Original Porsche 550 Spyders sit in a part of the collector-car world where seven-figure prices are entirely normal. That makes owning one unrealistic for almost everyone, even before considering the prospect of actually driving something so valuable.
Hedley Studios has come up with another way into the 550 experience. The British company, formerly known as The Little Car Company, specializes in beautifully detailed recreations of automotive icons, and its latest project has been developed with Porsche’s official involvement.
Called the Porsche 550 J, the little Spyder was created to celebrate 75 years of Porsche Motorsport. Porsche gave Hedley access to its corporate archives and provided guidance during development, while buyers can choose from numerous historic colors and motorsport-inspired liveries.
Prices apparently start at £69,500, or roughly $94,000 before taxes and personalization. That sounds considerably more approachable than an original 550, although there is one fairly substantial catch waiting for anyone imagining weekend drives on their favorite back road.
It’s Only 80% Scale And Isn’t Road Legal
The “J” in 550 J stands for Junior, and that’s a pretty accurate description. At approximately 2.9 meters (9.5 feet) long and 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) wide, the recreation is around 80% the size of a genuine 550 Spyder.
It can still accommodate two occupants, however, and this isn’t simply a static display model. Underneath the carbon-fiber body sits a proper steel space-frame chassis and a fully electric 48-volt drivetrain.
Standard versions produce around 8 kW, equivalent to roughly 11 hp. An optional RS Package doubles output to 16 kW, or about 22 hp, and the upgrade also brings drilled brake discs, adjustable Bilstein dampers, and as much as 50 miles of range.
Top speed with the more powerful setup is approximately 50 mph. Unfortunately, Porsche explicitly describes the 550 J as a collector’s item that is not road legal, which considerably limits where owners can actually enjoy that performance.
Porsche Helped Hedley Get The Details Right
The original 550 occupies an important place in Porsche history as the company’s first car developed specifically for motorsport. Its lightweight construction allowed the tiny racer to compete successfully against machinery with considerably larger engines.
That reputation was cemented at the 1954 Carrera Panamericana. Porsche factory drivers Hans Herrmann and Jaroslav Juhan finished third and fourth overall while taking their class, with Herrmann finishing just 36 seconds ahead of Juhan after 3,077 kilometers of racing.
The result became so important to Porsche that the Carrera name subsequently found its way onto generations of the company’s sportier road cars.
Hedley’s recreation trades the original car’s combustion engine for electric power but attempts to preserve its proportions and minimalist character. Porsche says the project was developed with extensive access to its archives rather than simply copying the 550’s appearance from the outside.
Only 250 Will Be Built
Each 550 J will be handcrafted at Hedley Studios in Bicester, England, with production limited to 250 examples. Buyers aren’t restricted to silver either, as blue, white, yellow, and red heritage-inspired finishes are among the available choices.
Hedley’s Bespoke program takes things even further, as customers can commission historic or contemporary Porsche colors and motorsport-inspired liveries, meaning the already substantial starting price could climb quickly depending on specification.
The 550 J is undeniably an unusual proposition. Nearly $100,000 buys an electric Porsche-licensed replica that can’t legally take you down a public road, yet its exclusivity and factory involvement make it considerably more elaborate than the average scaled-down toy.
For the collectors Hedley and Porsche are targeting, that limitation may hardly matter. Just make sure you have somewhere private to drive it after spending Porsche money on a Porsche that can’t leave the property.