Business 111
BMW iX3 Reaches 100,000 European Orders in First Year
Hedley Studios and Porsche Build 250 Electric 550 Spyder Scale Replicas
Hedley Studios has partnered with Porsche to produce 250 electric scale replicas of the 550 Spyder, priced at £69,500 before taxes and limited to driveway use.
By George Kensington · 3 min read
Hedley Studios has partnered with Porsche to produce a run of 250 electric scale replicas of the 550 Spyder, the lightweight racing car that made its name at Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and the Carrera Panamericana in the 1950s. The UK firm, formerly known as the Little Car Company, has built similar machines for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bentley and Bugatti, and its latest project draws on original technical drawings and specifications held in the Porsche archives.
The 550J, as the model is called, is based on the later 550 A that arrived in 1956 with a stiffer steel spaceframe in place of the original ladder chassis. At 728 lbs (330 kg), it is a fraction of the weight of the original, and it wears a carbon fibre body rather than the aluminium skin of its inspiration. Behind the rear seats sits a single electric motor in place of the Type 547 Fuhrmann four-cam engine.
In standard form that motor delivers 11 hp and a top speed of 40 mph, with a range of 30 miles. Buyers who choose the optional RS Pack get output lifted to 22 hp, a 50 mph top speed, drilled brake discs, adjustable Bilstein dampers and a range extended to 50 miles. The car cannot be used on the road, which limits it to driveway runs and private grounds.
Each of the 250 examples is priced at £69,500 before taxes and personalisation. That figure is roughly $93,800, and buyers can add period liveries or paint-to-sample colours in the same way as a full-size Porsche customer. The combination of a six-figure price and a machine that cannot legally be driven on public roads places the 550J firmly in the territory of collectors rather than everyday enthusiasts.
The original 550 was built between 1953 and 1956 and is remembered both as the car in which James Dean died and as a giant killer on the track. Its 1.5-litre boxer engine produced between 109 and 133 hp, and its 1,213 lbs (550 kg) kerb weight helped it to victories at major events. Only 90 were made, and surviving examples now change hands for between $1.5 million and $5 million depending on racing provenance.
Hedley's decision to build 250 of the replicas contrasts with the scarcity of the original, but the company is aiming at a different kind of buyer. The scale model is presented as a beautifully crafted object rather than a substitute for a road car, and it joins a growing market for officially licensed miniature electric vehicles produced with the involvement of the manufacturers whose designs they echo.
The launch comes as Porsche prepares to reveal a new Boxster EV, which has been spotted testing without camouflage and is expected to make its debut later this year before going on sale in 2027. For buyers who want a brand-new Porsche-badged electric sports car for less than $100,000, the 550J offers an alternative, albeit one that will not travel much beyond the end of the driveway.
