Back in January, Porsche revealed its Vision 357, a modern take on the company’s original 356 sports car to celebrate the brand’s 75th anniversary. But it turns out, Porsche created a companion 357, a convertible Speedster variant. And the differences go even further, because whereas the coupe got a 4.0-liter flat-six, this one is all-electric, borrowing from the Mission R concept.
As one would expect, the 357 Speedster looks just like the coupe, except for the lack of roof. Most of the body is the same, including the disguised headlights, massive curved fenders, and slick vertical grille slits down the back. Where the roof has been removed, there’s a single cowl behind the driver seat, and the passenger side is hidden by a tonneau cover. It does get a unique paint scheme in silver and grey with light blue accents. It even has an animal mascot like other recent Porsche concepts: a unicorn, found on each side ahead of the rear wheels.
The interior features mainly bare carbon fiber. The driver seat is actually molded into the carbon fiber monocoque with a bunch of pads to provide some comfort. A six-point harness keeps the driver in place, and instead of a glove box, there’s a shelf with some more straps to secure important documents.
The biggest difference is under the skin, though. The chassis comes from the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, which isn’t a huge departure from the also 718-based 357. But instead of the flat-six, the Speedster goes electric. Porsche didn’t give precise specs, but it said the motors and batteries are Mission R-based. The Mission R used a pair of motors, one in the rear with 644 horsepower, and one up front making 429, with a combined 1,073 horsepower. The Mission R also had an 82-kWh battery pack. All those parts would make the 357 Speedster a true monster in performance compared to the 357 coupe.
Sadly, but not surprisingly, the 357 Speedster is a one-off concept. It’s a stylish counterpoint to the coupe’s full-retro celebration of everything Porsche has been; demonstrating what Porsche can and will be, while also acknowledging what has made it great. The car will be first displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, followed by the Rennsport Reunion this September.
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