Modern Classic: Porsche 356
The Porsche 356 was produced as a roadster and coupe, and sales were a 50/50 split. Photos: Porsche
The iconic 356 was an air-cooled, rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupe and convertible that was built from 1948 to 1965 and is largely considered to be the first Porsche model.
The first 50 examples in the first two years were all aluminium and built at Gmünd, Austria. Thereafter production moved to Zuffenhausen in Germany and 76,000 steel examples (not aluminium!) would be built over the next 15 years. Apparently half of them still survive until today!
But before I get too into the 356’s history, a little more on my personal experience with the 356. I became acquainted with it very early in my New Zealand journey in 2013, when I first began spending time in the country from Singapore.
Friends lent me their Porsche 356 that was at the Continental Cars Porsche dealership in Newmarket, Auckland, but one kilometre driving it, the 356 broke down. I returned to Continental Cars where sales rep Chris Vercoe put me into a loan car, a 2008 997 base model 911 that was a six-speed manual.
Its first acclaim came when it won its category at LeMans in 1951.
Apart from the short drive in the 356, this was only my second Porsche I had stepped foot in. (A month later I would buy a GT silver 2012 911 S cabriolet from Chris.)
Back to the 356, I was asked to return the loan 911 and picked up the repaired 356. I didn’t know much about it but sensed it was special, and that meant I needed to not crunch the gears or accidentally touch the hand brake when driving (like I did on day one when accelerating away from a shop, only to almost have the car screech to a stop and the car following me narrowly passing me!).
Truth be told, I was happy to hand back the 356 to my friends, despite their generosity, as I didn’t want to destroy their classic!
So, how did this classic Porsche come about?
The 356 was the brain child of Ferry Porsche (above) who wanted a powerful small car.
Ferry Porsche was the son of the brand’s founder, Ferdinand Porsche, and he had a vision: “I saw that if you had enough power in a small car, it is nice to drive than if you had a big car that is overpowered and more fun”. As so began the 356.
The iconic 356 debuted in 1948, at US$3750 for the coupe and US$4250 for the convertible, with sales pretty much following a 50/50 split.
Its first acclaim came when it won its category at LeMans in 1951 and thereafter its popularity grew steadily through its model life.
The 356 moved through a series of models over its life, including “356” from 1948-1955 (identified by its split or bent windscreen), “356A” from 1955-1959 (with an optional four-cam engine and curved windscreen); “356B” which had “T5” and “T6” versions from 1959 to 1963; and “356C” from 1963 to 1965 (with disc brakes).
All together there were 76,000 steel examples were built with half still on the road.
The 356C also spawned an “SC” version with a powerful 71kW pushrod engine that was the highlight of the 356 production, and it was also this one that the friends owned.
The 356 was ultimately replaced by the 50 percent higher-priced 901 (which later became the 911) with a six-cylinder engine. The 912 came into existence, as well, at a similar price point to the 356.
My love of Porsches started with my touchpoint with the 356, which culminated in my first 911, the cabriolet. I gave up this 911 three years later, replacing it with an Aston Martin DB11.
I always regretted that decision as there is nothing like a Porsche. The bug bit again last year with the arrival of my 2020 992 911 S Cabriolet. It’s returned the smile on my face that you only get in a Porsche and whilst a far cry from the original 356, it’s lineage of being in the same vein of Ferry Porsche’s image of a high powered small car that is fun to drive, still lives on in 2021.
The 356 moved through a series of models over its life from 1948 to 1965.
