991 speedster

The last Porsche 911 Speedster capped off the old 997-generation 911. It was basically a convertible Carrera GTS with a slight humpback and a number of performance and styling changes. A new Speedster has been rumored to be in the works for a while. These new spy photos show that Porsche is indeed working on a new drop-top 911, and it looks far more GT3 than GTS.

The last 911 Speedster had a number of unique touches, most notably the two-seat layout. That seems to be the case here, too. The rear part of the convertible top looks taped on. Underneath it likely looks more like the upcoming Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder. Below the beltline, the Speedster looks just like a 911 GT3. It has the same bumpers, the same wide hips and the same center-lock wheels. The only difference is the rear spoiler.

We’re hoping the GT3 theme carries on underneath the bodywork. As much as we love the current 911 GTS’ turbocharged flat-six, the GT3’s 500-horsepower 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated screamer is really something special. The new Porsche Speedster will likely be shown before the end of the year; the L.A. Auto Show would make an ideal location for a debut.