Spyder 550

  The Holmes Spyder 550 is a stunning tribute to the extremely successful Porsche Spyder 550 which was campaigned throughout the 1950's.  This beautiful replica retains the essence of the original racing concept while tamed to make a comfortable, reliable and usable motor car for the modern motorist.                

Great care has been taken during development of the Holmes Spyder to preserve all of the classic seductive lines whilst conforming to the necessary safety and emissions legislation and practicality demands required of new vehicles.  Such a car always has high expectations of quality and driver satisfaction, the Holmes Spyder certainly will not disappoint.

           Slip into the low slung leather seat and gaze over the smooth dash as the bonnet gently slopes away from view.  Switch the ignition to on, a quiet whir as the fuel pump primes briefly then flick to start, the engine bursts into life behind you.  The specialist hand assembled 2 litre engine  burbles softly as it idles, grasp the polished aluminium gear lever and engage first gear, release the clutch and you become aware of the potential harnessed within the car.  Steady driving is as civilised as any modern production car.    Smooth gear change and well placed controls means the Spyder gives pleasure to drivers of any skill level.  Out of town on the open road is where most enjoyment can be had, slip down a gear squeeze the accelerator  the engine lets out a bark as a great wave of torque is unleashed, speed quickly rises glance down to the centre of the gauges as the rev counter approaches 7000rpm the engine now roars as it develops its maximum 130bhp a gentle pull back on the gear lever to engage fourth and the engine barks once more. Corner fast approaching grip the steering wheel a little tighter, feel every discrepancy of the road transmitted to your fingertips through the steering and suspension systems.  You know exactly how much speed you can carry through the turn depress the brake pedal slightly and turn in and feel the perfect 50/50 balance of Spyder inspiring more confidence, the wind rushes through your hair adrenalin pumps through your veins exit the corner and accelerate away into the distance.  Approaching town now, lift off rpm falls engine note tails off to a low burble, speed drops within the limits and everything returns to a civilised manor of modern motoring feeling like you have completed a lap of the Nurburgring in its heyday.  The Holmes Spyder captivates all the good points of the classic driving experience with none of the drawbacks and really is a timeless master piece. 

Full pricing information and examples of multiple specification Spyder 550's are available in the price list.

Spyder 550 technical specification.            

Specification quoted is standard to the Spyder 550 upgrades are available in the options list.
 

Configuration

Mid engine, rear wheel drive. Fuel tank centrally mounted in front of drivers compartment.  to give 50/50 weight distribution when driver is seated.

Engine

Specialist hand assembled 2007cc.
The engine is based around the the same type as the
original Porsche Spyder 550, a boxer configuration four cylinder air-cooled design. This offers low centre of gravity for superior handling, very low weight and offers a similar sound and driving characteristics.

The unit is assembled around a strengthened and modified Volkswagen  AS41 super crank case made of the extremely light weight magnesium alloy and built up from specialist components all of which are race proven for reliability and power.  The engine is then fully balanced to ensure free revving smooth power delivery.  To meet the Emission regulations distributorless electronic ignition a
nd electronic fuel injection, utilising individual throttle bodies, are used to enable us to fit catalytic converters all of which is controlled by an Omex Engine management system.  Rev limit is set at 7000rpm.

 

Suspension

The suspension is intended to be as close to the original layout as possible to give the same feel.  Upgrades have been made due to the higher quality of materials available for bushings and springing etc.

 Front- independent suspension using twin trailing links and telescopic dampers.
 Rear-independent swing axle type suspension using fully adjustable coil over dampers.

Braking system

Ate-continental Split dual circuit system.
Front-Disc brakes and two piston callipers.
Rear-Large diameter drums.

Chassis and body construction

The tooling for the body shell was made from an original Porsche Spyder 550 sourced in the united states of America.  All Holmes Spyder 550 body shells are manufactured from these moulds using a unique lamination process.  First the mould is meticulously sprayed with a 3mm layer of gel coat, after being fully hardened high temperature resin is applied and the first layer of standard pre cut fibre glass is put in place.  Once the resin has been sufficiently absorbed into the fibre glass all air and excess resin is removed using our unique method, the laminate is then allowed to fully cure.  The next stage uses a specialist glass of a woven construction in the same way as carbon fibre, this provides excellent rigidity in every direction throughout the panel.  Once again our unique method of expelling air and excess resin is used, the finished item is left in the mould until fully cured.  The main advantages gained by our lamination process over other techniques is low weight, high strength, incredible resistance to impact and misshaping in the future.
The bespoke chassis follows the Porsche Spyder 550 almost exactly deviating only where necessary to achieve practical modern production.  The ladder design is constructed from 3 inch diameter steel tube and coated by a process employed by the aerospace industry.  The completed chassis is bonded and bolted to the fully cured body whilst still in the mould.  By doing this we ensure maximum torsional rigidity and ensure no unnecessary stress is built into the body shell.  The body is finished in a colour of your choice in our new state of the art paint booth.

Interior features

The interior of the Spyder 550 is trimmed in a carpet colour of your choice while complimenting the exposed chassis rails and bulkhead aperture to give the perfect blend of comfort and original race design.  Sumptuous leather seats trimmed in a period style offer all the support needed without cramping your body.  The instrumentation features 3 replica dials with the centrally situated rev counter lightly raised to give a clear view of engine status at all times. 

Performance statistics

0-62mph.                             5.9 seconds
Top speed.                           120mph
Maximum power.                  130bhp @ 6700rpm
Weight.                                640kg
Power to weight ratio.            203bhp per 1000kg


 

 

 

 

 

Spyder RS Beautiful retro lines and blistering race car performance.
 Price list 
 Pricing details and examples of multiple specification Spyder 550's.
 Options list    Full price list of all options available for the Spyder 550 and RS.