Description
For sale is a well-maintained APAL Speedster styled after the Porsche 356 Speedster on a VW base with a historic vehicle registration plate.
The Speedster has been registered since 24. 07. 1985 and has been in my possession since 2021. In the German vehicle documents, APAL S. A. (B) is listed as the manufacturer and SPEEDSTER as the model type.
The APAL was built using a modified VW Type 11 chassis and features a GRP body. It is powered by an air-cooled 4-cylinder boxer engine with 1, 570 cc and 37 kW (50 bhp) coupled to a manual gearbox.
Current odometer reading: 70, 263 km
A comprehensive Classic Data assessment report from October 2023 is available for the vehicle. The APAL received an overall condition rating of 2-. The complete report including extensive photographic documentation is on hand and can be viewed during an inspection.
The assessment describes the plastic body without any visible damage. The hood and tonneau cover were rated as good, the interior and boot also as good and well-maintained. The paintwork shows normal age and use-related wear marks and stone chips.
Since the assessment was completed, only around 640 km have been driven. These were predominantly occasional short outings, including to prevent extended periods of standing.
In May 2026, the following work was carried out:
MOT – valid until 05/ 2028
Service
Oil change
V-belt replaced
Battery replaced
The equipment includes, among other things, a hood, tonneau cover, quick-release wheels, black interior, wooden steering wheel and a retro Becker Mexico radio.
Invoices for work carried out are available.
The vehicle is accident-free, to the best of my knowledge. The underside is free from known rust problems.
Of course, this is a classic car over 40 years old and not a new car. Corresponding age and use-related wear marks are present.
For completeness: there is a small area of damage, approximately 4–5 mm, on the side panel of the passenger seat cushion.
Inspection and test drive are gladly possible by prior arrangement.
What has fascinated me about this vehicle from the start is the combination of the timeless form of the 356 Speedster and the simple, proven air-cooled VW engineering.
The APAL is more than just a modern 356 replica. The vehicle itself is now over 40 years old and was first registered as an APAL S. A. (B) in 1985. APAL S. A. is listed as the manufacturer in the vehicle documents. The Speedster today has classic car status and a historic vehicle registration plate.
I am personally familiar with part of the vehicle's more recent history: from 2006 to 2021, the APAL was owned by a good friend who also used and maintained the vehicle as a cherished classic. In 2021, I took over the Speedster from him. I do not personally know the earlier owners before 2006.
Since 2021, I have also used the APAL exclusively as a cherished and summer vehicle. Since the Classic Data assessment in 2023, only around 640 km have been added. The car was regularly driven for short outings.
What I particularly enjoy is the direct and authentic driving experience: open-air motoring, the air-cooled boxer engine at the rear, the manual gearbox, the low seating position and the classic, stripped-back equipment. The car is not a modern automobile in historic clothing, but genuinely conveys the driving feel of a vehicle from another era.
The silver body combined with the black interior, wooden steering wheel and retro Becker Mexico radio particularly appeals to me and underscores the classic character of the Speedster.
After a total of around 20 years in my personal care, the APAL is now being sold again due to space constraints.
Anyone looking for an original Porsche 356 is obviously looking for a different vehicle. However, anyone who appreciates the classic Speedster form, a historic APAL and proven air-cooled VW engineering will find here a characterful classic car that today represents a piece of automotive history from the 1980s.
