On 8 June 1948, the first car to bear the Porsche name was road-certified: the Porsche 356/1 Roadster produced in Gmünd (in Carinthia, Austria).

The "Gmünd Roadster" was powered by a 1.1-litre air-cooled flat-four engine from Volkswagen. The engine's power was increased to 35 hp for the 356. The roadster weighed just 585 kilograms and reached speeds of up to 135 km/h (83 mph).

The original 356 (also called "pre-A" is easy to recognise from its two-piece windscreen divided by a centre bar. This was replaced by a single-piece windscreen with a centre bend as of model year 1952.

All 356 generations were also available in an open-top version (Cabriolet, Speedster or Roadster).

Model versions

  • 356/2 (Gmünd) (1948-50)

    Features

    Aluminium body // Bumpers flush with the body // Windscreen in two parts and divided by bar // Porsche logo on luggage compartment lid // Trafficators instead of direction indicators (in early models)

  • 356 1100 (1950-54)

    Features

    Bumpers flush with the body; set apart from the body and with bumper guards as of MY 1953 // Windscreen in two parts and divided by bar; one-piece with bend in the centre ("bent window") as of MY 1953 // Short handle on luggage compartment lid; long and with Porsche Crest as of MY 1954 // Rectangular tail lights; round as of MY 1953 // Round and flat front direction indicators; integrated in horn grille as of MY 1954 // Round rear direction indicators below tail lights; adjacent to tail lights as of MY 1953 // Number plate lighting and brake lights in chrome housing above number plate; brake lights integrated in tail light as of MY 1953

    Cabriolet: Padded fabric hood with small glass rear window; with enlarged, flexible plastic rear window as of 04/1953

  • 356 1300 (1951-53)

    Features

    Bumpers flush with the body; detached from the body and with bumper guards as of MY 1953 // Windscreen in two parts and divided by bar; one-piece with bend in the centre ("bent window") as of MY 1953 // Short handle on luggage compartment lid // Rectangular tail lights; round as of MY 1953 // Round and flat front direction indicators // Round rear direction indicators below tail lights; adjacent to tail lights as of MY 1953 // Number plate lighting and brake lights in chrome housing above number plate

    Cabriolet: Padded fabric hood with small glass rear window; with enlarged, flexible plastic rear window as of 04/1953

  • 356 1500 (1952)

    Features

    Bumpers flush with body // Windscreen in two parts and divided by bar // Short handle on luggage compartment lid // Rectangular tail lights // Round, flat front direction indicators // Round rear direction indicators, below tail lights // Number plate lighting and brake lights in chrome housing above number plate

    Cabriolet: Padded fabric hood with small glass rear window

  • 356 1500 (1953–1955)

    Features

    Bumpers set apart from body and with bumper guards // One-piece windscreen with bend in the centre ("bent window") // Longer handle with opening on luggage compartment lid; with Porsche Crest as of MY 1954 // Round tail lights // Round, flat front direction indicators; integrated in horn grille as of MY 1954 // Round rear direction indicators adjacent to tail lights // Brake lights integrated in tail light // Number plate lighting in chrome housing above number plate

    Cabriolet: Padded fabric hood with small glass rear window; with enlarged, flexible plastic rear window as of 04/1953

  • 356 1500 Super (1953–1955)

    Features

    Bumpers set apart from body and with bumper guards // One-piece windscreen with bend in the centre ("bent window") // Short handle on luggage compartment lid; long and with Porsche Crest as of MY 1954 // Round tail lights // Round, flat front direction indicators; integrated in horn grille as of MY 1954 // Round rear direction indicators adjacent to tail lights // Brake lights integrated in tail light // Number plate lighting in chrome housing above number plate

    Cabriolet: Padded fabric hood with small glass rear window; with enlarged, flexible plastic rear window as of 04/1953

  • 356 1300 (1954–1955)

    Features

    Bumpers set apart from body and with bumper guards // One-piece windscreen with bend in the centre ("bent window") // Long handle with Porsche Crest on luggage compartment lid // Round tail lights // Round, flat front direction indicators integrated in horn grille // Round rear direction indicators adjacent to tail lights // Brake lights integrated in tail light // Number plate lighting in chrome housing above number plate

    Cabriolet: Padded fabric hood with enlarged, flexible plastic rear window

  • 356 1300 Super (1954–1955)

    Features

    Bumpers set apart from body and with bumper guards // One-piece windscreen with bend in the centre ("bent window") // Long handle with Porsche Crest on luggage compartment lid // Round tail lights // Round, flat front direction indicators integrated in horn grille // Round rear direction indicators adjacent to tail lights // Brake lights integrated in tail light // Number plate lighting in chrome housing above number plate

    Cabriolet: Padded fabric hood with enlarged, flexible plastic rear window

  • 356 1500 Speedster (1955)

    Features

    Bumpers set apart from body and with bumper guards // One-piece curved windscreen with rounded top corners // Window inserts in doors // Long handle with Porsche Crest on luggage compartment lid // Round tail lights // Round, flat front direction indicators integrated in horn grille // Round rear direction indicators adjacent to tail lights // Brake lights integrated in tail light // Number plate lighting in chrome housing above number plate // Unpadded fabric hood with flexible plastic rear window // Chrome trims at level of door handles // "Speedster" logo on front wings

  • 356 1500 Super Speedster (1955)

    Features

    Bumpers set apart from body and with bumper guards // One-piece curved windscreen with rounded top corners // Window inserts in doors // Long handle with Porsche Crest on luggage compartment lid // Round tail lights // Round, flat front direction indicators integrated in horn grille // Round rear direction indicators adjacent to tail lights // Brake lights integrated in tail light // Number plate lighting in chrome housing above number plate // Unpadded fabric hood with flexible plastic rear window // Chrome trims at level of door handles // "Speedster" logo on front wings

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