I’M SPEAKING OF THE ENGINE, THAT IS. Back in May 1955, R&T noted, “The Porsche Speedster is available with a choice of engines, the model priced at $2995 having a 1488 cc engine rated by the conservative German D.I.N. [Deutsches Institut für Normung, German Institute for Standardization] method at 55 bhp…. However, our test was on the ‘Super’ engined model (the 1500S), an alternative which cost $500 extra and which provides 70 D.I.N. bhp, or 84 without the accessories or exhaust system.”
Why rate an engine without these components? Because back in those days, this was the accepted S.A.E. procedure for measurement, part of the U.S. automakers’ horsepower war (which led to the following muscle car era). However, by 1971–1972, with government urging S.A.E. changed from J245 “gross” power to J1349 “net” power, the latter closer to D.I.N., not to say more logical in terms of necessary fitments.
Torque Versus Horsepower. Though never touted much by Madison Avenue, torque (and hence a car’s acceleration) is more important to a driver than horsepower (more related to a car’s top speed). R&T observed, “In a sports car, such as the Porsche, the engine is small, and the torque is proportionate. Yet, as we show in this road test, the latest Porsche 1500S speedster is capable of a very high performance.”
“This result,” R&T continued, “is due to an efficient engine [the Super’s roller-bearing crankshaft, for instance], four useful gear ratios (all synchronized), and low overall weight. Common-sense design, thorough engineering and good workmanship contribute to the overall effect and insure customer satisfaction in terms of reliability.”
High praise indeed.
Speedster Versus Coupe. “Performance-wise, the Speedster being lighter by 70 lbs and benefitting from a revision of 3rd and 4th ratios, gives substantially better acceleration figures than those recorded for the Super coupe. Top speed however is about 4 mph less. (See the comparison table at left).” Er… below.
Tapley-measured Drag. “The drag factor on the Speedster,” R&T recounted, “was taken by Tapley meter at 60 mph, with top down. The drag with top and side curtains installed was not obtained for the simple reason that when 150 miles from home we discovered that the side curtains were missing.”
Oops. “We tried one high speed timed run with top-up and gave up on the idea. It (the top) flaps viciously at anything over 70 mph. The average of two timed runs gave 100.5 mph, top down, with speedo reading 110. The factory gives the top speed as 104 mph and we have yet to find a German manufacturer who is not conservative in performance claims.”
A Porsche recollection comes to mind, albeit about a modified car. It was a coupe, thus I had nothing to forget in performing a top-speed run. And, I confess, my secret bit of little-used freeway was nowhere near 150 miles from home. (The car’s top speed was 156 mph, as I recall, and not experienced for long.)
Back to ’55. “The Porsche has always been an exceptionally comfortable and easy-to-drive car. The Speedster is no exception, even with the rather ‘lumpy’ idle of the Super engine. In town driving [my secret freeway didn’t exist back then], the engine revolutions can drop to as low as 2000 rpm in any gear, but 2500 rpm is recommended minimum speed.”
Comfy Too. R&T continued, “The seats are extremely comfortable and the ‘squirming’ room for legs, feet and elbows is especially noteworthy. There has been some comment about lack of headroom in the Speedster, but the cars now being delivered have the seat frames mounted on 2” spacers which can be removed for tall persons. Unfortunately, over-6-footers will still find the headroom inadequate.”
Come to think of it, I only vaguely recall ever having driven my Miata with its top erected either.
Oversteer. R&T recounted, “Any car with as much as 55% of the total curb weight on the rear wheels has a natural tendency to oversteer. We have never felt this characteristic was objectionable on any Porsche, nor have we ever found an owner who disliked this tendency.”
Gee, where’s Ralph Nader when he might be needed?
“Let’s Belly Up To The Bar, Folks.” R&T wrote, “The 1955 Speedster incorporates, for the first time, a torsion type anti-roll bar…. When both front wheels strike a bump at the same time the resultant shock is slightly reduced as compared to earlier models. But when only one front wheel encounters a bump the anti-roll bar is also twisted. The result is a ride that is substantially the same as before. When the car starts to roll, as in a sharp corner, the bar twists, reducing the roll angle. At the same time the load carried by the outside tire is increased, which gives an understeering force.”
Which reminds me of 26 years later when I evaluated a Datsun 280Z with its anti-roll bars variously attached/detached. The subhead of the tech piece was “Let’s belly up to the bar, folks, and see what we can learn.”
Another topic for another day. ds
© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2025