Over the years, the term has evolved to describe the almost obnoxiously difficult-to-enjoy doorless, windshieldless, mindless sports cars (sometimes hypercars) that only a select few would drive. Porsche stood by its heritage and has been making the model for 70 years.
The Speedster occupies a special place in the hierarchy of the German brand. In 1957, the easy-to-remember 356 A 1500 GS Carrera GT Speedster became the first production Porsche to reach 200 km/h (124 mph). Scowl if you will – the engine was the mechanical masterpiece with a vertical shaft and four cams. Its 1.5-liter four-cylinder boxer design produced 110 hp (108 hp). For the under 1,850 lbs (around 840 kg) car, it was more than enough.
Over the decades, other automakers have dabbled in the whimsical body style—think the one-off Aventador J, the Ferrari Monza. Also the McLaren Mercedes Vision SLR Stirling Moss (catchy name, same as the Porsche above) or the McLaren Elva.
Photo: Instagram/@tlibekua
The chronology jump might be abrupt, but if you look closely you’ll notice striking similarities between all of the above cars. Firstly, unrestricted field of vision – nothing in front of, to the side or above the driver. At least nothing car related.
No roof, no windshield, no pillars, sometimes no doors, no comfort options, but lots of fun and performance. This is exactly what all monumentally impractical cars are built for. And as if real reality wasn’t enough for gearheads, the alternate virtual reality universe is home to some wild speedster ideas.
Take this Porsche E-GO for reference, crafted by California-based Kasim Tlibekua, a cyber-illustrator who can be found under the social media name tlibekua. His take on the speedster is fluidly elegant, remarkably harmonious, and outrageously sophisticated.
Photo: Instagram/@tlibekua
The third attribute shows up in the name (which can be interpreted in different ways); E-GO is pronounced the same as “Ego”, isn’t it? Not at all out of place, because the super smooth Porsche has exactly one seat – that of the driver.
It wouldn’t be the first car with such a bewildering lack of single-passenger accommodation. Radical track-flashing buzzards like the Ariel Atom, the McLaren Solus (her again…) or the BAC Mono are just as selfish. This fantasy fruit of the Porsche E-GO is no different from the self-centered whirlwind machines in the category.
The doors are another oddity. They appear to be in place – the gaps between the body cutouts and the edges of the door are obvious. Less important is how the driver would get into the car, even if the doors were working.
Photo: Instagram/@tlibekua
A wide belt surrounds the cockpit – which would promote aerodynamics but make access very difficult. Or it could tilt forward or backward to allow the pilot to squeeze into the center-mounted seat. This would be a second unusual feature for this Porsche. If we examine it carefully, we see many similarities between it and other Prancing Horse models.
The absence of the iconic round headlights hints at the slanted 930 turbo models from the mid-’80s. The rear end is copied from newer generations of the 911, except for the disastrous diffuser that juts out from under the car and runs the full width of the rear.
Another way to look at the E-GO moniker would be through the powertrain lenses. “E” would mean electrical. The all-caps “GO” might subtly endorse performance – something runabouts suffer from in the absence of wipers and rainproof solutions in abundance.
Photo: Instagram/@tlibekua
The hump behind the rider’s head could be a concealed crash bar and fin regulating airflow. Because the driver’s head (with or without a helmet) significantly disrupts the natural flow of fast-moving currents, the stability of the car could suffer. Nothing anyone would look for in a high speed sports car with no protection.
Let’s dream about the powertrain – here the electron-based approach seems to be the choice. The body is virtually airtight – no vents, openings or elements to disperse the heat of combustion. For better or worse, the quiet, spherical Porsche would let out the flat-six’s vibrating rumble.
On the other side, only the wind would whisper to accompany the lonely occupant of the Porsche E-GO speedster. That, or the thunder that echoes overhead when the weather suddenly changes its mind when a defenseless white Porsche burns donuts on the track.
