The Stärke Gen 2 Speedster’s blend of vintage looks and modern mechanicals intrigue

Here’s a true curio, one of a diehard automotive individualist who struggles to understand the concept of proportion. Loosely based on Porsche’s iconic debut, the 356, Stärke Motor Company hasn’t taken a conventional path.

Traditionally, 356 replicas – and there have been many – have drawn on several sources for their mechanical underpinnings, most notably the original VW Beetle. Closely related in size and spirit, the 356 shares a co-creator in Ferry Porsche, who also worked on the Beetle with his father, Ferdinand Porsche Sr.

In the modern era, 356 restomods are everywhere and use a wide variety of approaches, including France’s PGO and the meticulous restorations by Emory Motorsports and Rennquest. It’s a popular form for compact EVs as well, with offerings from the Watt Electric Vehicle Company, Electrogenic, Retro Electric and the Chesil Speedster E, amongst others, turning the little Porsche into a characterful EV.

Here’s where Stärke departs. Under the smooth skin of the company’s Gen 2 Speedster is a Porsche Boxster, specifically the 718 model produced from 2017 onwards. It’s a brilliant car, one of the all-time classics, but it’s also an extremely well-rounded engineering and styling package. Does the Gen 2 succeed in marrying retro charm to modern engineering?

Beauty is undoubtedly in the eye of the beholder, and while ‘traditional’ takes on the 356 rarely stray far from the perfectly proportioned blueprint of the original, there’s something uncanny about the Stärke.

Cars have grown – the original 356 was under 3.9m long and 1.6m wide, whereas the modern 718 Boxster is 4.4m x 1.8m. Those extra centimetres have to go into new bodywork, giving the Gen 2 a squatter, stretched and flattened appearance, with a much steeper rake on the windscreen.

The original Speedster’s minimal bumpers, simple lights and unadorned flanks look a little lost in the allotted space, while the low-profile tyres unbalance the side profile when compared to the original. Enough grumbling – what are the advantages?

Unsurprisingly, there are many. As mentioned, the 718 is an exceptional car, and the Gen 2 shares its characteristics, from the lined, powered hood and modern creature comforts, through to the choice between 6-speed manual and 7-speed auto, with up to 394hp on tap.

If you want a stealthy restomod, the Stärke Gen 2 Speedster won’t fool anyone, even though it’s undeniably distinctive. With a combination of intriguing looks and tried and tested modern Porsche capabilities, the Gen 2 is true automotive unicorn.

Stärke Gen 2 Speedster, from $135,000 (with donor car) or $189,000 all inclusive, Stärke Motor Company, StarkeSpeedster.com