As part of its 75th-anniversary celebrations, Porsche has created a drop-dead gorgeous one-off that pays tribute to the German marque’s very first sports car, the 356 No. 1 Roadster. Called the Vision 357 Speedster, this modern-day interpretation of Porsche’s iconic open-top sports car was created by the folks from Zuffenhausen as a roofless follow-up to the Vision 357 Concept introduced at the beginning of this year in January. The bespoke creation made its public debut a few weeks back at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year.
While the hard-top concept was created using the 718 Cayman GT4 RS as a starting point, Porsche decide to base the roadster version on the battery-powered 718 GT4 e-Performance. Underneath the bespoke bodywork is a chassis sourced from the 718 GT4 Clubsport along with the electric motors and battery tech borrowed from the Mission R concept. Without a doubt, the Vision 357 Concept with its fixed roof looks seriously cool and the Speedster model does share a lot of design elements, but the latter is aesthetically more striking.
Inspired by open-top race cars from the 1950s, the Vision 357 Speedster features a one-sided tonneau cover that spreads over the passenger side and a shortened windscreen. The charging inlet and the anchor for the car’s top are hidden behind the roll-over head-protecting hump. The concept wears a beautiful dual-tone livery that combines Marble Grey and Grivelo Grey Metallic. Just like the coupe version, the one-off Speedster proudly features “75” logos across the bodywork.
The Speedster is fitted with 20-inch wheels that are made of magnesium and are equipped with carbon fiber hubcaps and central locks. In addition to that, the concept model has a wraparound front hood along with fender-mounted cameras instead of side mirrors. The cockpit features a sporty, low-slung seat with its shell integrated into the monocoque. Another interesting element of the cockpit is its instrument console which features a transparent surface.
The racing steering wheel gets Miami Blue, mirroring the exterior. Porsche has not revealed any power numbers but the Mission R’s setup is capable of producing up to 1,073 horses. After enthralling the Porsche fans at Goodwood, the concept will now be heading to the US where it will make an appearance at the Rennsport Reunion at Laguna Seca in September.
