Chassis No. 58368

Engine No. KD P-91036

Transmission No. 15530

The "Carrera" name is now ubiquitous across much of Porsche's 911 lineup, but in the company's early days, it offered both performance and exclusivity. In the early 1950s, Porsche had established a reputation for producing high-quality, jewel-like cars that were lightweight, aerodynamic, and-once mastered-handled with finesse. However, they were also known for being underpowered. While the VW-based pushrod engine was instrumental in launching the company, it had become a technological limitation, particularly in the racing division. After achieving success with lightweight, limited-production pushrod-powered cars like the 356 SL, America Roadster, and early 550 Spyders, Porsche determined that a purpose-built racing engine was essential for continued success.

Starting in 1952, Ernst Fuhrmann and his team received the green light and funding to develop the Type 547, a clean-sheet 1.5-liter racing engine. Known as the "Fuhrmann four-cam," this innovative engine boasted four camshafts, larger intake and exhaust ports, twin ignition, and a Hirth roller-bearing crankshaft. Compact, air-cooled, and highly efficient, the boxer engine was perfectly suited to the lightweight Porsche race cars it would power. The craftsmanship behind these engines was a point of pride; each mechanic responsible for assembling an entire engine stamped their initials onto the aluminum case. The four-cam soon found its way into iconic aluminum-bodied race cars like the 550, 718 RSK, and RS 60/61 Spyders, as well as the fiberglass-bodied 904 Carrera GTS, propelling them to victory on racetracks worldwide. These Sunday triumphs not only bolstered Porsche's racing prestige but also energized the factory's production line when operations resumed on Monday mornings.

The 356 Coupe and Speedster were the first production cars to receive the Type 547 four-cam. Priced approximately $2,000 above the standard pushrod-powered car, the 356 A Carrera was a fully race-bred, highly prized variant of an already rare and desirable automobile. Constructed on 12 February 1957, the digital copy of this Carrera's Kardex warranty card confirms that it was originally finished in the ultra-rare shade of Sahara Beige, one of just three Carreras finished in the paint to sample color for 1957. Furthermore, it was outfitted with a Wine Red-upholstered interior and optioned with a Becker radio, antenna, a dimmable interior mirror, clock, fog lights, and Coco floor mats-a very nice combination of additional extras! A Jürgen Barth report on file notes that the first owner listed on the Kardex, a Herr Grenz, was Regional Director for Porsche in Bavaria. The Kardex and Barth's report both detail that it was sold ten months later to Wolf Dieter Mekler in southwestern Germany. Furthermore, the Kardex notes that the Carrera's original engine was replaced in December 1957 shortly after the sale, a refreshing answer the ever-present numbers matching question prevalent with collectible air-cooled Porsches.

The Carrera's ownership history continues in the early 1990s with Paolo Morigi of Magliaso, Switzerland, a noted collector and dealer in African art. Under Morigi's ownership the car was restored with a focus on sporting rallies. The result was a period GT-look Carrera that received an FIA Historic Technical Passport (HTP) in March of 1995. Furthermore, the FIA HTP notes the current engine serial number KD P-91036, and that it was rebuilt as a 1,600 cc "Competition Type 692/3." In 2006, its FIA HTP was renewed with a transfer of ownership in 2014 to Christian Imbusch operator of Christian Imbusch Classic of Erfurt, Germany. Towards the end of the previous decade, the Carrera was once again restored, again in GT-appearance this time in non-metallic Black with a red leather interior and oatmeal-colored square-weave carpeting. In current ownership for a numberof years the Carrera arrived in the United States in 2024, spending time at Speedsport Tuning of Danbury, Connecticut for a comprehensive service and four-cam engine overhaul with invoices for the work on file and available for review. Today, this GT-look Carrera offers both the collectible nature of a well-optioned 356 A Carrera with the dynamic spirit of a vintage racer, equally suited for driving events and showcasing in high-level Porsche collections, where its purity of form and exquisite finishes can be admired.