And the subtleties of subsequent changes, frequently almost imperceptible to outsiders.

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At the beginning of the 1930s Ferdinand Porsche had arrived, but then only at the helm of his automobile design consultancy; an early success was the design of the immortal Volkswagen Beetle, with its deco-shape and rear-mounted engine – not a bad start, really. It was not until 1949 that his name appeared on a car: the archetypal Porsche 356. This of course was the work of his son, Ferry Porsche: with a rear-mounted air-cooled engine and all-independent bar suspension the 356, which had a platform-type chassis, was based on Ferdinand Porsche’s Volkswagen.

But then the Stuttgart-based Porsche switched to full-on steel production of its revolutionary cars; from 1955 it had its own factory in Zuffenhausen, one of the three northernmost boroughs of the city.

But in model year 1956, the 356 was replaced by the comprehensively enhanced 356A. As from its market launch, this type was available with five four-cylinder engines. This power unit, which was named after designer Ernst Fuhrmann, was characterized by four overhead camshafts, which were driven by bevel-gear shafts; the engine also featured a dual ignition with two separate distributors.

So therefore in late 1955, with numerous small but significant changes, the 356A was introduced.

Possibly the most popular variant of the very first Porsches, the 356A arrived in 1955, marked by its one-piece curved windscreen and wheels that were now 15”, down from 16”. The original 1.5-liter engine was upgraded with a 1,600cc unit. Now the Porsche came with round tail lights; round rear direction indicators were adjacent to the tail lights; and brake lights were integrated into the rail lights; the bumpers were apart from the body and with bumper guards; the number plate lighting was in chrome housing above the number plate; and there was a long, narrow handle with the Porsche logo on the luggage compartment lid. (I said it is the subtleties of detail that define so much of what Porsche does…)

We have a sparkling example of a T1 right now at Beverly Hills Car Club, a 1956 Porsche 356A Coupe that has just come out of long-term ownership and is finished in Red gracefully complemented with a Tan interior.

Equipped with a manual transmission, flat 4 cylinder air cooled engine, dual carburetors, VDO instruments, dual exhaust outlets, mesh headlight grilles, numbers-matching front hood, beehive tail lights, body-color bumpers, two-spoke steering wheel, fender-mounted antenna, rear fender skirts, a PCA window decal, whitewall tires, chrome hub caps, jack, and a full-size spare tire fitted in the front trunk.

Do you know the story of how Max Hoffman, the genius sole importer of Porsches into the USA, almost got the company into big trouble? Seeing a model name rather than merely a number, Hoffman blessed the 365A with the moniker ‘Continental’. This name, as mentioned above, was given to the 356As sold into the United States. But Ford, manufacturers of the Lincoln Continental, took umbrage. And sued.

Accordingly Porsche reverted to the numerical name of its revised car. And hence we know this fabulous vehicle as the Porsche 356A.

Sounds better, doesn’t it?

-Alex Manos, Owner