Classic DREAMCARS Mount Dora, Fla. (352) 385-1945 www.classicdreamcars.com

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ABOVE: ORIGINAL 1992 - 1993 PORSCHE 'AMERICAN ROADSTER' SHOWROOM BROCHURE AND ORIGINAL 1952 TYPE 540 "AMERICAN ROADSTER" PHOTO'S

SORRY, SOLD IMMEDIATELY TO PARIS FRANCE

1992 PORSCHE 911 'TURBO LOOK'-WIDEBODY "AMERICAN ROADSTER"

A DROP DEAD GORGEOUS FACTORY AMERICAN ROADSTER FINISHED IN GRAN PRIX WHITE WITH BLACK "SUPPLE" LEATHER AND BLACK CANVAS TOP. PORSCHE ONLY BUILT 250 OF THESE LIMITED BUILT CONVERTIBLES EXCLUSIVELY FOR REGULAR U.S.A. PRODUCTION OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD ('92-'93) AND THEY ARE SOME OF THE LAST OF THE FACTORY MADE, TURBO BODIED AIR-COOLED CABRIOLET'S...POSSIBLY, ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED, BEST KEPT SECRET, CLOSET COLLECTIBLE'S IN AMERICA TODAY. EACH CAR CAME WITH A 5-SPEED GEARBOX *, TURBO BRAKES AND SUSPENSION, SIDE / REAR SKIRTS, AS WELL AS, A NORMALLY ASPIRATED 3.6 BOXER SIX MOTOR. THIS ORIGINAL FLORIDA CAR HAS ULTRA-LOW MILEAGE (38,000 / 2,000 MILES PER YEAR, THE LAST OWNER 'BABIED' THE CAR AND ONLY DROVE IT 8,300 MILES IN THE LAST 11 YEARS - AND "...NEVER IN THE RAIN"!! ) IT IS EQUIPPED WITH POWER TOP, AND POWER WINDOWS. PLUS, A STEREO / FACTORY "C.D-2", SHORT SHIFT GEARBOX, FISKE 17in. WHEELS (PLUS PORSCHE WHEELS), CENTRAL DOOR LOCKING / POWER DOOR LOCKS, SECURITY SYSTEM, LEATHER CONSOLE, ELECTRICALLY HEATED SEATS / MIRRORS, CRUISE CONTROL, CLOCK / GAUGES / TACH, FOGLAMPS, FULL "SUPPLE" LEATHER WITH LUMBAR SUPPORT ON THE POWER SEATS [ L&R ] AND LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. SINCE THEY WERE ONLY OFFERED IN ONE FORM, WITH THE NORMALLY ASPIRATED 3.6 SIX, ONE IS ASSURED OF HAVING MILES AND MILES OF DRIVING PLEASURE. IN FACT, THE "TURBO-LOOK' PORSCHES HAVE TAKEN ON A LIFE OF THEIR OWN AS BUYERS SHY AWAY FROM THE HIGH, COSTLY MAINTENANCE OF THE TURBO'S. YOU GET 'THE LOOK' THE BRAKES / SUSPENSION AND, MOST OF ALL, THOSE BIG FENDERS AS PART OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE. THIS CAR CARRIES ALL BOOKS / RECORDS, CARFAX AND PORSCHE AUTHENTICATION CERTIFICATE DOCUMENT THE MILEAGE AND PROVENANCE ....... THE ORIGINAL M.S.R.P. WAS $92,284.....TODAY, THE HARDEST PART WOULD BE JUST FINDING ONE TO BUY!

OFFERED FOR THE FIRST TIME $58,500

*OF THESE, 41 TIPTRONIC AUTOMATIC'S WERE BUILT

THE STORY:

This was the year Presidential Hopeful Bill Clinton vowed "We want our future back, and I intend to help give it to you". President Bush was insisting "the recession wasn't so bad" as we saw the last results of 'trickle-down Reaganomics', John "Teflon Don" Gotti ( New York mobster) was convicted of racketeering / murder, Hurricane Andrew bore down on Southern Florida resulting in $20.6 billion in damages, Johnny Carson retired from Late Night Television, Amy Fisher (The Long Island Lolita) pleaded 'guilty' to shooting MaryJo Buttafuco, and 20 yr. old Heavy Weight Champ Mike Tyson was convicted of bonking 18 yr.old Miss Black America, Desiree Washington in his hotel room. What was suppose to be a 40 year Celebration for Queen Elizabeth II's Ascension to the Throne turned disastrous as the soap opera life of Princess Di and Prince Charles became tabloid fodder. "Fergie" was 'caught' topless on the Riviera, Princess Anne divorced and the Queen's own lavish spending and tax exempt status turned sour. Four white Los Angeles Policeman were acquitted after beating Rodney "PCP" King senseless. Gulf War allies established a 'no fly' zone over Southern Iraq to keep Saddam Hussein from crushing Shiites Muslims. TV's across America blurted "I've fallen, and I can't get Up" and PeeWee Herman's line......" That's so funny, I forgot to laugh"...came true, after he was arrested for allegedly flogging his sausage in a Porno House in Tampa. Lawrence Welk , Marlene Dietrich, Bert Parks and Benny Hill (British Comedian) all died in 1992.

If you wake up one morning, and decide you gotta have a Porsche Convertible before you go to The Great Race Track In the Sky but, have narrowed your sights down to ONLY the factory "Turbo-look" Wide-Bodied Version...your choices are extremely limited. Either you pick from:

1. The Late Eighties "Turbo Look" / Slantnose Cabriolet's (Limited Edition)

2. The Late Eighties Turbo Cab's (Very Limited Edition)

3. The 1989 Carrera Speedster ( the 1994 Speedster had a traditional body )

4. 1994 C4 Cabriolet

5. Or, the 'Super Collectible' Turbo Bodied Convertible : The American Roadster

Very few Porsche's were production built using the bodacious blown-out rear fenders and Turbo upgrades. Each model previously offered had it's attributes and inherited drawbacks. The early edition cars ('83-'89) are really beautiful but, are now graciously considered dated looking, resembling the old 930 Race Cars. Cars built pre-1989 only had 4-speed gearboxes, which were known to be fragile against the incredible torque / power put out by the Turbo. Conversely, the 1989 Speedster is a great collectible due to it's limited production (2,100 worldwide, 800 USA) but, it was underpowered and carried a cheap looking fiberglass clamshell with an absolutely miserable manual soft top, which could only be described as 'cantankerous' to deal with. One of the last , final production factory Wide-body Turbo Bodies is... the 1992-93 Porsche American Roadster.

The American Roadster was first seen as "overpriced" when released in 1992, as it cost $15,000 more than a regular Porsche Cabriolet but, it was soon revealed it would be the only factory issue developed as a Commemorative Edition honoring the coveted 1952 Porsche "American Roadster" Race Car. For those 'not-in-the know', some folks did not realize that the predecessor to the Porsche Speedster, was actually the Porsche American Roadster. It's humble beginnings started when Stuttgart commissioned Hans Klenk Karosserrie to build an all steel, open car in 1950. Called the Sauter Roadster, it weighed in at only 1,298 lbs. and was fitted with 'easy access' suicide doors. It was used as a Rally Car on the Leige-Rome-Leige Race and carried a 1500cc motor. It was then purchased by Porsche in 1952, and used as a development mule, refitted with the 'new' Typ528 Super 1500cc motor. By 1953, this actual car mentioned had found it's way to California and was extensively raced there.

However, by late 1950, Karl Rabe and Erwin Komenda completed designs for another low-window-sill Cabriolet (design Typ540- seen above in our photo) for the growing market in the United States. This market was encouraged in part by Max Hoffman, an American Car Dealer from California (so, even in the Fifties, the incredible power of the American Buying Public was being exercised!). Hoffman flipped for the Sauter car during his visits to Stuttgart but, requested that the car be redesigned with rear opening (front hinged) doors and an all-aluminum body. It was quickly dubbed "The American Roadster" and rushed into production with great excitement. Porsche hired body-builder Heinreich Glaser Karosserrie to build the car. Unfortunately, he died soon after undertaking the project and design control was assumed by his Son-In-Law, Emil Heuer. While this collaboration made money off it's auto repairs and other interests, Coach Building had to be it's "loss leader". Obviously, a 'labor of love', they lost about 1,600 German DM on every car built ( they had bid 500 hours per car, and it took 640 hrs. to build each one). They ended up building 2 different series of cars ( single engine grille and twin grille) for a total of about 16 vehicles. Today, it's easy to spot the influence of the Jaguar XK120 and the Ferrari Barchetta Spyder in their inherit design. "Creature Features" included a Clock on the instrument panel and Leather Seating, were the only luxury options setting it apart from it's pure race car heritage. The price, however, was luxurious at $4,600 U.S.D....a lot of money in 1952!Losing money on every car he built, Heuer eventually went bankrupt. The car then saw another body-builder take over (Drauz) who then adapted the American Roadster strictly for racing. Today, it is clearly viewed as the prototype car for what became the Porsche Speedster in 1957. An actual factory lightweight roadster, once again, fitted with a low windshield, big engine and increased braking power.

Forty Years later, Porsche honors the history of The American Roadster by building a limited run of 250...it's own modern version. It released a wide-bodied Roadster complete with Turbo Suspension, and Turbo Brakes but, unlike it's Little Brother, The '89 Carrera Speedster, it carried more horsepower (247 vs. 214) and was powered by the 3.6L H6 motor which pushes out 228 lb's of torque (vs. 195 on the Speedster). but, also unlike the Speedster, instead of being totally stripped, it came standard with 4 Season Air Conditioning, Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Cassette, Airbags and ABS Brakes. BTW: It also cost a helluvalot more money. The Speedsters sold for $65,480 new, the American Roadster ( 3 years later) sold for $87,900- $95,000+. Unfortunately, the marketing folks at Porsche shot themselves in the foot, by not making a concerted effort to capitalize on the heritage or Racing History of the American Roadster. Back in 1992-93 few American's were informed or understood what the "American Roadster" actually was when it was released. Maybe it was the Recession but, Porsche's failure to properly publicize, market (one lame brochure) and educate the American Public ( it's BIGGEST customer : the U.S.A.) to the car properly failed to cause the same 'barn storm' action as when it released the '89 Speedster. In retrospect, just like the introduction of the "Speedster Model" in 1955, this inaction makes the car a bargain today....and extremely collectible for the future ( we repeat... one of 250 *!).
I've had the pleasure of owning nearly every breed of important automobile built and if you've never owned a Porsche, you're in for a real surprise. They still offer a lot of 'bang-for-the-buck" in a Sportscar. At least , now we feel we've done our part... you now know about the little American Roadster !! We feel, watching new - late- model cars 'drop like a rock' in value, that these factory custom made Cabriolets will make a great future collectible...

* turbo-look.de states 270 total built less 15 for Canada (not dubbed American Roadsters) = 255 built.