In Paris, Stärke Motors is talking German cars. The newly-unveiled Speedster Gen 2 is a modern Porsche 718 with a retro 356-style body and interior. For about US$135,000, anyone with a 2017 or newer 718 can have Stärke transform it into a Speedster. For about $50k more, the company will source a donor car for you.
Only the donor 718’s chassis and some electronics are retained in the conversion. The resulting Speedster is a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive machine with a choice of 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four, a 2.5-liter turbo-four, or a 4.0-liter natural six. A six-speed manual or seven-speed paddle shift transmission can be mated to any of the three powerplants.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because these are the same engines found in the Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster lineup, producing 300, 350, and 394 horsepower (221, 258, and 290 kW), respectively.
“The Gen 2 Speedster represents the pinnacle of our design philosophy, delivering a fun classic Speedster experience without any of the classic car downsides,” said Seth Gortenburg, CEO of Stärke Motor Company.
Stärke Motors
The 356-inspired styling pays tribute to Porsche’s very first sports car. Introduced in 1948, the “tub-shaped,” air-cooled 356 took a while to gain popularity, but today it’s highly collectible. Stärke isn’t using vintage cars for these builds, however. Instead, the company produces the bodywork and interior in-house to integrate seamlessly with the modern donor chassis and drivetrain.
The design appears to blend elements from the various 356 models produced between 1948 and 1965.
Stärke’s Speedsters are bespoke to order.
Source: Stärke Motors