1956 Porsche 356A 1500GS/Carrera Coupe

Porsche entered the La Carrera Panamericana in 1952, 1953 and 1954, the first two years in private hands. In 1953 and 1954, the factory entered a pair of cars in each race. In 1954, the Stuttgart firm posted 1-2 class wins and a third and fourth overall, behind 4.5- and 4.9-liter Ferraris. To commemorate this milestone, Porsche introduced the 100 bhp Carrera. The engine made its first appearance in the revised and updated 356, termed the 356A at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September of 1955.

The 1500 GS engine was a detuned version of the competition four-cam motor originally created for Porsche's 550 Spyder. After proper testing, the engine was installed in the 550 Spyder for racing duty.

Along with the engine, the 356 received other modifications for 1956, including chassis modifications resulting from track experience acquired with the 550 Spyder. The 356 also was given a more supple suspension with larger shock absorbers and improved stop blocks. The most powerful of the 356s, the Carrera came with 20 additional horsepower and had a top speed of nearly 200 km/h. Externally, 'Carrera' in gold lettering was placed on the rear engine cover.
The car was fully-restored in Italy from 2005 to 2006 and fitted with a period-correct 547/1 four-cam Carrera engine that was fully rebuilt by Armin Baumann. The car is finished in Aquamarine Blue Metallic with brilliant red full leather interior and rides on reproduction Rudge wheels.

This Porsche 356A/1500GS Carrera was first delivered in 1956 to United States distributor Max Hoffman in New York, before returning nearly fifty years later to Europe in 2004.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at RM Auctions in Monaco where it was estimated to sell for €220.000-€280.000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of €235.200, inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2012