New Porsche 550 Spyder could arrive in 2014

• Porsche news
• Roadster Porsche 550 Spyder
• New Porsche 550 Spyder could arrive in 2014
  

Fans have been eagerly waiting for Porsche to receive a version of the small midengine roadster concept that Volkswagen introduced in 2009
Nothing was ever confirmed but it now appears that the proposed car will soon enter production, according to a recent interview by Automotive News Europe with Porsche CEO Matthias Müller. Muller has already picked out a name: 550. For those who may not be familiar, the Porsche 550 Spyder is one of the brand’s seminal
Inspiration and the design philosophy behind the new Spyder, comes from the first Porsche 550 Spyder, unveiled at the 1953 Paris Motor Show. The compact two-seater was originally designed for racing and took a famous class-victory at Le Mans. But the notoriously tricky-to-handle roadster cemented its place in history when the Hollywood legend James Dean died at the wheel of one in 1955.

At the 2009 Detroit auto show, Volkswagen showed off its diesel-powered Concept Bluesport roadster and this led to talk that the VW Group is developing a new car. In the ANE interview, Muller gave hints that the project is still on the table and could arrive in 2014. He could imagine a “legitimate successor to the Porsche 550 — namely, a small midengine sports car.” He also said that the project is still in the assessment phase. With regards to the name, he said that he can’t imagine a better name for this small roadster than the 550.

But then pricing would be an issue as any model that Porsche may develop under the Boxster/Cayman would be dicey since a Porsche version of the car has to be a premium offering. But then again, Porsche aims to sell up to 200,000 vehicles by 2018 so the prospects of a small, Porsche-badged roadster with an engine in the middle seem to be bright. [via autonews – sub. required]