Porsche 356 A 1600 Convertible D

The vehicle in detail

Even before Professor Ferdinand Porsche was released from captivity in mid-1947, his son Ferry had already begun construction of the 356 sports car with his employees. The "Project 356" had a tubular space frame and an aluminum body. With its aerodynamically favorable lines, the car was reminiscent of the Berlin-Rome racing cars. The first mechanical components came from the KdF, alias Volkswagen. The prototype, completed on June 8, 1948, thus had a 1,131 cc 4-cylinder boxer engine. Despite its relatively modest output of 40 hp at 4,000 rpm, it could already reach 130 kph. What was particularly sensational was the fact that this was a mid-engine car. The production Porsche models, however, had a rear engine and a self-supporting body.