550 Spyder by Chamonix Review
January 7, 2009 by Anthony Crawford
When I arrived I had to wait in line to speak to the principals of the company, as there was a famous Sydney-based artist talking through his order for a “Coke” red 550. It wouldn’t be my colour of choice, but here was a highly creative guy in his late twenties, blown away by the car’s classic lines and structural simplicity.
Built on a strengthened version of the original ladder tube-frame chassis, and a hand-laid composite body, the Chamonix 550 Spyder incorporates a host of design improvements centred around performance, safety and reliability, rather than a hard core racing function.
One element I’m not so keen on, are the chrome roll hoops, which frame the head restraints. Although both mandatory and utterly essential if you want to keep your head in the event of a rollover, they weren’t on the original Spyder and seem a tad out of place.
As well, there’s a proper full size windscreen now, complete with a rigid frame and electric wipers, which replaces the ultra-mini and ultra flimsy unit on the Porsche built car. Design wise, I prefer the ‘old school’ bare bones look, however impractical and unsafe that might be.
With a power-to-weight ratio better than both the Porsche 911 Carrera and Boxster S, the 550 Spyder is a quick piece of gear. Weighing just 720kg, there is absolutely no need for any forced induction. Acceleration from a standing start is rapid and progressive, but never violent, as I might have expected. Zero to 100km/h is achieved in just 5.7 seconds and the car will pull 1.1g in a corner.
It’s still a mid-engine car, but its no longer air-cooled as was the original 550. With reliability a key issue with today’s sports car’s, that’s exactly what you get with the Subaru-sourced, 2.5-litre, water-cooled, four-cylinder power train, putting out 121kw and 226Nm.
You do need to keep the revs up around town though, should you require a quick response in the lower gears, that’s despite the car’s anorexic weight.
Contrary to what you might think, the 550 Spyder is a dream to drive on the freeway. You can sit in fifth gear all day long and if you need to, slingshot past slow moving traffic, in that very same gear.
Not only that, you can comfortably carry on a conversation while in freeway mode, and no, the car is not fitted with an audio system, nor does it need one.
If you’re after a tricky sequential or dual clutch style gearbox, then best you shop somewhere else, there are five on the floor (one more than the original) driving the rear wheels, which provides a good spread of ratios.
While my test car (which is actually “the” factory test car) had too much play in the neutral position, that won’t affect any buyers of the 550 Spyder. The problem was an incorrect size cable, which was fitted to the car while waiting on supply of the correct length units.
Tags: 550 Spyder
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?
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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.