The Porsche 356 was Porsche’s first production car. The first 356 was produced in 1948, and around 76,000 were produced from then until 1965, ending with the 356 C. The 356 is an air cooled rear-engined, rear wheel drive sports car that is known for its handling characteristics and lightweight. They all came with four cylinder motors varying in size from 1.1 liters to 1.6 liters, and power output ranged from as little as 40 horsepower to as much as 130 in the 356 C Carerra 2. There were four series of 356: the 356 pre A, 356 A, 356 B, and 356 C. Within those series there were varied models, coupes and convertibles etc. but the car in question today fits into the 356 A series. In 1948, the original price the 356 coupe was US$3,750, and $4,250 for the convertible.
There were 21,045 series A cars produced for the entire production run, but given that this is claimed to be a Speedster it is much rarer.
Check it out here on Craiglist in Washington DC: https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/d/annapolis-356-porsche-1957-speedster/6909018511.html
This particular car would have made 60 horsepower when new, and despite being lightweight is very slow; apparently taking around 15 seconds to get to 60 mph, on it’s way to a top speed of 99 miles per hour. Given that this is a Speedster, it is much more desirable than the average 356 A, which is why it has a $215,000 asking price. At auction, these cars have sold for anywhere from the mid $200,000 range for a clean restored example, to over $300,000 for a very original car. The lack of photos is somewhat concerning, so do your research beforehand. However, we couldn’t resist a true barn find like this!
