With their promise of a bright new future – for both Porsche and for us – they remain an endless tribute to Ferdinand Porsche’s inspirational vision.

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Hardly surprisingly the Porsche 356s are among the most beloved sports cars of the 1950s and early 1960s; it was their unique style and agility that launched the German automaker’s resounding success and their extreme desirability among car collectors.

This original California car is equipped with a manual transmission, flat-four engine, Solex dual carburetors, single exhaust outlet, VDO instruments, three-spoke steering wheel, body-color dashboard, chrome trim beauty rings, Porsche-branded hubcaps, chrome bumper guards, and a full-size spare tire fitted in the front trunk. Amenities include manual-crank windows, pop-out rear quarter windows, driver-side view mirrors, rear luggage rack, glove box, dashboard analog clock, and a Sapphire II by Bendix AM/FM radio.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire such a sought-after and highly collectible Reutter-bodied 356B Super 90 Twin Grille that is mechanically sound.

Reutter, who built our 356 B’s curvaceous bodywork, had come into business in 1906 when founded by master saddler Wilhelm Reutter. By 1910 it was trading under the name of ‘Stuttgarter Bodyworks Reutter & Co, owners W. & A. Reutter’. Until World War II the company built elegant and luxurious bodies for individual customers on the chassis of almost all celebrated German car manufacturers, in addition to equally renowned foreign car manufacturers – Bugatti, Buick, Cadillac and Chrysler were some of those accordingly adorned. In addition, from 1932 onwards the first Volkswagen precursors were built by Reutter, as well as the Volkswagen prototypes of the VW 303 series and, in 1938, the VW 38 series.

From 1961 they worked on the 356’s successor; this came onto the market in 1963 as the 901, finally renamed 911 the next year. As well as its work with Porsche, Reutter developed the BMW 501 prototype and the conversion of the Citroen DS 19 with a special convertible top. On December 1, 1963 Reutter’s bodywork business was sold to Porsche in its entirety.

Like its cousin, the Volkswagen Beetle (which Ferdinand Porsche Sr. had designed), the 356 is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive car with unitized pan and body construction. The chassis was a completely new design, as was the 356’s body, designed by Porsche employee Erwin Komenda. At the same time, certain mechanical components, including the engine case and some suspension components, were based on and initially sourced from Volkswagen.

Ferry Porsche described the thinking behind the development of the 356 in an interview in September 1972: ‘…I had always driven very speedy cars. I had an Alfa Romeo, also a BMW, and others. ….By the end of the war, I had a Volkswagen Cabriolet with a supercharged engine, and that was the basic idea. I saw that if you had enough power in a small car, it is nicer to drive than if you have a big car which is also overpowered. And it is more fun. On this basic idea, we started the first Porsche prototype. To make the car lighter, to have an engine with more horsepower…that was the first two-seater that we built.’

Interestingly, Porsche did not draw attention to these quite visible changes, initially keeping the same model designation. However, when the T6 got disc brakes, with no other visible alterations, the company designated it as the model 356 C, or the SC when it had the optional, more powerful engine.

For now, however, Beverly Hills Car Club is presenting to you this wonderful 1962 Porsche 356 B.

B there or B square!

-Alex Manos, Owner