So much of Porsche’s success in the USA can be attributed to one person: Max Hoffman.

A wartime immigrant born in Austria, he eventually settled in New York.

The money earned from making costume jewellery enabled him to fund his first passion, which was cars.

He duly began importing Europe’s finest across the Atlantic before falling in love with the 356, the diminutive new sports car from Porsche.

But Hoffman felt that for the model to really take off in America, the marque needed to build a paired-back, more competitively priced version.

Accordingly, in 1954, the open-top Speedster was born.

The by-product of this simplicity was low weight, with the model 160 kilograms lighter than its Coupé sister model.

That only enhanced the handling, prompting the Speedster to become a smash hit on circuit.

Formula 1 race winner and 24 Hours of Le Mans victor, Dan Gurney, plus Hollywood actor and spare-time racer, James Dean, were among the most famous to hit the track.

Further helping th...