The Beginning of Everything

The story of the Porsche 356 is the story of Porsche itself. Before the 356, Porsche was a design consultancy, Ferdinand Porsche senior had designed the Volkswagen Beetle, the Auto Union Grand Prix cars, and numerous other vehicles, but the company bearing his name had never produced a car of its own. The 356 changed that, and in doing so created one of the most enduring brands in automotive history.

The genesis of the 356 lies in post-war Austria. Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche, son of the company's founder, was running the remnants of the Porsche design office in Gmund, a small town in the Austrian state of Carinthia. His father was imprisoned by the French as a war crimes suspect (he would later be released without charge), and the company's pre-war assets in Stuttgart were under Allied control. Ferry Porsche had almost nothing, a small workshop, a handful of loyal employees, and access to Volkswagen parts.

What he had in abundance was vision. Ferry Porsche wanted to build the sports car he could not buy, a lightweight, nimble, engaging car that used the VW's proven mechanicals in a purpose-designed chassis. The result was the Porsche 356/1, completed in June 1948.

The Gmund Cars (1948-1950)

The first 356 was a mid-engined roadster, the engine sat ahead of the rear axle. It used a modified VW flat-four engine bored out to 1,131cc, producing approximately 26 kW. The tubular space frame chassis was clothed in a hand-formed aluminium body. It was crude by later standards but remarkably effective: lightweight (just 585 kg), aerodynamic, and agile.

Ferry Porsche quickly recognised that mid-engine packaging limited the car's practicality, and the production 356 moved the engine behind the rear axle, the layout that would define Porsche for decades. The Gmund-built production cars (approximately 52 were made between 1948 and 1951) featured hand-formed aluminium bodies over a steel platform chassis derived from the VW floor pan. Each car was subtly different, these were handmade machines.

The early Gmund 356s were powered by VW-derived flat-fours displacing 1,086cc and producing approximately 29 kW. The engine featured modified cylinder heads with higher compression, a revised camshaft, and twin carburettors. The gearbox was VW-sourced with a non-synchromesh first gear. The suspension was VW trailing arms at the front and swing axles at the rear, with torsion bar springs at both ends.

These first cars found buyers among the sporting drivers of post-war Europe. The 356 was not the fastest car on the road, but it was light, economical, beautifully balanced, and, crucially, affordable compared to the Ferraris and Maseratis of the era. Ferry Porsche had found his market.

Move to Stuttgart and the Pre-A Era (1950-1955)

In 1950, Porsche relocated production to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, where the company remains headquartered to this day. The move to Stuttgart brought access to proper manufacturing facilities, and the 356 transitioned from aluminium-bodied craft production to steel-bodied series production. The body was now stamped from steel panels and assembled on a unitary construction, a monocoque body/chassis that was stiffer, more consistent, and cheaper to produce than the Gmund cars.

The Stuttgart-built 356 evolved rapidly. Engine displacement grew from 1,086cc to 1,286cc and then to 1,488cc. Power outputs climbed from 29 kW to 40 kW (1300) and 44 kW (1500). A stripped-down Speedster model was introduced in 1954 at the suggestion of Max Hoffman, Porsche's American importer, who recognised that the US market wanted an affordable, open sports car. The Speedster featured a cut-down windscreen, minimal weather protection, simple bucket seats, and a lower price than the Coupe or Cabriolet. It was an immediate success in America and became one of the most iconic shapes in automotive history.

Production grew from a few hundred cars per year to over 5,000 by 1955. Porsche was no longer a cottage industry, it was a proper manufacturer.

The 356A (1955-1959)

The 356A, introduced in October 1955, was the first major evolution of the design. The body received a curved (one-piece) windscreen, revised bumpers, and detail improvements to the interior. The engine range was rationalised around the new Type 616 family, the 1300 and 1300 Super were carried over initially, but the new 1600 (1,582cc, 44 kW) and 1600 Super (55 kW) became the core of the range.

The 356A also introduced the legendary Carrera variant. Named after the Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico (where Porsche had achieved notable success), the Carrera used the Type 547 engine, a 1,498cc flat-four with four overhead camshafts driven by a complex system of shafts and bevel gears, roller-bearing crankshaft, and dual ignition. The Type 547 produced 74 kW, nearly double the output of the standard 1600, and gave the Carrera genuine sports car performance. The engine was also fearsomely complex and expensive to maintain.

The 356A Speedster continued and became the definitive version of this iconic body style. James Dean owned a 356 Speedster before his fateful 550 Spyder, and the car's association with 1950s California cool cemented its cultural status.

Production of the 356A totalled approximately 21,000 units.

The 356B (1960-1963)

The 356B brought the most significant visual changes to the 356 design. The bumpers were raised and the headlights moved higher, giving the car a more upright, less streamlined appearance. The B was produced in two body types: the T5 (1960-1961) and the T6 (1962-1963), with the T6 featuring a larger rear window, an external fuel filler, and a revised engine lid.

Engine development continued. The Super 90 (1,582cc, 66 kW) became the performance choice for buyers who wanted serious pace without the Carrera's complexity and cost. The Carrera 2 arrived with a 2.0-litre version of the quad-cam engine (1,966cc, 96 kW), a formidable power output for a car weighing barely 1,000 kg.

The B also saw the introduction of the Roadster, which replaced the Speedster. The Roadster had a higher, more conventional windscreen and better weather protection than the Speedster, a more civilised open car, though it lacked the Speedster's raw visual appeal.

The 356B was the highest-volume 356 variant, with approximately 31,000 produced.

The 356C (1964-1965)

The 356C was the final evolution, and in many ways the best. The most significant engineering change was the adoption of disc brakes on all four corners, the first Porsche production car with disc brakes. The standard engine was now the SC (1,582cc, 70 kW), the most powerful pushrod flat-four fitted to a 356. The C also received improved heating and ventilation, a better gearbox with revised synchromesh, and detail refinements throughout.

By the time the C was introduced, the 356's replacement, the 911, was already in production. The 356C and the early 911 were sold side by side from 1964 to 1965, and the contrast between them was stark. The 911 was a thoroughly modern car with a new flat-six engine, five-speed gearbox, and a longer, lower body. The 356 was by now an old design, conceived in 1948 and incrementally improved for seventeen years.

Yet the 356C had qualities the early 911 lacked. The engine was sweeter at low revs. The handling, while lacking the 911's ultimate grip, was more predictable and forgiving. And the build quality, refined over seventeen years of production, was superb. Many Porsche enthusiasts of the era preferred the 356C to the early 911, a car they found twitchy, noisy, and less well-finished.

Approximately 16,500 356Cs were produced before the line closed in September 1965. The last 356 rolled off the Zuffenhausen line with a whimper rather than a bang, the world's attention had already shifted to the 911.

Motorsport

The 356's competition history is remarkable for a car derived from Volkswagen mechanicals. Porsche recognised early that racing success was the best possible marketing, and the 356 (and its dedicated competition variants) racked up an extraordinary record.

The first major success came at the 1951 Le Mans 24 Hours, where a 356 SL (Super Light) won the 1,100cc class. Porsche would go on to dominate its class at Le Mans throughout the 1950s and 1960s, building a reputation for reliability and efficiency that eventually led to outright victories.

The Carrera Panamericana road race gave the Carrera its name after Porsche's strong performances in this punishing Mexican event. The 356's light weight, reliability, and fuel efficiency made it ideally suited to endurance events, and class wins at the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Monte Carlo Rally followed.

In Australia, the 356 had a small but dedicated following in club-level motorsport. The car's light weight and nimble handling made it competitive in hillclimbs and regularity events, and 356s were a regular sight at events organised by the Porsche Club of New South Wales and the Porsche Club of Victoria from the late 1950s onwards.

The Australian Connection

Porsche did not have an official Australian importer in the early years. The first 356s in Australia were personal imports, brought in by enthusiasts and servicemen returning from postings in Germany. The cars were rare and exotic, attracting attention wherever they appeared.

An official import arrangement was established in the late 1950s, and small numbers of 356s were delivered through Australian dealers. Right-hand-drive production was available throughout the 356's production run, though volumes were tiny compared to left-hand-drive markets. Most 356s in Australia today are left-hand-drive European or US-specification cars imported in later decades.

The Australian climate was not kind to 356s used as daily transport. The air-cooled engine coped well with heat (Australian conditions are actually less stressful for air-cooled engines than European winters), but the unprotected steel body suffered from coastal humidity. Many early Australian 356s were used hard and discarded when rust became too severe, a pattern common with all European cars in Australia during the 1960s and 1970s.

Today, the Australian 356 community is small but passionate. Porsche Club Australia runs regular events that welcome 356 owners, and the cars are a highlight at any concours or historic motorsport event. The Porsche 356 Register is the international organisation for 356 enthusiasts, with active Australian members.

Cultural Impact

The 356 established the visual and philosophical template that Porsche follows to this day. The rear-engine layout, the curved roofline, the emphasis on lightness and efficiency over brute force, all of these originated with the 356. The car's shape has influenced every Porsche since, and the 911 is its direct descendant.

Beyond engineering, the 356 created Porsche's brand identity. The idea that a small, purpose-built sports car could compete with and defeat larger, more powerful rivals was the founding myth of Porsche, and the 356 proved it on racetracks around the world. That ethos, performance through engineering rather than displacement, remains Porsche's core proposition.

The 356 also established Porsche's relationship with its owners. Ferry Porsche famously said, "I couldn't find the sports car of my dreams, so I built it myself." That sentiment resonated with buyers who saw themselves as discerning enthusiasts rather than mere consumers. Porsche ownership became a community, and that community, sustained by club events, technical seminars, and shared enthusiasm, persists to this day.

Production Summary

Period	Variant	Approximate Production
1948-1951	Gmund (aluminium body)	52
1950-1955	Pre-A (Stuttgart, steel body)	~7,600
1954-1958	Speedster (all series)	~4,800
1955-1959	356A (all body styles)	~21,000
1960-1963	356B (all body styles)	~31,000
1964-1965	356C (all body styles)	~16,500
Total	All 356 variants	~76,000

Timeline

Year	Event
1948	First Porsche 356/1 completed in Gmund, Austria. Mid-engine prototype
1948	Production 356 established with rear-engine layout
1950	Production moves to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen
1951	Class win at Le Mans 24 Hours (356 SL)
1954	Speedster introduced for American market
1955	356A introduced with new Type 616 engine family. Carrera variant with Type 547 quad-cam
1959	10,000th 356 produced
1960	356B introduced with raised bumpers and headlights
1962	356B T6 body with larger rear window
1963	Porsche 911 announced at Frankfurt Motor Show
1964	356C introduced with disc brakes. Sold alongside the new 911
1965	Final 356C produced in September. 76,000 total production