Finished Product
This new-of-sorts 993 Speedster is based on a 1994 911 Carrera Cabriolet (the donor is pictured above), and its most distinctive feature—besides the Otto Yellow paint, named after Trazzi’s dog—is the black-and-yellow fairing that runs from behind the rear seats and into the bodywork. Much of the body shape has been reworked, with the quarter panels and lower body trim inspired by Turbo variants and a downsized, thin-frame windshield clearly recalling the original 356 Speedster. (The original windshield frame was cut off at the beginning of the project—ouch.) The interior is done up in black leather with yellow checkering, stitching, and trim. The powertrain as well as the running gear is period-correct, drawn from the 993 Carrera RS, which used a 3.8-liter six-cylinder boxer engine delivering 300 horsepower.
Like it? Loathe it? Doesn’t matter—this is one man’s dream Porsche, and the reason it’s being shown at the Quail is a reminder that you, too, can have your own dream Porsche built by Porsche. That’s the whole reason Sonderwunsch exists: You tell them your desires, they decide if it’s feasible, you presumably pay lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of money, and Sonderwunsch creates your Porsche, in a process that makes Porsche’s Exclusive customization program seem like buying off the rack. Don’t like Trazzi’s 993 Speedster? Make your own!
