The Porsche 550 was a sports car produced by Porsche from 1953-1956.

Inspired by the Porsche 356, the Spyder 550 is an upgraded version of the original created by Ferry Porsche with Spyder prototypes built and raced by Walter Glöckler starting in 1951. The car saw action in categories as diverse as rallying, hill climbs and endurance racing, creating historic significance as the factory's first purpose built racing car. It was so low that former German Formula One racer Hans Hermann famously drove it under closed railroad crossing gates during the 1954 Mile Miglia.

The Spyder 550 gained its name from the fact that the aluminium body wrapped over a tubular ladder chassis with a 1.5 litre, air cooled flat 4 engine weighed in at just 550kg. The Spyder not only routinely beat competitors in their own class, but also often finished ahead of more powerful, higher classed machines, earning the name the "Giant Killer" and giving Porsche's first overall win in a major sports car racing event at the 1956 Targa Florio.

The Porsche 550 "Little Bastard" is infamous for being the car in which James Dean was killed on September 30th 1955.

Technical Specification

Body

• Hand Laid Fibreglass
• Special Chamonix Process

Engine

• VW Air cooled 1.6 litre, 65hp fuel injection
•  or
• VW Air cooled 1.9 litre, 115hp Fuel injection
• Other engines possible please ask for details

Gearbox

• VW 5 Speed Gearbox

Standard Items

• 1.6 litre, 65hp fuel injection or
• 1.9 litre, 115hp

Specifications

• Wheelbase : 2,150mm
• Ground Clearance : 130mm
• Length : 3,708mm
• Width : 1,549mm
• Fuel Tank Capacity : 41 litres
• Acceleration : (0-60mph) 9.5 seconds for 1.6 litre, 6.5 seconds for 1.9 litre
• Total Weight : 590 Kg
• Radial Tyres
• 15" Wheels

Suspension

• Front and Rear independant suspension
• Front disk brakes, rear drum brakes

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