A car that blends 1940s retro aesthetics with the performance of modern sports cars from a premium brand.
Stärke Motors is offering to transform any 2017 or newer Porsche 718 into a model called the Speedster Gen 2 for $135,000. The result is a modern Porsche 718 wrapped in bodywork and an interior inspired by the classic Porsche 356. For an additional $50,000, Stärke Motors will also handle sourcing the donor vehicle.
After the conversion, only the chassis and part of the electronics from the original Porsche 718 remain. The finished Speedster features a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and is available with a choice of three powertrains: a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four, a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four, or a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six.
Any of the three engines can be paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed gearbox with paddle shifters.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because these are the same engines used in the Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster lineups, producing 300, 350, and 394 horsepower (221, 258, and 290 kW), respectively.
The Speedster Gen 2’s design pays tribute to the Porsche 356, the company’s first sports car. Introduced in 1948, the air-cooled, “bathtub-shaped” 356 did not gain immediate popularity, but today it is a highly prized collector’s vehicle.
However, Stärke Motors does not use original 356 bodies. Instead, the company builds its own body panels from scratch, ensuring they integrate seamlessly with the modern chassis and drivetrain.