Most Porsche cars are pretty rare. However, there are even a few which are rare by Porsche’s standards.
One of them is the Porsche 550 spyders. The production of the car was discontinued soon after the launch.
However, there are still a few Porsche 550 Spyders floating around.
Today, I will answer a question related to the Porsche 550 spyders. The question which I will answer is, how many Porsche 550 Spyders were made?
How many Porsche 550 Spyders were made?
Only 100 Porsche 550 Spyders were made. The cars were initially manufactured in the mid-1950s.
The minimalistic design, as well as an iconic shape, made them pretty famous.
Even though they were launched in the 1950s, they are still popular. That is because of the unique and aesthetically pleasing design of Porsche 550 spyders.
Wondering what is kept them so popular in today’s days as well?
I will answer that below.
There are a few reasons why the Porsche 550 Spyders are still famous. These include:
• As I have highlighted above, the iconic shape of Porsche 550 Spyders is one of the primary reasons it is so famous.
• Besides that, it is quite lightweight at 1300 lbs. The lightweight design means that maneuvering it around is undoubtedly easy.
• Despite its lightweight, it produces around 120 HP. That is why; it was used in racing as well. Also, the lightweight design meant that taking turns in this car is certainly easy. That is why; it has navigated some of the most challenging racecourses in the world.
• The two-seater race car was not only suitable for racing but regular roads as well. That is the reason why it is in great demand.
Moreover, its scarcity has made it even more famous than its features.
This brings us to the important question, how many Porsche 550 spyders are left still?
How many Porsche 550 Spyders are left?
While around 100 Porsche 550 Spyders were manufactured, only around 80 exist today.
The rest suffered from extensive wear and tear, due to which they do not exist today.
The ever-decreasing numbers of Porsche 550 Spyders have increased their value tremendously.
This brings us to the essential question, how much is a Porsche 550 spyder worth?
How much is a Porsche 550 Spyder worth?
As recently as 2012, 550 spyder was sold for $ 3.685 million.
Soon after, in March 2016, Porsche 550 Spyders was sold for $ 5.35 million as well.
As you can see, with each passing year, the value of Porsche 550 Spyders is increasing consistently.
It is a collectible item, which is why its value is increasing with each passing year.
Apart from these things, there are a few other things which you should know about the Porsche 550 spyders as well. I will highlight all of those below.
What should you know about Porsche 550 spyders?
There are a few things which have made the Porsche 550 Spyders quite famous. I will cover those below.
1. Its launch:
The world 1st got a glimpse of the Porsche 550 Spyders at the 1953 Paris motor show. It was one of the 1st cars which provided Porsche with the racing win.
It became even more famous when it became the car of choice of James Dean. James Dean was a popular cultural icon at that time.
However, soon enough, this proved to be negative publicity for Porsche. I will highlight the same below.
2. Its infamous crash:
It was the year 1955 when James Dean traded in the MG for the Porsche 550 spyder.
Soon after, the car was involved in a crash which led to the death of James Dean.
The real story of the car, however, starts after the death of James Dean. It is widely believed that the car was cursed.
According to the autobiography of Sir Alec Guinness, he had warned James Dean that if he got into that car after a specific time, that is 10 o’clock, 23rd Friday, September 1959, he would be dead by next week.
Unfortunately, that is what exactly happened.
The car, which was known as Little Master, has been a part of various accidents ever since. It proved fatal for a truck driver as well.
Even the drivers who used Porsche 550 Spyders of James Dean experienced various accidents and crashes. In fact, one driver became a victim of what is known as the Little Master curse as well.
In the year 1960, however, the car disappeared altogether. It was being transported in a train in a sealed boxcar.
After the train’s arrival in Los Angeles, the manifesto stated that the car should be in the sealed boxcar. However, when the boxcar was opened, the boxcar was empty.
Ever since then, no one has seen the little master.
While the Porsche 550 Spyders is quite famous, this tale of James Dean Porsche 550 Spyders is equally famous. Often, both of them are spoken in the same breath. That is another thing which you should know about Porsche 550 Spyders before thinking of buying it is a collectible.
3. Its top speed:
The top speed of Porsche 550 Spyders is 140 mph. The good news is that the car can reach 60 mph in just 7 to 8 seconds. That is the reason why it became so popular among speed enthusiasts.
Now that you are aware of these three facts regarding Porsche 550 Spyders, it is easy to understand why the car had become so popular. One of the primary reasons was the limited manufacturing of the car.
However, the death of James Dean made it a living legend as well.
Even today, many car enthusiasts would like to own a Porsche 550 spyders. However, the value of the car is spiraling out of control with each passing year. That is why it is often a part of the collection of only the rich and famous.
Now that I have covered everything about Porsche 550 Spyders, you can take a look at some of my other posts related to Porsche cars as well.
For example, I have covered the best Porsche car covers in my post here. Once you go through it, buying a cover for your Porsche is easy.