Petrolicious presents: 1959 Porsche 356
Widely acknowledged as Porsche's first venture into motor manufacturing, the 356 was
a lightweight and nimble rear engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-door sporting car available
in hardtop coupe and open configurations. The arrival of the 356 also signalled Porsche’s first forays into motorsport and in 1951 earnt them their first class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In this latest video from Petrolicous, host Sam Hancock experiences a special 356 bred for motorsport, the Carrera GS/GT. Efforts to reduce weight went as far as swapping out the side and rear window glass for lighter Perspex, suspension and braking was treated to higher-performance setups, but the real draw of the GS/GT was its motor—that twin-plug, four-cam, dry-sumped and air-cooled four-cylinder.