1958 Porsche 356A T2 Coupé
Coachwork by Reutter
Registration no. 823 XVU
Chassis no. 102714
Engine no. P68580

Although Ferdinand Porsche had established his automotive design consultancy in the early 1930s, his name would not appear on a production car until 1949. When it did, it graced one of the all-time great sports cars: the Porsche 356. Having commenced manufacture with a short run of around 50 hand-built aluminium-bodied cars at Gmünd, Porsche began volume production of the steel-bodied 356 coupé at its old base in Stuttgart, at first in premises shared with coachbuilders Reutter and then (from 1955) in its original factory at Zuffenhausen.

The work of Ferdinand's son, 'Ferry' Porsche, the 356 was based on the Volkswagen designed by his father. Like the immortal 'Beetle', the 356 employed a platform-type chassis with rear-mounted 1,100cc air-cooled engine and torsion bar all-independent suspension, yet somehow contrived to offer level of performance that belied the basic layout's humble origins. In part this had been achieved by the 356's aerodynamically efficient body, designed by Porsche employee Erwin Komenda. In its report on the 1949 Geneva Motor Show, scene of the 356's international debut, Motor commented: "Despite the conservatively stressed engine, a weight of only 11.7cwt gives 68bhp/ton and the beautifully formed body offers such low drag that the car has been timed by an independent tester to cover a kilometre at 84mph (134km/h)."

Porsche was anxious to prove its new sports car in competition, and on 11th July 1948 the open prototype had won its class at a race meeting at Innsbruck. In 1951 an aluminium-bodied works car finished first in the 1,100cc class at the Le Mans 24-Hour Race and 20th overall, thus beginning the marque's long and illustrious association with La Sarthe.

Aluminium cylinder heads were an early improvement (introduced in November 1949) while constant development would see the 356's engine progressively enlarged, with 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre units first becoming available in 1951. As the engine increased in both size and power, the inadequacies of the Volkswagen-type transmission were exposed, leading to the introduction of Porsche's own synchromesh gearbox - the Type 519 - in 1952. That same year the original split windscreen was replaced by a one-piece, while 1955 marked the arrival of the revised 356A model, the newcomer being readily distinguished by its curved windscreen and 15" - down from 16" - wheels. Regularly revised and updated, Porsche's landmark sports car would remain in production well into the 911 era, the final examples being built in 1965.

The right-hand drive Porsche 356A offered here was supplied new from the factory (complete with a US-specification front bumper) to a Mr N Fallon in Nairobi, Kenya in January 1958, subsequently passing through the hands of two further owners in Kenya before being acquired by the current vendor in 1999. The car then remained in Kenya until it was shipped to well respected Porsche restorers RSC Automobile in Belgium for a complete 'last nut and bolt' restoration. This concours-standard rebuild was completed in January 2022 at a cost in excess of £150,000. Related bills are on file together with 450 digital images of the rebuild plus some lovely period shots showing the Porsche with its first owner in Kenya. Imported into the UK and registered here on 1st July 2022, this expertly restored Porsche 356A is worthy of the closest inspection.