Magazine Extras:
For automotive enthusiasts with a passing interest in Porsche, the 911’s sixtieth birthday ranks at the top of 2023's bounty of anniversaries, but for those of us more immersed in Porsche culture, seventy-five years passing since the first Porsche road registration carries greater weight, marking not only the beginning of the company as we know it, but also the birth of the 356, a hugely influential sports car informing all Porsche production to the present day. With this in mind, in this issue of Classic Porsche, we present the first of a two-part mini-series documenting the design, development and marketing of the 356/2. It’s a fascinating story highlighting just how close Porsche came to falling at the first hurdle, a scenario difficult to comprehend in an era where the Stuttgart concern is the world’s most profitable car maker (on a unit-by-unit basis) 2023 has delivered more Porsche-related anniversaries than we can adequately acknowledge on this page, but we’d like to make an exception for forty-five years of the 911 SC. At the SC’s introduction, the 911 range was reduced to just two models: SC and Turbo. Though less powerful than the discontinued Carrera 3.0, the SC was the first 911 marketed to appeal to sports car buyers beyond Porsche’s traditional customer base.
Launch of the SC coincided with a push in dealer showrooms for the brand’s transaxle family of products. Though the writing was on the wall (literally, as you’ll discover in this issue) for the 911, the SC’s broad appeal — plus renewed interest in further model development from a shaken-up Porsche boardroom — saw it pave the way for a decade of sales success. The 911 hasn’t looked back. Even so, with unveiling of the 357 Speedster concept in time for this year’s Festival of Speed, the 356 continues to prove its lasting influence on Porsche thinking. Long may it continue.
Issue Summary:
Classic Porsche documents the design and development of the 356/2, as well as offering fresh appraisal of the 911 SC on the model's forty-fifth anniversary.
Top 3 Issue Features:
MIDDLE CHILD SYNDROME - Less powerful than its immediate predecessor and overshadowed by its successor, the 911 SC was the first of the breed manufactured to appeal to an audience beyond Porsche’s traditional client base. Is now the time for this three-litre air-cooled classic to get the recognition it deserves?
CREATING THE PORSCHE CAR - In the first of a two-part series, we discover the influences leading to the design of the Porsche 356/2 coupe and the parameters considered in development of this ground-breaking sports car’s appearance and engineering — a daring project carried out by men of great experience.
ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES - The restomod scene as we know it can be traced back to California’s Volkswagen and Porsche modifiers. Straddling the divide was the 912, brilliantly represented in the present by this awesome Olive build from serial magazine feature car owner, Graham Angus.
Magazine Extras:
For automotive enthusiasts with a passing interest in Porsche, the 911’s sixtieth birthday ranks at the top of 2023's bounty of anniversaries, but for those of us more immersed in Porsche culture, seventy-five years passing since the first Porsche road registration carries gre....
