Jay Leno Drives A 356 Speedster Replica That Is Possibly Better Than The Real Thing

Volkswagen floor pan, Subaru engine, Design by Porsche, Almost no real Porsche parts included.

byBradley Brownell|
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This 356 Speedster replica has heated seats, working HVAC, and the owner claims around 200 horsepower. That sounds like a complete win to me. The Speedster was always built to be a racing car, but these days they're all collectibles that have been tucked away in collections. More than anything, this is why I am encouraging people to go the route of a replica, because they can be driven without worry and they can be modified without worry. This Subaru-powered car has a lot of extra power, modern usability, and still retains a lot of those old-school good looks.

Jay simply pulled this guy over on the street to talk about his car, and Tom Murtaugh was more than happy to oblige. His fiberglass-bodied 356 is quite interesting, looks the part, and drives like a dream. Keen eyed viewers will note that this 356 replica also features some pretty aggressive Toyo R888 r-compound tires, which would probably make this quite the exciting car to drive on a canyon road. It's not a *real* Porsche, but it's a fun facsimile. You can't fault a guy that puts 12,000 miles on his replica in three and a half years. Well done Tom. You're a hero in my eyes.  

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