The Porsche faithful among you should be well aware that, unlike the 356, the 911 G-series, or the later 997 and 991 generations, the 993 never officially wore the Speedster badge. A handful of one-offs did exist, most famously Luca Trazzi’s yellow 993 Speedster, commissioned through Porsche’s Special Wishes or Sonderwunsch program and shown at The Quail last year. But Gunther Werks decided that was a mistake worth correcting, and it resulted in one of the most dramatic air-cooled 911s ever built.
This isn’t a simple roof-delete, it’s a ground-up reimagination of the final air-cooled generation, executed with obsessive detail. The car you see here, finished in Amethyst Metallic, is a ’97 Carrera, and listed for sale at Graham Rahal Performance, has only 1,041 miles on the clock.
Gunther Werks was founded in Huntington Beach, California, by Peter Nam, the same mind behind Vorsteiner wheels. From the onset, his mission was simple: reimagine the last air-cooled 911s with modern precision and obsessive craftsmanship. The California connection is also equally important because, just like the OG 356 Speedster of the 1950s, these restomods were built for places with sun, coastal highways, and a culture that embraces reinterpreted classics.
The GW Speedster features modern LED lighting, extensive carbon fiber panels, including a single-skin hood, a reworked dash, and lightweight bucket seats with plum leather highlights and classic Porsche five-pod instrumentation. The distinctive speedster-inspired double-bubble rear deck is carbon as well. Despite extra bracing behind the seats, the car weighs about 2,590 pounds, which is roughly 30 pounds lighter than Gunther Werks’ 400R coupe, while achieving 50 percent greater torsional rigidity than a 993 coupe and more than twice that of a stock cabriolet. For an open-top 911, that’s remarkable.
As for performance, under the ductail decklid, sits Rothsport Racing’s naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six that delivers 435 horsepower and 335 pound-feet of torque. For some context, that is over 100 more than the stock 993 Carrera, but more importantly, that high-revving flat-six pairs with a six-speed manual and rear-wheel drive, turning the Speedster into something Porsche should have considered making themselves. While Gunther Werks doesn’t publish official figures, independent tests peg 0-60 mph in the low four-second range and top speed around 190 mph.
Handling is another highlight, as JRZ’s adjustable remote-reservoir suspension will allow you to dial the ride from firm and precise to soft and playful. Massive 295-section fronts and 335-section rears on steel smoked gray Fuchs-style lightweight alloy wheels should keep this exotic glued to the tarmac.
In the end, like the original 356 Speedster and Porsche’s 991 GT Speedster, it was built to emphasize athleticism as much as aesthetics. With only 25 in existence and this example barely driven, the question remains: would you use it as intended for spirited canyon runs, or stash it away in an air-conditioned garage, because after all, this is one of the rarest 993s ever built.
Whatever you decide, the opportunity to acquire one has now presented itself, and it will cost you a pretty penny. Even when new, the Gunther Werks Speedster costs about $585,000 before options. Today, with their rarity and cult following, values sit considerably higher.
Source: Graham Rahal Performance
