Porsche assigned build numbers to each of the 550/1500RS cars built (RS short of rennsport which translates to ‘racing’ in English), with the prototype starting with 2-digit chassis numbers, 550-01 through to 550-15. The first ‘production’ 550 was assigned a 4-digit chassis number, 550-0016 with the last ‘documented’ spyder as 550-0090.
After a total of 90 builds of the type 550, Porsche had already designed an evolutionary model, the type 550A of which 40 were built. Of those 90 cars, 43 of them were built as non-race, “customer cars.” It is documented that two more 550s were built as special orders after production finished using frames 550-091 and 550-093 (but we could not find any information on it). In addition, the frame of 550-098 was used to build the one-off magnesium body – Porsche type 645, also known as the ‘Micky Maus’ which only raced at two events and eventually crashed.
Below is a table with all the chassis and production numbers for the Porsche 550 cars, from prototypes to production. For more details just click on the row you want to see even more production data. To learn more about a specific chassis number, see our 550 chassis by chassis stories post.
Chassis Numbers
Type
Body Type
Coach-builder
Chassis Frame
Features
Units
Notes
550-01, 550-02
Prototype
Werks
Weidenhausen Karosserie
Fixed Back, Rear Torsion Behind Axle, Frame Over Transmission
2
550-03, 550-04
Prototype
Werks
Karosseriebau Weinsberg
Fixed Back, Rear Torsion Behind Axle, Frame Over Transmission
2
550-05
Prototype
Fixed rear
Porsche/Karosseriebau Weinsberg
Fixed Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Under Transmission
1
550-06
Prototype
Buckelwagen
Porsche/Karosseriebau Weinsberg
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Behind Axle, Frame Over Transmission
1
550-07
Prototype
Buckelwagen
Porsche/Wendler Karosserie
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Over Transmission
1
Test/race car
550-08
Prototype
Werks
Karosseriebau Weinsberg
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Behind Axle, Frame Over Transmission
1
550-09
Prototype
Buckelwagen
Wendler Karosserie
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Over Transmission
1
550-10 to 550-15
Prototype
Werks
Wendler Karosserie
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Over Transmission
5
LeMans team cars, 10, 11, 12, 13 (’54), 14 special body for AVUS track
550-0016 to 550-0045
Production
Customer
Wendler Karosserie
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Over Transmission
29
550-0043
Production
Buckelwagen
Porsche/Wendler Karosserie
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Over Transmission
1
Test/race car. Frame only used for 550-07
550-0046 to 550-0075
Production
Werks/Customer
Wendler Karosserie
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Over Transmission
30
LeMans team cars, 46, 47, 48 (’55)
550-0076 to 550-0090
Production
Customer
Wendler Karosserie
Lift Back, Rear Torsion Ahead of Axle, Frame Over Transmission