By 1956, Porsche had manufactured 10,000 new cars and its racing credentials had been firmly established with the help of strong finishes in the Carrera Panamericana. To celebrate the Spyder’s class victories in 1952, 1953, and 1954 (the last bringing in a 1st and 2nd in class and a 3rd and 4th overall, behind the much more powerful 4.5- and 4.9-litre Ferraris), Porsche decided to install a slightly de-tuned version of the 550’s complicated 1.5-litre, four-cam, twin-plug racing engine into a limited number of production cars. A few 356 Pre-A examples were built to test the concept; the number is placed at four coupés and 14 speedsters. The new high-performance 356 A was introduced at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 1956 model. The new model would, of course, be named the Carrera—a name that has resonated to the present day as representing Porsche’s fastest street machines.

The new 100-horsepower, Fuhrmann-designed, dry-sump, roller-bearing engine, with chrome-plated cylinder bores and 8.1 compression—down from the Spyder’s 9.5—could be ordered in all three of Porsche’s 356 A models, the coupé, cabriolet, and speedster.

The car on offer left the factory on 03/06/1957 in the exterior colour Silver metallic ( code 608) with a red leather interior ( code 330) and was delivered on the Austrian market.

From Austria the car went to Italy, where it stayed for a long time. The next owner was a French captain of industry who kept the car in the south of France and from there it moved to Monaco, and there the car was added to the collection of a private owner.

The car has the correct engine, type 547/1 en has all the original components ( carburettors and ignition. Colours are also matching.

Certificate of authenticity and Kardex are available.