While Porsche was founded in 1931, it was not until 1948 that the 356 ‘No. 1’ Roadster was produced. It is the first automobile bearing the name Porsche to receive its general operating permit first, signifying the birth of a legendary sports car brand. The 356 is also the first Porsche model sold by the company.
75 years later, the German automobile manufacturer celebrates its success story with this drool-worthy ride: the Porsche Vision 357 Concept. And it looked vastly different from other Porsche before it, be it concept or production because the Style Porsche Team is free from regulations that apply for implementation as a series model and therefore was able to “manifests potential expressions of the future design philosophy.”
In simple terms, the designers were free to be bold with the designs. And oh, it ain’t electric as one might expect when the “future” is involved. The Porsche Vision 357 Concept is built on the technology platform of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS which is a naturally aspirated 4.0L 6-cylinder boxer producing 500 PS (493.5 HP). The design cues of the 356 are obvious:
“With its monolithic form, the narrow passenger cell with an abruptly sloping flyline and broad shoulders, the proportions of the Porsche Vision 357 evoke the lines of the 356. The windscreen sharply wraps around the A-pillars. As in its historic forebear, Porsche is pushing the boundaries of glass production: early 356s had a split windscreen with a bar down the middle. The split design was replaced in model year 1952 by a one-piece windscreen with a bend down the centre. The A-pillars of the Porsche Vision 357 are black and visually unite the side window surfaces into a single unit. This DLO (daylight opening) graphic resembles the visor of a helmet.”
Another nod to the original is the grilled pattern in the rear and the round design of the headlights. It is a modern twist of the car that started it all but with modern touches like concealed door openers by the side windows and the tail lights which can be found behind a patterned array of points in the body itself. Very futuristic indeed.
All images courtesy of Porsche AG.
