Porsche 356B Cabriolé. 1961

Porsche 911

The last revision of the 356 was the 356C introduced for the model year 1964. Had disc brakes on all parties, as well as an option for the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche had ever produced, the 95 hp (71 kW) "SC". 356 production peaked from 14.151 cars in 1964, the year that its successor, the new 911 , was introduced in the us market (it was introduced slightly earlier in Europe). The company continued to sell the 356C in North America through 1965 as demand for the model remained quite strong in the early days of the heavier and more "civilized" 911. The last ten 356's (convertibles) were assembled for the Dutch police in march 1966 as 1965 models.

Engine pushrod of the 356's four-cylinder was later re-introduced in "entry level" Porsche 912 model, offered between 1965 and 1969 as response to customer complaints that the new 911 (almost double the price of the 356) was too expensive. Although in some ways the 912 did Reprise specifications of the 356, it would not be accurate to say the 912 was successor to the 356; when the decision was made to replace the 356, the 911 was the only car intended to carry the name Porsche forward. Rather the 912 was an afterthought intended to feed the end of lowest price of the market, that the expensive, complex but faster and heavier 911 could not do.

Historical evolution

• Porsche 911 2.0 (1963-1969)
• Porsche 912 (1965-1969)
• Porsche 911 2.2 (1969-1971)
• Porsche 911 2.4 ST (1972-1973)
• Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS (1973)
• Porsche 911 2.7 (1974-1977)
• Porsche 911 Turbo 3.0 (1974-1977)
• Porsche 912E (1975-1976)
• Porsche 911 SC (1977-1983)
• Porsche 911/930-60 Turbo 3.3 (1975-1989)
• Porsche 911/935 Carrera 3.2 (1983-1989)
• Porsche 911/964 Carrera 2/ Carrera 4(1988-1993)
• Porsche 911/964 Speedster (1989 To 1994)
• Porsche 911/964 Turbo 3.3 (1990-1992)
• Porsche 911/964 Turbo S 3.3 (1992-1993)
• Porsche 911/964 Carrera RS/ RS America (1992-1994)
• Porsche 911/964 Turbo 3.6 (1993-1994)
• Porsche 911/964 Turbo S 3.6 (1994-1995)
• Porsche 911/993 Carrera/ Carrera S (1993-1998)
• Porsche 911/993 Targa/ Targa S (1993-1998)
• Porsche 911/993 Turbo (1995-1998)
• Porsche 911/993 Turbo S (1997-1999)
• Porsche 911/993 GT2 (1998-1999)
• Porsche 911/996 Carrera/ Carrera S (1998-2005)
• Porsche 911/996 GT3 (2000-2005)
• Porsche 911/996 Turbo (2000-2005)
• Porsche 911/996 Carrera 4S (2001-2005)
• Porsche 911/996 Turbo S (2001-2005)
• Porsche 911/996 GT3 RS (2003-2005)
• Porsche 911/996 GT2 (2003-2005)
• Porsche 911/997 Carrera/ Carrera S (2004-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 Carrera 4/ Carrera 4S (2005-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 Turbo (2006-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 Targa/Targa 4 (2006-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 GT3/ GT3 RS (2006-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 GT2 (2007-2010)
• Porsche 911/997 Turbo S (2010-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 GT2 RS (2010-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 Carrera GTS (2010-2011)
• Porsche 911/997 GT3 RS 4.0 (2011)
• Porsche 911/991 Carrera/ Carrera S (2011-current)
• Porsche 911/991 Carrera 4/ Carrera 4S (2012-current)
• Porsche 911/991 GT3 (2013-current)
• Porsche 911/991 Turbo (2013-current)
• Porsche 911/991 Turbo S (2013-current)
• Porsche 911/991 Carrera GTS/Carrera 4 GTS (2014-current)

The Porsche 356 was a sports car produced by the German manufacturer Porsche between 1948 and 1965. It was the first car series manufactured by Porsche, it was a car of four-seater with rear engine mounted on a chassis derived from the Volkswagen, the original Porsche 356 of 40 horsepower at 4,000 RPM was available in body coupe and roadster.

The designer of the Volkswagen Type 1, Ferdinand Porsche, possibly gave the world the car for the masses (people's car) but it was his son Ferry with Karl Rabe and Erwin Komenda, which began in 1947, the study of a sporty two-seater on the Volkswagen project nº356 that it would become the first Porsche 356, the first in the history of the brand. Today, Porsche stands for precision, performance, purity, and perfection, and the 356 is the first chapter of this story.

For convenience, after the Second World War forced a reliance on the platform of the Beetle, but the 356 is much more than a beetle in a dress of butterfly. The configuration of the rear engine may proceed to the car of old, but the child athlete, the genes are transformed in a real sport. A cheeky, agile, and happy dancer tail, the beautiful 356 is the foundation of a proud sporting tradition.

In 2010 it is planned to re-make it like a sporting type "speedster" affordable below the Boxster, and with a price of less than 35,000€ (47.200 USD) and serve as a rival to the future VW Bluesport, Seat Salsa, Audi R2 and BMW Z2.

History

In 1939, Porsche designed and built three sports cars, model Porsche Type 64, designed for a run of 800 miles was going to be held in September of 1939 from Berlin to Rome race was canceled.

In 1948 a prototype 356 motor Volskwagen 4-cylinder boxer shorts to 1,131 cc, located just in front of the rear axle (mid-engine rear), frame of aluminium and tubular steel chassis called "Porsche 356 No. 1 Roadster" was built. This has given rise to some debate as to the "first" car Porsche, but the 356 is considered by Porsche as to be its first production model.

The 356 was created by Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche (son of Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the company). Like its ancestor, the Volkswagen Type 1 (which Ferdinand Porsche "father" had designed), the 356 is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, engine-rear/all-wheel-drive rear using a body semi-monocoque. Although the 356 was originally designed by Erwin Komenda, an employee of Porsche, its mechanics (including the engine, suspension and chassis) were from the Volkswagen.

On 8 June 1948 Austria certifies the first 356 for use on the road, in which were used many parts from Volkswagen to economize the manufacture.

Almost from the first day Porsche began to refine the car with a focus on increased performance for a better driving and more comfort. The days of the dependence of VW had past, at the end of the 50 many of the parties that shared in common with Volkswagen were reduced, the 356 was evolving gradually.

The first bodywork of the 356 were produced in Gmünd, Austria, hand-made in aluminum, but when production in 1950 was moved to the Zuffenhausen district of Stuttgart in Germany, a body of steel first came out of the workshops.

Little noticed at its inception, the first 356 were sold primarily in Austria and Germany. From the first prototype in 1948, it took Porsche about two years to the production of the first 50 cars. In the early 1950s, the 356 had gained some fame among fans on both sides of the Atlantic for its aerodynamics, handling and excellent build quality. It was common for their propietraios can enjoy a plentitud in the track of the racing circuit and, after the race, return home and leads it, in this way increasing your success and your orders until you reach more than 15,000 units in the 1964, when production of the 356 ended in 1965, about 76,000 had been built.

356 in racing

The Porsche 356, close to the serial or highly modified, have had much success in rallying, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 1000 km of Buenos Aires, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Carrera Panamericana, as well as many other racing events cars.

Several Porsche 356s were stripped in the weight, and were modified in order to have a better performance and handling of these races. Some notable examples include the Porsche 356 SL, and the Porsche Carrera GT 356A. In the 1960s Porsche collaborated with Abarth and built the Porsche 356B Carrera GTL Abarth Coupé. that enjoyed some success in motor sports.

The contribution of Karl Abarth-the Porsche 356B

The brand Abarth and Porsche have had a few collaborations along the story, but the relationship of both brands has never ceased. The result has always been brilliant. As is the case of the creation of the Porsche 356B Carrera Abarth GTL.

For your manufacturing out of the Porsche 356B Carrera. On the structure of the Porsche, was an all-aluminium body that were meant to 135 kg less. The models Abarth were a bit longer and his nose flowed more smoothly. The improvements of the Porsche 356B Carrera GTL Abarth, allowed Porsche to beat their opponents during two years in all competitions in the category 2-liter GT. There were four series of the factory the scorpion that were differentiated by the different improvements that were implemented in the engine and other elements to improve its power. The first three had a engine 1588 cc that they were going to improve in features and power in each series. The Porsche 356B Carrera GTL Abarth became definitely in the faster model of its range when it is installed a engine 1966 cc with 185 hp of power, which reached a maximum speed of 225 km/h.

Body styles

The basic design of the 356 remained the same throughout its useful life, with improvements in functional, evolutionary, rather than the annual changes of style on the surface. However a large variety of models in ways both coupe and convertibles were produced from 1948 until 1965.

Cabriolet models (convertibles with a windshield and padded top) were offered from the beginning, and in the early 1950s sometimes comprised over 50% of the total production. One of the models of collection more desirable is the "Speedster" 356, introduced in late 1954 after Max Hoffman , the sole importer of the united States of Porsches, advised the company that a lower-cost, somewhat spartan convertible version could sell well in the American market. With its low, raked windshield (which could be removed for racing week-end), bucket seats and the top fold minimum, the Speedster was an instant success, especially in southern California. Production of the Speedster reached a peak of 1,171 cars in 1957 and then began to decline. He was replaced in late 1958 by the "Convertible D". It featured a windshield more practical higher (allowing better head room with the top raised), glass roll-up side windows and more comfortable seats. The following year the convertible "Roadster" 356B replaces the model D, but the market for sports cars love affair with the motor-racing top-down was fading; soft-top 356 sales model declined significantly in the early 1960s. Today the earliest Porsches are highly coveted by collectors and fans from all over the world in function of its design, reliability and sporting performance.

To distinguish among the major revisions of the model, 356's are generally classified into a few large groups. 356 coupes and convertibles "(" soft-top) built 1955 are readily identifiable by their split (1948-1952) or bent (center-creased, 1953-1955) the windshield. In late 1955, with numerous small changes, but significant, the 356A was introduced. Your designation factory internal "Type 1", gave rise to its nickname "T1" among enthusiasts. At the beginning of 1957 there was a second revision of the 356A, known as Type 2 (or T2). At the end of 1959 styling and technical refinements, more important, gave rise to the 356B (a type of body T5).

The model 356B mid-1962 it changed it for the body type T6 (grilles cover, twin-engine, a fuel tank outside on the right front wing / fender and a larger rear window on the coupe). It is interesting to note that the factory Porsche does not call attention to these changes are quite visible with a different model designation. However, when the T6 got disc brakes, with no other visible alterations, they called it the model C, or the SC when I had the engine HP optional.

A unique " Karmann model or "Notchback" 356B Hardtop "was produced in 1961 and 1962 The 1961 series of production was, essentially, a body cabriolet with the hardtop convertible's optional steel welded in its place. Line 1962 (production T6) was very different in design, as the new coupe body of three volumes, T6 did not start life as a cabriolet, but with its own production design-In essence, part cabriolet rear design, part of the frame T6 coupe windshield, hard top only. Both years of these unique cars have taken the name "Karmann Notchback".