The illusion of the “third” Porsche 993 Speedster

Porsche models with the “Speedster” moniker have a rich tradition. Porsche itself describes the 356 Speedster as a convertible reduced to the essentials. This tradition continued with the Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 and 964 Speedster, and later with the water-cooled 997 and 991 Speedster models. However, the Porsche 993 Speedster never entered production. Only two Speedsters based on the last air-cooled Porsche 911 were built by the factory: one as a gift for Ferdinand Alexander Porsche’s 60th birthday and another at the personal request of comedian and Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld. In 2024, a car surfaced that was so close to the original that it could pass as the perfect illusion of a third Porsche 993 Speedster.

Porsche Lacked Funds for a 993 Speedster Production Model

A brief journey into the past reveals that in the mid-1990s, Porsche was undergoing a radical transformation. Financially troubled, the Stuttgart-based company found the Porsche 993, as well as the outgoing 928 and 968, too expensive to produce. Under the leadership of Wendelin Wiedeking, Porsche’s production and product lineup were to be completely revamped.

The sales figures for the 964 Speedster fell short of expectations. The 993 Speedster venture could have cost Porsche dearly.

While a small series of the Porsche 964 Speedster was built, there was simply no money for a production version of the Porsche 993 Speedster. After all, the 964 Speedster had been a commercial flop, with only 930 cars built instead of the originally planned nearly 2,000 units.

To celebrate Ferdinand Alexander Porsche’s 60th birthday, Porsche converted a 993 Carrera Cabrio in 1995. Known as “Butzi”, the eldest son of Professor Ferdinand Porsche, and his team had designed the first Porsche 911 and he took over the chairmanship of the supervisory board from his father in 1990. Porsche honored him with the 993 Speedster from the Exclusive department. The Tiptronic convertible was equipped with the lower windshield and streamliner rear deck from the predecessor Porsche 964 Speedster. Today, it resides in the Porsche Museum.

Jerry Seinfeld’s Porsche 993 Speedster in Pebble Beach – A Fateful Encounter

At the request of Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld, Porsche converted his manual 1998 993 Carrera 4S into the second Speedster. During an edition of the Monterey Car Week in the 2010s, Seinfeld showcased this very silver, turbo-wide Porsche 993 Speedster. Completed by Porsche Exclusive in 2001, this car is the second and last of its kind. Porsche officially built no further 993 Speedsters. It’s a bit sad, as the 993’s design is ideally suited for a Speedster, as the headlights and windshield rise at almost the same angle.

Porsche Book Speedster Legends 1954 – 2020

Details

A young designer was so enthusiastic about Seinfeld’s Speedster that he spent two hours walking around the car. Completely absorbed, he scrutinised the lines from all angles. He soaked up every little detail. His friends tried to persuade him to move on several times, but he would not be dissuaded. The shape was too beautiful for him to take his eyes from it.

The creative mind’s ambition was awakened. He immediately asked himself countless questions. Would it be possible to create the perfect illusion of building a “third” Porsche 993 Speedster? A car that looks as if Porsche had built it itself and forgotten it in a warehouse? Could this idea close the gap left by Porsche?

The design took shape piece by piece

Number 3 therefore remained a concept for several years. Good things take time, as the saying goes. But the idea matured. The only possible basis was a Porsche 993 Cabriolet. However, as it was to have the wider silhouette of the Turbo, this required extensive modifications. This was because the 993 Cabriolet was neither available as a Carrera S nor as a 4S. It was therefore clear that the body conversion would be the biggest challenge.

It should be painted in a plain black. That way, the color scheme doesn’t distract from the lines. He should take a few artistic liberties, though – the wheels of the Carrera S for example. Many small details such as the orange side indicators of the Carrera S would make it look different from Butzi Porsche’s or Jerry Seinfeld’s car. But if it’s going to be a Speedster, then it should have the wider look of the Carrera S. And number 3 should also proudly display the features of this conceptual basis.

It was not about a copy, but a further evolutionary step, as Porsche could have done itself. However, unlike the Carrera S, the interior was to be designed to match the original. The interior colour scheme was also black in black, including black dials, and – again to not distract from the design’s simpicity – without contrasting stitching.

How do you recreate a car that virtually never existed?

There are certainly a large number of replicas of the Porsche 993 Speedster. But number 3 was not just intended to be the next homage. It shouldn’t look exactly like one of the two originals, but it should create the illusion that it is one too. The most difficult question was how to actually build such a car. Where do you get the parts from? What did Porsche use? Who can build a car as true to the original as possible that didn’t officially exist?

Jean-Pierre Krämer provided the right answers to the questions about the third Porsche 993 Speedster

Many unanswered questions were clarified through extensive study of the literature. In 2021, the idea was so mature that number 3 was to become a reality. A meeting with the great Porsche fan Jean-Pierre Krämer got the ball rolling. He recommended someone to the car designer who could turn his dream into reality. That someone was Thomas Nater. He had already built Krämer’s Porsche 964 RSR.

After a visit to Nater’s Göttingen-based company AP Cardesign, it was clear that the “third” Speedster was to be built here. A suitable 1997 Porsche 993 Carrera Cabrio was available as a base car. The original parts required for the body conversion were also in stock. Just as the mind behind the car had imagined.

The exact specification of the black Porsche 993 Speedster alone comprises almost 20 pages

This was followed by countless detailed consultations. For example, the question of the right interior turned into a long process. This is because the nappa leather commonly used in interiors today is matt in contrast to the original Porsche leather from the period. So the designer insisted on the original. The search for it was not easy, but everything had to be perfect. Even the thread and shape of all the seams also had to match one hundred per cent.

Small details were different on the 964 and Butzi’s 993 Speedster. The console under the handbrake is made of plastic there, as are some small parts on the doors. But there is leather that looks like plastic. And of course it had to be exactly this leather for the upholstery of the parts. Special, lowered seat rails had to be manufactured to allow the tall driver to sit in the right position. These numerous subtleties culminated in an almost 20-page specification for the 993 Speedster. This was followed by a waiting period of more than two years…

The designer was born with a love of cars

Our protagonist could hardly help but become a car enthusiast. His grandfather – an artist in his own right – probably passed on his talent. His father exemplified his love for cars, driving a Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 himself in hill climbs during the 1970s. It therefore shouldn’t come as a surprise, that our main character already became a true petrol head as a kid.

So it’s not surprising that he didn’t get much out of everyday school life. He never did more at school than he had to. Instead, he spent every spare minute drawing cars and boats. But his talent also caused some trouble. His art teacher initially didn’t believe that his work was his own. She thought the young creative was a liar.

But he went his own way, studied automotive design and worked in top positions at various manufacturers. He became enthusiastic about Porsche 911 Speedsters early on. “I like driving all my cars and I like driving them fast. I think speedsters are much cooler than convertibles,” he explains.

The third 993 Speedster project was intended to fill a gap in the company’s own collection

In search of his first, a Porsche 964 Speedster, he toured the whole of Europe. He found his luck in Bielefeld in Westphalia. This Speedster later served as the blueprint for the third Speedster. It is black on the outside and inside and was one of only 18 delivered on 964 Turbo 3.6 Speedline wheels. The Porsche fan drove countless tours in the Alps in this car.

He feels the same way about his – naturally black – Porsche 991 Speedster. The search for this car again took time. After all, he wanted it to be equipped just like the 964. He has already driven numerous kilometers over the most beautiful mountain roads in Europe in it. The third 993 Speedster is therefore also the passionate sailor’s very personal number three.

“When I saw the finished painted body shell, I cried!”

At a certain stage in the build process, our story’s protagonist became emotional. “When I saw the finished painted body shell, I cried,” recalls the young-at-heart man in his mid-fifties. A great honor, as he is already exceptionally meticulous by profession. The subsequent collection revealed that the dream of the illusion of a third Porsche 993 Speedster, forgotten for years, had come true. “When you stand in front of it, you think it really is the third one!”

Only new or refurbished original parts were used. The only exception is the suspension. Thanks to the modern KW V3, the car sits a few millimeters lower than the original. This setup suits the Speedster very well and ensures significantly improved handling. The car proved this shortly after its collection on a trip through the Alps. In the first year alone, the Speedster drove up and down the Grossglockner High Alpine Road more than ten times.

I didn’t take it easy on the Porsche 993 Speedster in the Alps, I really pushed it. And it performed incredibly well. The car drives fantastically!

Who owns the third 993 Speedster?

The Porsche 993 Speedster’s owner prefers to remain in the background. He wants to let the car speak for itself. But anyone who regularly visits the Grossglockner may have already seen him or will do so in the future. In the future the designer still wants to fulfill one big dream: “I want to take the car on a big road trip through California to Monterey for the Werks Reunion. I want it to go to the place where I saw Jerry Seinfeld’s car for the first time!”

© unless marked otherwise: David Fierlinger for Elferspot