550 Spyder by Chamonix First Steer
January 7, 2009 by Anthony Crawford
550 Spyder by Chamonix First Steer
“Almost identical to the legendary Porsche 550 Spyder, but with a 2.5-litre boxer engine and weighing a super light 720 kilos, you don’t need to ask me how it goes”
- photography Yvan Fournier
Model Tested: 550 Spyder by Chamonix – $60,880 (RRP)
James Dean immortalised the Porsche 550 Spyder when his slammed into a Ford Coupe, driven by Donald Turnipseed, on his way to an amateur race in Salinas, California on September 30, 1955.
Dean had just traded up from his Porsche 356 due to the phenomenal success of the 550 at Le Mans, where it ran a one-two finish in its class. This was Porsche’s first attempt at a purpose built race car, and they nailed it!
There were plenty of other wins too, for the quad-cam, flat-four, 1.5-litre Porsche, including a 1000 kilometre race at the Nurburgring, where it hammered more powerful rivals from Ferrari, Maserati and Jaguar.
Not only was the 550 a wickedly quick car, capable of more than 219km/h (137mph), but the speed it could carry into corners was blistering and gave it the edge over most other cars for several years. So successful was this car, that wins were barely mentioned over the occasional loss.
(real 550 Spyder)
It was also one of the coolest looking cars on the planet, so its not surprising, that there is plenty of keen buyers for replicas of Porsche’s first hero car.
And don’t think for one minute you need to spend a fortune, or look outside Australia to get behind the wheel of a new 550 Spyder. Right here in Sydney, is where you can you collect your hand built car, in any colour combo you like.
The 550 Spyder by Chamonix, is a micro operation by global car-maker standards, but that’s also what makes it special.
I didn’t quite know what to expect of this operation, when I rolled up to an old numbered garage on one of Sydney’s busiest roads, to catch a peep of what is clearly automotive eye candy to anyone who is not clinically blind.
Inside this humble establishment sat a freshly polished silver 550 Spyder, upholstered in red leather and looking finer than Jimmy Dean ever did in his Hollywood prime.
You have to have passion, know-how and a truckload of self-determination to want to build a low volume sports car in this country. The red tape and compliance with the Australian Design Rules (ADR) alone would be enough to send you loopy.
I knew the guy behind the Australian designed and built Robnell Cobra, arguably one of the best Cobra replicas in the world, who gave his all and then some, but still found it extraordinarily tough going.
The two chaps who will build your 550 Spyder, know their business very well. Automotive engineering and race car preparation is their background, and for near enough to $60,000, you can own a car that will get you more looks than a Lamborghini Gallardo.
The order book is already filling up too, so if you like what you see, best you get in sooner rather than later, before they realise these things are too damn cheap, and add on another $5000 or more – even then, it would be a bargain.
It certainly has that classic look. Was there any useable storage space for a weekend away?
For mine, if I were in the market, I’d still be looking to put that 60G in Caterham’s pockets instead.
I wonder if i have any equity left in my house?
The blue one in the workshop looks gorgeous
Hope it doesn’t come with the usual crappy usual ultray heavy Subaru clutch pedal with high takeup point and notchy, rubbery shifts… I used to own a MY00 2.5L Liberty, that would be a deal breaker for me.
Simon, there is certainly room for one medium size soft bag – fine for a weekend away.
Riceboy, clutch takeup is early, which makes it easy to drive in traffic, and it’s not heavy at all.
I think I’m in love! Classic motoring with a modern touch at an affordable price – well relatively, I would be seeing my kids every second weekend if I blew $60K on a play car.
A car like this reminds me why I love cars, a GTR might be an amazing marvel of technology but doesn’t excite me like this kind of simple motoring pleasure.
I’d rather the Porsche…
It was ultra-interesting until the Subaru engine was mentioned.
Surely they could have chosen a better power plant.
Choose other STI subaru engines….it will fly!
I was waiting for an Australian media review as they have been made in Sydney for a while!
Sounds like you had some fun Antony. Looks nice and certainly would get the attention. Question why you feel the need for wider rubber when 185’s suffice and give enough grip and performance already. IMO that many kid themselves that wider rubber is the be-all in performance.
I’d buy one given the lotto win.
I would still love to see it with a better engine
Surely they could pop a WRX motor in there.
also i doubt many people would actually know what it is, it doesn’t quite look like an original 550, not that many motorists know what a 550 is
Give it a better engine. An untuned, off-the-shelf four is not what this car deserves.
This is a beautiful car, it wouldn’t bother me if no one knew what it is.
I would have loved to see a Porsche engine option, though, they have a distinctive sound which is not to everybody’s taste, but I love it.
But what would putting, say a wrx engine for example in do to the weight distribution ? Would it then have too much power ?
I’m guessing these guys know what they’re doing, and doing 0-100kmh in a vehicle that small that only weight 720kg with an open top would feel bloody fast.
I probably think the bang for you buck with the 2.5 subaru motor would be pretty good. And at least if it’s trying to be a porsche it should have a boxer.
What a great little car…
I doubt the turbo engine weighs much more than the NA engine.
love this car, i normally would prefer MX5, but i’ll make an exception this time.
I’d rather have either a Shelby Cobra if not a Robnell Replica
The machine looks very attractive and no doubt driving it would encourage a smile.
Yes, I agree the Robnell was a fine machine that looked stunning and went fast enough to break down time.
Unfortunately it never established market penetration with it’s intended demographic, and if nothing else was probably marketed inappropriately.
On this machine the latest stopping and stability control is not present. The limitations in areas of passengers carried and luggage carrying ability certainly limit it’s potential demographic. Perhaps marketing it to a Gay demographic in the US (Lesbians after all are the greatest consumers to Foresters in the US, and the Gay and Lesbian population here are significant consumers of Subaru products locally). It will be interesting to see what insurance companies make of this machine.
The machine also comes at a time when luxury items are usually seen as excessive….we are entering a depression.
The engineer gets full points for effort and producing an appeal product, however there are many variables in testing times. I wish him well.
If it uses a Subaru Impreza Engine… Why don’t they then offer one that uses the Subaru AWD System as well?
[Your comment is awaiting moderation….I THINK NOT!]
Does the engine and stero go doofdoofdoof in tune?
Wayyyyyyyyyyyy over the odds, for mine i rather a modern and vastly superior Elfin Type 5
Would destroy this as a sports car.
Be ok for $30k, $60k+ they are on drugs
Cheers
F-0
I have been enjoying articles about this car for 18 + months. Your review is the best yet. I have driven in some fine cars that allow you to feel ‘cocooned’ in comfort and safety but leave you divorced from the road and world around. This car looks the ‘real deal’ but with the mechanical reliability for regular use that would not come with the older cars. I would want it for weekends touring with a partner, so the space for two and a toothbrush would be all that is needed. All I need now is for the kids to finish school.
I drove the 550 when the boys brought it to Melbourne and I haven’t stopped telling people about it. Owning this car isn’t really about an objective appraisal of its performance vs competitors. Or whether it needs a turbo or a performance chip. Its quick enough, its nimble enough. Its grin factor lies elsewhere.
Owning this car is for those that want the pride of ownership you get everytime you look at the 550. Its motoring history. Its a work of art. It transports the owner to the golden era of light weight European sports cars. It doesn’t sit in a conversation with a Shelby Cobra. Although it would share a garage with the AC Ace.
Congrats boys for bringing a dream like this within the reach of mere mortals like us.
does iy make the same engine sound of a vw or a subaru boxer engine?
you know
doofdoofdoofdoofdoofdoofdoof…………….
List price in America is only 35,000.00, although this may seem expensive, a Cobra Replica commonly fetches 70,000.00 now. Chamonix builds aprox 10 cars a month. I own 1 of two registered in Minnesota. Talk about exclusive! The fit and finish rival anything in production.
It is not the fastest, with all the tech toys but just how fast can one drive before you fry the clutch or loose your license. This car will more than out perform most typical cars on the road but will not rival real performance vehicles. However comming around a exit ramp at legal freeway speeds is, well quite amazing. The spyder will pull amazing Gs with little tiny skiny tires that cost 75.00 each, retail. Replace the tires on your Vett for that! The engine is no fuss no muss easy to fix and dependable, just drive and enjoy.
It puts a Smile on my face even before I hear the exhaust. It puts even a bigger smile on my face when I’m on the road with it.
NO BOOM BOOM SOUND! NO AIR CONDITIONING, NO TOP, NO HEAT! But when you see it in the garage or in a parking lot after a long day at the office, life just seems to be better, even in the rain.
The Spyder is not for everyone, which makes it even better as you just dont see these in eveyones garage. The history behind the design lets me take a part of automotive history every time its driven.
What could be better?
I Drove this car in SYD last year, it differs from the original yet still maintains the ethos in this current time.
My cirtisisim at the time came from unfortunate yet nessessary changes including head restraints, mirrors, dummy gas cap and subaru euro 4 emmsion comliant engine. Unfortunate departures from the original car yet nessessary to meet current design rules. Dont get me wrong these items actually enhance the car however, i would prefer “replica” rather than “reproduction”.
Damn this modern era of red tape and tree hugging.
That said i would still buy one if they updated possibly the only part left from the original car (i know, a contradiction of philosophy) – the steering. If the steering gets a rack, ill snap one up for sure.
SP
Engine choice seems perfect for an updated/retro 50’s Porsche – I don’t get that some people here knock it. What could be more appropriate than a 4 cylinder non-turbo boxer engine? This thing ticks all the boxes for me… 50’s Porsche looks – 10/10, Subaru quality and reliability in a Porsche-inspired engine layout – 10/10. A WRX engine would probably hotrod it too much. More power and you probably need fat tyres, enlarge the wheelarches, ruining the whole reason you want one of these. It’s already plenty fast, why make it into a frantic little buzzbomb?
Much kudos too to the designers for providing a soft top for such a simple old car structure that actually doesn’t leak – sounds simple but 99% of other cars with manual little soft tops leak like colanders… which really starts to matter when it’s needed. Call it a detail but it does point to a high quality level for a low volume car in this bracket.