356 (1948–1965)

Origins and the Gmünd cars The 356 was the first car to wear the Porsche name as a production model. The very first prototype, 356/1, was a mid-engined open roadster completed in mid-1948 (June 8, 1948 is often cited as the marque's birth); the production 356/2 that followed adopted the rear-engine layout that would define Porsche for decades. Early cars were hand-built in Gmünd, Austria, with aluminum-alloy bodies over VW-derived running gear—roughly 50–60 examples, the exact figure disputed. Production then moved to Stuttgart, where steel bodies enabled true series manufacture.

Pre-A and the growing flat-four The pre-A cars (c.1950–1955) used an air-cooled flat-four rooted in Volkswagen design, offered in 1.1-, 1.3- and 1.5-liter forms. Porsche progressively engineered its own components, including a three-piece crankcase from late 1954. In October 1954 the Speedster arrived: a stripped, lower-cost, lightweight open car with a low removable windscreen, bucket seats and a minimal top, created at the urging of U.S. importer Max Hoffman.

356 A, and the four-cam Carrera The 356 A (1955–1959) brought a curved windshield, suspension refinement and the definitive move to 1.6-liter pushrod engines (Normal, Super). It also introduced the exotic Carrera, powered by the Fuhrmann DOHC 'four-cam' engine derived from the 550 Spyder racer—roughly 100 hp from 1.5 liters, and the performance halo of the range.

356 B and 356 C The 356 B (1959–1963) restyled the car in two body phases (T5 then T6) with raised bumpers and headlamps, larger glass and detail changes; the Super 90 joined the engine roster and the four-cam grew to the 2.0-liter Carrera 2. The final 356 C (1963–1965) delivered the most significant mechanical upgrade of the line: four-wheel disc brakes across the range, with 75 hp (C) and 95 hp (SC) pushrod engines. Production wound down in 1965 as the six-cylinder 911 took over, though a few 356 C cars were delivered into 1966.

Rust/corrosion is the primary structural concern on these steel cars (floors, longitudinal members, battery box). Early swing-axle suspension gives lively handling limits at the rear. The four-cam Carrera engine is complex, expensive and specialist-only to service and rebuild. Pre-A and early cars have limited drum braking (discs only arrive with the 356 C). Parts and correct components exist but originality-correct pieces command premiums, and non-original replacement bodies/engines are a widespread authenticity pitfall.

Confirm matching-numbers engine/transmission and correct series-specific engine (pushrod vs. the rare and hugely valuable four-cam Carrera). Verify body-style authenticity—Speedster, cabriolet and Carrera cars are heavily replicated and re-created, so documented history and correct chassis/body numbers are essential. Inspect thoroughly for rust in the floors, longitudinals, battery box, front trunk, and around the windshield; hand-built variability and past restorations are common. Prefer known provenance, original color/spec, and a credible restoration record. For Gmünd and four-cam cars, expert authentication and registry documentation are effectively mandatory.

As of mid-2026, the 356 is a settled blue-chip classic rather than a rapidly appreciating one. Aggregated marketplace data (classic.com) shows an average sale price around $166,000, with a very wide spread from sub-$100,000 into the $500,000-plus range. Coupes remain the accessible entry point—driver-quality B and C coupes frequently trade in roughly the high-$80,000s to $140,000s—while cabriolets carry a premium (recent B/Super 90 cabriolets around $195,000–$295,000). Speedsters sit near the top of standard-engine cars (well into the $400,000s at auction), and four-cam Carreras and the Gmünd aluminum cars are the true apex, with concours Gmünd examples valued around $1.5 million. Originality, matching numbers, correct original color, and provenance materially affect price; high-quality restomod/'outlaw' builds (e.g., Emory) can exceed original coupes. Directional snapshot only—figures are indicative, not a formal valuation.