A rare Porsche Speedster is built from a designer's dream

Speedster is a word in the Porsche lexicon that conjures up magical images and, for those lucky enough to have driven one, sensations.

This week in Monterey, a one-off example of 933-generation 911 Speedster is being shown publicly for the first time, a classic design in brilliant yellow built by Milan designer Luca Trazzi and the exclusive Sonderwunsch team at Porsche, based on a 1994 911 Carrera Cabriolet.

There are Speedsters and there are Speedsters, but up to now, only a pair of 911 993 Speedsters were produced, owned by 911 designer Ferdinand Alexander Porsche and comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Trazzi’s model, now the third, includes a signature feature, the fixed cowl that sits on top of where the rear seats would typically be.

The custom paint called Otto Yellow (named after Trazzi’s dog) and black 18-inch wheels with a matching Otto Yellow border embellish the exterior. The interior is dominated by black leather with decorative stitching in yellow. The headrests feature an embroidered Speedster logo. The seat centers, which bear a checkered design in yellow and black, provide a visual highlight for the interior. Seat backs åre carbon fiber.

Porsche upgraded the Trazzi Speedster’s mechanicals while they were at it. The engine, chassis, steering and brake system are from the 911 Carrera RS (Type 993). At that time, the air-cooled six-cylinder boxer was the most powerful engine from Porsche, with a displacement of 3.8 liters generating around 300 horsepower.

The designer didn’t neglect tech touches. He added LED headlights and an Apple CarPlay-compatible head unit that Porsche recently created for classic models.

Explaining his obsession with this car, Trazzi said, “At the start I looked around but couldn’t find the car of my dreams. So, I decided to build it myself. As a young boy, I fell head over heels in love with the puristic Porsche Speedster. I had to work very hard to be able to afford my first Porsche, a Speedster 1600 Super from 1955. Ever since, I’ve managed to live my passion, or more precisely, my Speedster-mania.”