Porsche 356 A 1600 Super

Porsche was anxious to prove its new sports car in competition, and on 11th July 1948 the open prototype had won its class at a race meeting at Innsbruck. In 1951 an aluminium-bodied works car finished first in the 1,100cc class at the Le Mans 24-Hour Race and 20th overall, thus beginning the marque’s long and illustrious association with La Sarthe.
Aluminium cylinder heads were an early improvement (introduced in November 1949) while constant development would see the 356’s engine progressively enlarged, with 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre units first becoming available in 1951. As the engine increased in both size and power, the inadequacies of the Volkswagen-type transmission were exposed, leading to the introduction of Porsche’s own synchromesh gearbox – the Type 519 – in 1952. That same year the original split windscreen was replaced by a one-piece, while 1955 marked the arrival of the revised 356A model, the newcomer being readily distinguished by its curved 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. Regularly revised and updated, Porsche’s landmark sports car would remain in production well into the 911 era, the final examples being built in 1965.