Porsche 356A 1600 Coupe (1958)

The ex-Earls Court Motor Show 1958.

Although Ferdinand Porsche had established his independent automotive design consultancy in the early 1930s, his name would not appear on a car until 1949. When it did, it graced one of the all-time great sports cars: the Porsche 356. The work of Ferry Porsche, the Type 356 was based on the Volkswagen designed by his father, Ferdinand and like the immortal 'Beetle' employed a platform-type chassis with rear-mounted air-cooled engine and all-independent torsion bar suspension. Having commenced manufacture with a short run of aluminium-bodied cars built at Gmund, Porsche began volume production of the steel-bodied 356 coupe at its old base in Stuttgart, at first in premises shared with coach builders Reutter and then (from 1955) in its original factory at Zuffenhausen. In 1951 a works car finished first in the 1,100cc class at the Le Mans 24-Hour Race, thus beginning the marque's long and illustrious association with Le Sarthe.

The first phase of development saw the 356’s engine grow to 1.3 and then to 1.5 litres; the original split windscreen replaced by a one-piece; and a Porsche synchromesh gearbox adopted. 1955 marked the arrival of the restyled 356A, the newcomer being readily distinguished by its rounded windscreen and 15” - down from 16” - wheels. At the same time, a 1,600cc engine replaced the old 1.5-litre unit and would be standardised on the successor 356B model.

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Registration no:	488 FUF
Chassis no:	103463
Engine no:	PX604153
Engine:
0-60 mph:
Top Speed:
MPG:
Passenger Seats:	4