1961 Abarth 356 Carrera GTL

Porsche was fully committed to its Grand Prix program by the close of the 1950s and earned numerous victories with its purpose-built mid-engine sports racers. The 356 was also very successful but was finding it harder to keep pace in the production-based GT class. Although the company preferred to keep its projects in-house, Porsche turned to outside assistance with keeping its aging GT Carreras competitive in sports car races.

Ferdinand Porsche and Carlo Abarth had collaborated on a project for Cisitalia in 1946, and the mutual respect for each other's talents had turned into a bond of true friendship. Thus, when Porsche needed a new dedicated race model based on the 356B chassis, the contract was given to his old friend.

Porsche had tendered designs from Wendler (known for their spyder bodies) and Italian coachbuilder Zagato, who had been responsible for many successful GT racing cars of the era. At the time Abarth had a relationship with Zagato but was in the process of severing ties with the company. This was not disclosed to Porsche, but Abarth had ensured Porsche that the bodies would be produced by Zagato. Instead, Abarth hired designer Franco Scaglione and initially used Rocco Motto of Turin to build the new body for this project. After three examples had been built, the body construction was handed to a small carrozzeria named Viarenzo & Filipponi.

The goal was to reduce the overall weight and streamline the design of the 356B. In most racing situations, this would not be allowed, as it is often considered a new car or a 'special.' FIA rules allowed this modification as they defined a car on the basis of its chassis and running gear. Thus, Porsche was able to use 356B chassis and running gear, including the four-cam Carrera engine, while removing the production steel body in favor of a lightweight aluminum body. FIA regulations allowed for a different body as long the overall weight exceeded the homologated minimum. These purpose-built racing specials were built in limited qualities, with a production run of cars from serial number 1001 to 1021.

The production 356B used a steel platform chassis design with double wishbones at the front and swing axles at the rear. Transverse torsion bars, anti-roll bars, and hydraulic shock absorbers were placed all-round. Hydraulic drum brakes provided the stopping power and steering was done by a worm-and-finger system. The prototype example was tested at various races with disc brakes. The 1,587cc rear-mounted, dry-sump, air-cooled Type 692/3 engine used dual overhead camshafts, two Solex carburetors, a 9.8:1 compression ratio, aluminum block and head, and delivered approximately 115 horsepower at 6,500 RPM. Later in production, the Type 592/3A unit was introduced with a 20 horsepower increase.

The new body was approximately five inches lower and narrower and shorter by the same amount. The front area was reduced by fifteen percent and it weighed 100 pounds less than the production steel body. Engine cooling was enhanced by an adjustable rear scoop and complimented by nearly fifty louvers. Its design was low and abrupt at the front, with neatly sculpted rear arch flares, and a sloping rear. The roofline was reduced by five inches from the standard 356B, resulting in a somewhat cramped interior.

Porsche and Abarth had agreed to a completion date of March 1961, however, this was not met due to numerous issues including the body panels not fitting to the chassis and Motto leaving on an unplanned vacation. When the prototype arrived, Porsche was disappointed with the lack of quality, poorly fitted body panels, cramped interior, and nearly every window sill leaked. Its lightweight construction and aerodynamic design more than made up for these shortcomings, as its performance on the track was impressive.

The Abarth-built Porsche was dubbed the 356B GTL (for 'leicht' or 'light') and made its racing debut in 1961 at the Targa Florio where its low coefficient and lightweight construction was rewarded with a class victory - the first of many to come. The car had been driven to a sixth-place overall finish by Paul Strahle and Herbert Linge. At Le Mans that year, the factory entry placed eleventh overall and another class victory - it earned class victories at Le Mans for three consecutive years.

The Abarth 356B GTL had kept the Porsche 356B competitive and represented the pinnacle of the Carrera designation, but despite its successes, only 21 examples were built before Porsche canceled its contract with Abarth.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2022