Gunther Werks Porsche 993 Speedster Proves Yet Again That Carbon Fiber Is King

Feb. 22 – Gunther Werks is back in action, and their newest open-top, air-cooled creation is here to steal your heart — the Porsche 993 Speedster. For those unfamiliar with the magic behind Gunther Werks name, they are master crafters within the world of the Porsche aftermarket, perfecting their builds with none other than carbon fiber. The 993 is familiar ground for Gunther Werks, but this new Speedster is here to prove yet again that carbon fiber is king. 

This new creation is summed up by Gunther Werks as an “open-air model that not only heightens the experience with the rush of wind through your hair, but also pushes the boundaries of performance to build a stronger, lighter, faster car.” The reengineered Porsche 993 Speedster has already gone on to put down the fastest air-cooled lap around Laguna Seca at just 1:30.99, but what exactly have they done to the car to make it lighter and faster?

The biggest problem Gunther Werks had to overcome with the Porsche 993 Speedster is the removal of the roof. The roof of any car is key in keeping torsional rigidity, so with it gone the engineers had to employ advanced reinforcement. Most of this reinforcement has been cleverly concealed by the new carbon fiber Speedster top and tonneau cover. Beyond chassis strength, the 993 Speedster has also gained improved aerodynamics. An updated front fascia integrates a carbon front splitter that drastically improves aerodynamics. The rear of the Porsche 993 Speedster features a revised duck tail with a ram air scoop, along with 3d printed exhaust tips. Other modifications to the exterior include aluminum side view mirrors, lightweight door handles, and an updated front led reflector system. If you haven’t already noticed, Gunther Werks takes every detail into account when it comes to weight savings.

The interior of the Porsche 993 Speedster includes a new carbon fiber dash, a redesigned pedal assembly and a revised carbon fiber floor panel system. The front windscreen also sits lower, with an option to delete it completely, so Gunther Werks accommodated this by developing a hollow carbon fiber seat shell featuring lightweight cushions. The seats themselves also sit lower that the original 993, reducing drag and lowering the center of gravity. 

Technical specifications haven’t been revealed yet, but the Porsche 993 Speedster is promised to have an increase over the original 435 hp and 335 lb-ft of torque. Gunther Werks continued partnership with Eisenloht Racing and JRZ Suspension also means that the Speedster with feature an all-new advanced dynamic suspension system.

25 of these beautifully reengineered Gunther Werks Porsche 993 Speedsters will be developed, with a price of $675,000 before other options are applied. 

King Carbon Fiber: Gunther Werks Reimagines the 993

Well, are you kicking yourself yet? You know, over the fact that a Porsche 993 Turbo, the last of the aircooled greats was affordable at one point in time? Well, that dead cat bounce came back strong and 1995-1998 Porsches have reached over $2-million in GT2 trim. The price for these cars today has dragged up even the lowly C2 from obscurity and given them lofty values and more desirability. The aftermarket noticed and the aftermarket also helped create the frenzy into a climate today where Singer was born and new player Gunther Werks Porsche, who should need no introduction but hey, we get paid by the word.

Let’s rewind again a bit before we get to the Gunther Werks phenomenon. Porsche has always made desirable cars and the swing-and-miss of the 1999-2004 Porsche 996 help the aircooled prices along. That left collectors to hoard previous generations fearing the worst for the future of the 911. But the aftermarket aided in not only ramping up the classics but bringing completely reinvented restomods to an almost completely new set of buyers.

What Rauh-Welt Begriff (RWB) widebodies may have started and Singer restomods perpetuated, the latest player in the high-dollar Porsche scene has possibly perfected. We are talking about Gunther Werks, the company that might not have built the restomod Porsche market but in many ways perfected it… in carbon fiber. 

Since the parent company of company is carbon fiber and wheel titans Vorsteiner, they wanted to reinvent the 993 with a clean approach. Identifying that the base model Carrera C2 tended to understeer inherently out of the factory, the mission to alter the geometry was underway. Believing the front track was too narrow, this Porsche was reimagined with a completely square set-up. To achieve this, it wasn’t a simple increase in bodywork with wider wheels, but the whole front geometry is pushed out 60mm resulting in a 65-inch front and rear square set up. The running gear is still staggered with 315/30/18 Rear Pirelli P Zero Rosso Tires in the rear and agile 245/35R18 up front.

The agility of the Porsche is also due in part to the lightweight body adorning the C2 chassis. Gunther Werks Porsche owner Peter Nam explains that this is a pre-preg carbon fiber formed in an autoclave that results in a curb weight of only 2670-pounds making it lighter and stiffer than the original. The soft curves of the 993 body gently extend out 3-inches on each corner to cover the sizable increase in tires and new suspension mounting points creating a slick design that is as wide as the current 991 GT3! Outside, a revised duckbill spoiler amplified the look of this 400R and on earlier versions where the original doors and mirrors were kept, this latest 400R replaces them all in exposed carbon fiber.

Under the rear lid is an all-new approach making power. The 4.0L naturally aspirated flat-6 pumps out 400 horsepower with 331 lb-ft but that figure climbs to 431hp at 7,800rpm on the right gasoline with a MoTeC tune. To keep all those ponies headed in the right direction, the 400R also features electric power steering and air conditioning requiring only 1-horsepower eliminating parasitic drag.

The gearbox is proper 6-speed manual transaxle that with the gearing changed to optimize the car’s track performance. The revised box features closer ratios for the first five gears and an overdrive for 6th gear to keep it civil.

Debuting at “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering” in 2017, the original red 400R made a splash there and a couple months later at SEMA 2017. But Gunther Werks decided to up the ante with this complete exposed carbon fiber exoskeleton showcasing what the company could produce. Nam described this exposed carbon fiber as “the most challenging build of my career.” It was the expansive amount of space that these carbon fiber experts had to perfect, creating an automotive art in stunning carbon fiber weave that couldn’t be hidden by paint.

Interested? Well, there are only going to be 25 in existence, so move quick but not too quick because it will cost $600,000 to park one in your driveway… and you have to supply the C2 donor car! The public, however, has spoken and all the reviews agree, this is one special Porsche. As a first effort from Gunther Werks, we applaud how quickly they established a following that took the Singers and Rufs of the world much longer to achieve.