356 Speedster

1948-1965

356 Pre-A1948-1955

6/175

XK1201948-1954

Front 3/4

Engineering first

The first Porsche. Ferry Porsche built it because no one else would make the car he wanted to drive. Hand-built in Gmund, Austria, using Volkswagen Beetle components. The 356 established every Porsche principle: rear engine, air-cooled, lightweight, driver-focused.

History

Ferry Porsche's father Ferdinand had designed the Volkswagen Beetle. When Ferry couldn't find a sports car that met his standards after the war, he decided to build one himself using VW components.

The first 356 was completed in 1948 in Gmund, Austria, with a mid-mounted VW flat-four engine. After 52 hand-built cars, production moved to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen in 1950, where the engine moved to its now-iconic rear position.

The Speedster variant, introduced in 1954 at the suggestion of US importer Max Hoffman (the same man who inspired the Mercedes 300 SL), featured a cut-down windshield, simplified interior, and lower price. It became an icon of 1950s California culture and James Dean was famously photographed with his.

The 356 evolved through four series (Pre-A, A, B, C) with engines growing from 1.1 to 2.0 liters. The Carrera variants used the exotic Ernst Fuhrmann-designed four-cam engine producing up to 130 hp.

Over 76,000 were built before the 911 replaced it in 1965. The 356 Speedster is the most sought-after variant, with values ranging from $300,000 to $600,000.