The Porsche 911 has been around for almost 60 years, so it's not surprising that it's the most loved nameplate from the German manufacturer. But I think the 356 deserves just as much attention. And not just because it was Porsche's first car.
The 356 is also a beautiful design. It was penned by Erwin Komenda, the guy who also designed the Porsche 550 Spyder, and it looks cute and sporty at the same time. And it's far sexier than a 911 in convertible form as far as I'm concerned.
Speaking of which, Porsche built a variety of body styles and versions. While the early, "pre-A" 356 shared design cues with the "No. 1" prototype, the B and C iterations from the 1960s became sleeker and sportier, bridging the gap toward the early 911.
But even if it isn't as popular as the first-gen 911, the 356 is highly coveted by collectors today, especially the early cars from the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Introduced in 1955, the 356A isn't one of those cars, but it brought significant changes to the nameplate, including a larger, 1.6-liter flat-four engine. While the early 1.3- and 1.5-liter mills were carried over from the "pre-A," Porsche added a bigger 1.6-liter boxer-four for the 1600 trim, which included the iconic Carrera GS.
But I digress. I'm actually here to introduce you to a very cool 1957 356A getting a makeover. Because January 2022 is Porsche Month at Autoevolution. And even if it wasn't, I'm nuts for yellow 356s and I want to share this video with you.
The classic roadster you're about to see below is an all-original (and obviously very valuable) example. It already looked fantastic before the folks over at YouTube's "I AM Detailing" got their hands on it, but the owner thought that the 356 needed a good clean-up and some buffing.
And he wasn't wrong. Once the detailing crew is done with it, the Porsche looks downright stunning. It's the type of car that would win a beauty award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
The yellow paint, the chrome trim, the black top, and the wheels look fantastic. What's more, the chassis is also sparkling clean, just like the day it rolled off the assembly line more than 60 years ago.
But cleanliness aside, the Porsche 356 is simply gorgeous in yellow, a color you don't see very often. It works surprisingly well with the gold badges and provides a cool contrast against the black soft-top. Oh, and make sure you don't miss the classy, black California plates.
The only thing missing from this video is a glimpse under the hood, to see the 1.6-liter flat-four that powers this 356A 1600. The carbureted mill was good for only 59 horsepower and 81 pound-feet (110 Nm) of torque when new. It doesn't sound like a lot, but keep in mind that the 356 tips the scales at around 900 kg (1,984 pounds).
Anyway, hit the play button below to watch a gorgeous 356 morph into a Concours-ready stunner.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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