Sexy at 70: Porsche's limited-edition 911 Speedster gets green light for 2019

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The tantalizingly gorgeous 911 Speedster concept Porsche introduced in June has received the green light for production. The sporty, two-seater model was built as part of the firm’s 70th birthday bash, and it will also celebrate the end of the current-generation 911’s production run. Good luck trying to get one, though.

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Porsche has made several design tweaks to the original concept. It’s now painted in guards red, a shade chosen to echo the original 911 Speedster introduced in 1988, and it rides on cross-spoke, 21-inch alloy wheels inspired by the design seen on race cars like the 911 RSR. The retro-styled door mirrors and the fuel filler cap are finished in dark chrome to add a touch of contrast to the overall look. What you see is what you’ll get when production starts, according to the company, though other color combinations will be available.

Staying true to tradition, the Speedster doesn’t come with a folding fabric top like the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet it’s based on. Don’t look for a hard top of any kind, either. All you get to protect the lavish interior from the elements is a tonneau cover that snaps onto the body with buttons. You can’t drive it with the cover in place so you’ll need to choose whether to keep dry or to keep moving. We’re tempted to suggest the latter, but one look inside the Speedster might convince you otherwise.

The limited-edition model will inaugurate a new option Porsche calls Heritage Design. It’s an appearance package for the interior that puts a modern twist on styling cues from emblematic past models. Full details about the available options will emerge in the weeks leading up to the Speedster’s on-sale date.

Not having a top also means you and yours will better enjoy the sonorous song of the Speedster’s naturally aspirated, 500-horsepower flat-six engine, a unit borrowed from the track-honed GT3. The six shifts through a six-speed manual transmission.

Porsche will start production of the 911 Speedster during the first half of 2019. Only 1,948 examples will be made, a number chosen because Porsche was founded in 1948. Pricing hasn’t been released yet, but don’t expect it to come cheap. This future classic will command a sizable premium over a regular 911 convertible, and yet enthusiasts will scoop up the entire production time in a moment’s notice.