Although Ferdinand Porsche had established his automotive design consultancy in the early 1930s, his name would not appear on a car until 1949. When it did, it graced one of the all-time great sports cars – the Porsche 356. A cabriolet followed hot on the heels of the original 356 coupé and then in 1952 a trial batch of 15 roadsters was constructed at the behest of US importer Max Hoffman, who had persuaded Porsche of the potential for a ‘cut-price’ entry-level model. The roadsters’ successful reception in the USA led to the introduction of the Speedster model in 1954. Instantly recognisable by virtue of its low, wraparound – as opposed to V-shaped – windscreen, smaller and entirely retractable hood, lower door waistline, horizontal trim strip at the level of the door handles, and twin bucket seats – all of which served to emphasise its sporting image – the Speedster was intended to compete with the cheaper British sports cars. The Speedster was powered initially by the 1.5-litre version of Porsche’s horizontally opposed four, gaining the new 1.6-litre, 60bhp engine with the introduction of the improved 356A for 1955. Priced at $2,995, the Speedster was the lightest of the 356s, enjoying a commensurate performance boost that meant over 100mph was possible. Allied to its already renowned handling characteristics, this meant that the Speedster was an instant success in the burgeoning American sports