Amalgam Porsche 356 A Speedster 1:8 - 1/8

Description

Amalgam Porsche 356 A Speedster 1:8

Many cars can be described as classics or highly desirable, but only a few have achieved the cult status required to be called a legend. The Porsche 356A Speedster is one such car.

First produced in Austria from 1948-49 and then in Germany from 1950-55, the 356 was Porsche's first production car. It was built specifically with speed in mind, and at a time when many other car manufacturers were using larger engines to increase performance, Porsche focussed on balance and lightness to achieve the same goals. Its elegant aluminium body was handcrafted and weighed 160 kilograms less than the 356 Coupé. The coupé was developed for the US market and only 16 were built. In 1956, Porsche debuted a revised version called the 356A, and although it looked somewhat similar to the original 356, many revisions were made. However, the downside of the new 356A, like the previous 356 Coupé, was that it was expensive.

Enter the US importer Max Hoffman. He was the one who convinced Porsche that there was a market for their cars in America. He demanded an affordable Porsche with reduced equipment for less than 3,000 dollars. In autumn 1954, Porsche produced a significantly cheaper version with the bare essentials, for the first time with „Speedster“ in the model name. „Years ahead in engineering, miles ahead on the road“ was the slogan Hoffman used in his launch advertising campaign for Road & Track magazine (1955). The 356 1500 Speedster quickly caused a stir in the motorsport world and became an instant hit in the sunny coastal states of the USA, where its basic equipment and lack of advanced weather gear were more than adequate and remain so to this day. Hollywood icon James Dean also owned a Speedster, which only furthered his image. Some of the most notable features include a low-cut and rounded windscreen, a lighter body and a special gearbox - undoubtedly the main reasons why the Speedster was so popular with racing drivers. Other unique features included bucket seats and a very simplified dashboard inspired by the Porsche Spyder racing cars available at the time. The interior was as simple as possible, with a large two-spoke steering wheel, three round instruments in the dashboard and only a handful of buttons throughout the cabin.

The 356A Speedster was powered by a 1.6-litre boxer engine with a centrally mounted camshaft and overhead valves. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox. Although its 60 horsepower is nothing compared to today's sports cars, the 356A Speedster was fairly light at just 1750 pounds, and that power was enough to propel the car to 60 miles per hour in about 13.9 seconds. A quarter mile took just over 19 seconds, while the car topped out at just 160 mph.

The Speedster's popularity has only grown since its introduction in the 1950s and has become the object of affection for various replica companies in recent years. In the US, it cost just $2,995 when it was released. To buy a genuine Speedster in pristine condition, the price at auction would likely exceed half a million dollars.

This fine 1/8th scale model is a variant of the Type 2 (or „T2“), which was revised in 1957 to incorporate its exhausts through the rear bumper overriders. The Speedster version offered some key differences from its coupé and cabriolet siblings, with a low removable windscreen for weekend racing, fixed bucket seats and side curtains instead of wind-up windows. The „T2“ also benefited from a number of improvements to the gearbox, clutch and steering that made driving easier and more enjoyable. This model of the Porsche 356A was handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and support of Porsche in terms of original paintwork, materials, archive images and drawings. The use of highly accurate digital scanning of the original car has enabled us to perfectly replicate every detail in scale. In addition, it has undergone detailed scrutiny by both engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation. Each 1:8 scale Amalgam model comes in a luxurious black presentation box and is mounted on a carbon fibre or leather base protected by a clear acrylic dust cover. The model title, original branding and edition number are displayed on polished stainless steel plaques attached to the front end of the base.
Item number: M5756

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