1953
Porsche
550 Spyder
It is the original Porsche mid-engine race car that customers could buy, and surviving examples are among the most important cars a collector can put in a garage.
1953–1956
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The story
The Porsche 550 Spyder is the mid-engine sports-racer that established Porsche as a serious competition brand. About 90 cars were built with a 1.5-liter four-cam flat-four and a weight around 1,300 pounds. It is one of the most valuable and closely watched Porsches in private collections.
History
Porsche developed the 550 from the 356 racing programme and showed it in 1953. The production Spyder used a spaceframe and the Type 547 four-cam engine designed by Ernst Fuhrmann. James Dean's 1955 crash made the car famous beyond motorsport, but its reputation was already set by class wins at Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, and the Carrera Panamericana.
On track
The 550 won its class at Le Mans in 1953 and 1954 and took a class win on the 1954 Carrera Panamericana, which later gave the Carrera name to Porsche road cars. Privateers ran 550s in sports-car races worldwide through the late 1950s.
Generations
Common questions
01
What is Porsche 550 Spyder on Uncommon?
The Porsche 550 Spyder is the mid-engine sports-racer that established Porsche as a serious competition brand. About 90 cars were built with a 1.5-liter four...
02
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