1989 Porsche 911 Wide Body Speedster

It's hard to believe the 911 was launched more than four decades ago, but at the time of its arrival in 1963 the latest Porsche was hailed as a masterpiece and has gone on to become an enduring motoring legend. Retaining the rear-engined layout of its predecessor, the 356 and an air-cooled, horizontally-opposed engine configuration - albeit of six cylinders instead of four - the rest of the 911 was entirely new, with monocoque construction and timeless styling that has become one the most widely recognised sports car shapes ever created. The 911 may have remained outwardly similar for the next twenty-five years but underneath, a great many technical developments ensured the Porsche kept pace with its rivals. In 1984, the 911SC gave way to the Carrera 3.2 with a larger, more powerful engine using the latest Bosch Motoronic 2 DME engine management system and LE-Jetronic fuel injection. Other changes included a power brake booster and bigger discs while externally, the Carrera had a new front air dam (with integrated fog lights). Porsche replaced the old Type 915 transmission with the Getrag G50 five-speed box in 1987, along with an alarm system in 1989. In 1989, Porsche revived the Speedster, creating an instantly collectible 911 that harked back to the iconic 356 Speedster. With a cut-down frameless windscreen and hatch covering the rear compartment and folding roof, complete with fairings, the Speedster was sold in either narrow-body or more commonly with the wide-body and very few were made - just 2,103 in wide-body guise. Uprated Turbo suspension, brakes and wheels were also standard equipment, while the seating position was also altered thanks to the rails being lowered by 20mm. The Speedster was the final 911 built on the traditional rear-drive platform in the 1980s, with the heavily revised 964 appearing later in 1989, and the rarity, combined with the raw driving experience afforded by the Speedster configuration, make these cars a smart choice for the Porsche enthusiast.