In the early 1950s, American importer—and future legend—Max Hoffman told Porsche’s Stuttgart, Germany, office that his market was in need of a cheaper version of the company’s 356. Hoffman asked Porsche to build something with a simple, removable windshield and bucket seats, the original 356 Speedster was a hit. Despite its budget price, it has cemented itself as the 356 to have.

Decades on, Porsche has revived the Speedster concept with its 911 to great success. After all, few brands honor their past like Porsche. At 2010’s Paris salon, the automaker took the wraps off of a new Speedster as the brand worked toward a finale of the 997.

Just 356 were built, most swathed in a model-exclusive Pure Blue shade over black leather (although a few were specified in a less eye-catching white). Recalling the 930 Speedster of the 1980s, it boasted a nearly three-inch shorter windshield and a low-profile black fabric roof tucked under a massive body color boot with double “speedster humps” that met the front seats. It also included black Fuchs-style alloy wheels wedged under the Carrera GTS’ wider body work. The GTS also lent its 408-horsepower boxer-six, but the Speedster came only with Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The look continued inside with black and blue accents and virtually every option from the Porsche catalog fitted as standard.

This investment-grade 2011 911 Speedster is painted in the model’s signature Pure Blue and, with just 7,800 actual, it has been used only sparingly and is ready for both enjoyment and preservation as a unique footnote in the 911’s illustrious history.