Porsche is Bringing Back the 550 Spyder as a Reimgined EV
One of Porsche’s most legendary vehicles is making a comeback.
The German sports car maker is teaming up with Hedley Studios to bring back the 550 Spyder. The limited-edition car isn’t a continuation model like the Bentley Speed 6, though. Instead, it’s a reimagining that’s smaller than the car it’s based on and features an all-electric powertrain.
There are few cars in Porsche history quite as romantic as the 550. Introduced at the Paris Auto Show in 1953, the compact two-door was specifically designed for racing. The car nicknamed the “Giant Killer” could more than hold its own thanks to its aerodynamic shape and an air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine that made up to 133 hp. It was also rare, with just 90 examples built during the three years it was in production. Each was customized to be raced, including, tragically, the one that James Dean died driving.
The original Porsche 550 Spyder and the Hedley Studios Porsche 550 Spyder J
Porsche
There are a few key differences between the new roadster, which is called the 550 J Spyder (the “J” stands for “Junior”), and the original spyder. The most noticeable about the car from Hedley Studios, formerly known as the Little Car Company, is that it’s smaller. The 550 J measures 2.9 meters long and 1.2 meters wide (around 10 feet by four feet), making it about 80 percent the size of the original, and weighs around 728 pounds, according to Porsche. Despite this, the car still has room for two, though its size does limit its use to private estates and racetracks. The new body is also made of carbon fiber instead of aluminum and sits atop a modern steel space-frame chassis.
The other big change is hidden from view. That’s because the 550 J is powered by a 48-volt electric drivetrain instead of the four-cylinder boxer engine found in the racer from the 1950s. The new setup makes just 11 hp, though that number can be doubled with the optional RS package. The fully optioned 550 J can reach a top speed of around 50 mph.
Hedley Studios will offer several custom options for the 550 J
Porsche
Intrigued? Just 250 examples of the 550 J Spyder will be hand-built by Hedley Studios in the U.K. Pricing starts at $93,500, but with a whole slew of customization options to choose from, don’t be surprised if the final cost is a bit north of that.
Click here for more photos of the Hedley Studios Porsche 550 Spyder J.
