Porsche Super 90 Roadster: The Simple Life

Filed in archive Porsche on July 21, 2007

A recent post linked to my About.com test of a 2007 Porsche 911 Targa 4S in which I complained that the technology, while impressive, took all the fun out of driving. "Just give me the simple life" were the final words in my review. What I had in mind was something like the Porsche 356B Roadster, which was a sports car, pure and simple. I knew it well, having owned and raced a coupe, and it was sheer joy to drive. Fast? Not in a straight line but who cared? Handling, cornering and steering were all that mattered.

Sports Car Market magazine offers an interesting profile of the 356B in its July issue, reminding us of all the significant changes that occured from the 356A. Among them was the 90hp "Super 90," a welcome addition to the normal 60hp and 75hp variants. Those numbers, by the way, were obtained using the European "DIN" system of measurement; the American SAE method would have shown considerably higher power outputs. Only 2902 Roadsters were built from 1960 to 1962; they're the most-desired by collectors who are currently paying $65,000 to $70,000. In 1960 a Porsche Roadster would have set them back $3600. In those days I thought that was a lot of money.