Despite the Porsche 911’s immense and ongoing success, the 356 series has always maintained a loyal fan base. The 356 was, however, a notorious ruster, which claimed many of the 76,000 built from 1948-1965. The rarest, including the first 50 or so coupes hand-built in Gmund, Austria between 1948 and 1950, plus some later models, can fetch $1.5 million.
When you say “Speedster” in the same sentence as “Porsche,” it’s usually assumed you are speaking about the stripped-down 1954-1958 variant of the 356. Capitalizing on the power of its own heritage – and the power of nostalgia – Porsche also built three different production 911 Speedsters, the most plentiful being the 1989 model. All have become desirable collectibles.