2019 Porsche 911 Speedster Heritage Edition Unveiled In New York
Earlier this week we gave you a preview of Stuttgart鈥檚 latest Speedster. As the end of the line for the 991.2 chassis, it combines everything we love. If you were wondering how they could improve it, the 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster Heritage Edition was unveiled in New York. It seems a bit strange to have two unveilings of the same car only days apart, but we think Porsche is trying to compete with Mercedes-Benz for media attention. If so, they are doing right. The Heritage Edition models will be built by the Exclusive Manufaktur department with several historical cues. It will only be offered in GT Silver Metallic, the color of Porsche鈥檚 classic race cars. White arrows on the bumper and fenders compliment the white hood 鈥済umball鈥? This is a reference to Porsche 356s that were raced around the world. They can be left blank, or Porsche can deliver the car with your desired number. If that is all a bit too much, you can order it without the decals. Instead of the black center lock wheels found on other Speedsters, Heritage models roll on Platinum Satin or Silver wheels. Inside you will find Black & Cognac leather throughout. Embossed and embroidered, you will also have a gold plaque designating the car鈥檚 significance. What they didn鈥檛 change is the six-speed transmission and the GT3 RS engine. The 4.0L beast provides 502 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. It was treated to individual throttle bodies for instant revs, something the GT3 didn鈥檛 offer. No mention of price was given, but our dealers have several classic speedsters to choose from. Stay with us for all your 911 news.
Such comments were not lost on senior Jaguar management as it drew up the specifications of the E-type鈥檚 eventual replacement. Several UK dealers had lobbied Jaguar to raise the price of the E-type by 拢100 to enable more attention to be devoted to eliminating annoying faults in the car - but all to no avail. By May 1970 it was reported that E-type production had slowed down to 250 per week. Perhaps with a huge waiting list for the more profitable XJ6 saloon led Jaguar to switch some E-type production capacity over to the newer car? Tragically in July 1970, Jaguar aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer suffered a fatal heart attack. He was already working on the E-type鈥檚 successor which had mutated from the XJ21 into the larger XJ27/XJ-S. Limited for the future? But engineering this into the ageing E-type was proving problematical as Jaguar Deputy Chairman FRW Lofty England told author Philip Porter.
鈥?鈥淲ell, there ain鈥檛 much room in the cockpit area. Although it had originally planned to replace the E-type with the XJ21, finances dictated that that Jaguar examined the possibility of using a shortened XJ saloon floor pan and the forthcoming V12 engine. This made perfect sense as it enabled a degree of rationalization to take place and produce a roomier car with space for all the equipment consumers demanded. Also, Sir William Lyons wanted a more refined GT car which could retail at a higher price and generate more profit for the company. This became project XJ27 which evolved into the XJ-S. A direct E-type replacement would have to wait until the funds became available to develop one. As related earlier, Jaguar was working on a modular 60 degree V8/V12 engine, although the V8 was to prove a blind alley. For more information on the V8/V12 saga, please look at the XJ6/12 development story. Originally the V12 was intended for the XJ saloon, but in 1968 Technical Director William Heynes pushed for the V12 engine to be used in the E-type.
The shoehorning of the V12 into the E-type became project XJ25. The XJ25 was launched in March 1971 as the Series 3 Jaguar E-type and became the first car to use the new 5343cc V12 engine. The V12 was fitted with four Zenith Stromberg 175CD carburetors and was rated at 314bhp (SAE) at 5850 rpm, but by now Jaguar was admitting it was in reality 272bhp DIN. Transmission was the Jaguar four-speed manual or the optional Borg-Warner 12J three-speed automatic. At launch, Jaguar stated that the XK engined E-type would remain available in Series 3 form, but in reality only three were manufactured. Visually the Series 3 E-type was recognizable by its enlarged air intake which was fitted with a chrome grille, similar in style to that fitted to the XJ6 saloon. Pressed steel wheels with chrome hubcaps were standard, and wire wheels were now an optional extra. The wheels were now 6in wide, an inch more than before, which resulted in the car having flared wheel arches.