Coches Porsche 356

About 356

The Porsche 356 offers strong collector appeal on all fronts: a distinctly-styled sports car that feels equally at home collecting lateral Gs on Sunday, competently commutes alongside modern traffic during the week, has more than enough class to and, if you choose to part ways eventually, should easily recoup its (relatively) low cost of entry. While the exterior appearance changed only subtly over its seventeen years, Porsche engineers refined performance continually and obsessively, ultimately achieving what many Porschephiles consider to be a perfectly balanced sports car.

Pre-356A Porsches can be quickly recognized by their split or "bent" windshield. Credit for the car's impressive speed (up to 90 mph) was mostly due to its revolutionary aerodynamic shape and 1,300 pound curb weight, as the early 1300-cc flat fours eked out a mere 40-hp. Production numbers were low for the hand-hammered aluminum 356s (just 4 built in 1948, 25 in 1949.

By 1952, the "Super" 1300 S (60-hp) and 1500S (70-hp) engines were pushing the 356 beyond 100 mph, and American demand was growing. In 1954, a stripped-down version of the cabriolet debuted as the low-cost, lightweight Speedster, considered the most coveted body (for all generations of the 356) by collectors today.

The first major revision of the 356 occurred in 1956, with the 356A. Its curved, one-piece windshield was accompanied with expanded head and leg room. Wheels were reduced in diameter (from 16 inches to 15 inches) and increased in width to 4.5 inches. Significant suspension improvements furthered the car's modernization.

The Convertible D was released in 1959 as a more practical alternative to the Speedster, with taller windshield, roll-up windows, and reclining seats. For its advancements over the comparatively primitive 356, as well as its sleeker, more "vintage" lines (compared with the 356B and 356C), the A is revered among Porsche enthusiasts.

Now clearly aimed at the American market, the 356 was fitted with taller bumpers and more upright headlights in 1960, and the car was now called the 356B. Purists lamented the subtle restyle, but technological advancements made up for the aesthetic transgression. Better brakes, better transmission, improved suspension, and a new "Super 90" engine (96.5-ci, 90-hp) added up to the best-performing 356 yet.

The model got its last major body revision during mid-year 1962, with an external fuel filler, larger windshield and rear window, added space under the hood, and the option of a power sun roof—a highly desirable feature for any Porsche.

The 356C was for the most part visually indistinguishable from the 356B, but Porsche's perfectionist refinements seen over the model's final two years continued to be meaningful. The backlight on the coupe was enlarged, seats were dropped for added headroom, and for the first time, four-wheel disc brakes were standard issue. The Super 90 engine (now called the 1600SC) achieved 95-hp.

Due to sustained demand, production continued through 1965, even after the 1964 release of the 356's replacement, the 911.