In the special exhibition from November 13, 2015 to March 27, 2016, the PROTOTYP car museum in Hamburg is giving VIP a whole new meaning. Under the motto: "356 VIP - Very Important Porsches", some particularly interesting variants of the Porsche 356 will be on display.
The success story
The Porsche 356 laid the foundations for the success of the Porsche brand. Hand-built in Gmünd, Austria, in the spring of 1948, the 356-001 prototype attracted attention among racing enthusiasts in the summer of the same year when it was presented at the "Swiss Grand Prix" in Bern. Just one year later, the production-ready 356/2 was considered "one of the most stylish cars at the Geneva Motor Show".
The Porsche 356 small series became an international bestseller in the 1950s. The combination of sleek design, reliability and a power output of first 40, later 70 and finally 130 hp won over buyers: initially in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands. Purist export models were created for the USA, which were used particularly in racing due to their reduced weight. After more than 76,000 units, production of the Porsche 356 ended in April 1965. Over the course of around 20 years, the Coupé, Cabriolet and Speedster found enthusiastic drivers.
Unique selection
Thanks to loans from the Porsche Museum Stuttgart and private collectors, the special exhibition "356 VIP - Very Important Porsches" will showcase an unprecedented selection of Porsche 356s in all body styles. In addition, some vehicles from this model series that have never been presented to the public before, such as the recently discovered, world's oldest Porsche from Stuttgart, will be on display. Also on display will be the Porsche 356/2 Beutler-Cabriolet (1949), the Porsche 356/2 Keibl-Cabriolet (1949), the Porsche 356/2 Gmünd-Coupé (1949), the Porsche 356 Chassis 5006 (1950), the Porsche 356 Gläser-Cabriolet (1951) and the Porsche 356 America Roadster (1952). In addition, very special models such as the Porsche 356 1500 S USA de Luxe Cabriolet (1953), the Porsche 356 A 1500 Carrera GT Speedster (1957), the Porsche 356 B 1600 Carrera GTL Abarth (1960), the Porsche 356 B 2000 GS-GT "Dreikantschaber" (1963), the Porsche 356 C 2000 GS Carrera 2 (1964) and the Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Polizei-Cabriolet (1964).
A must for all fans
International stars such as James Dean as well as rally professionals and everyday drivers succumbed to the great driving pleasure at the wheel of a Porsche 356 and its special charm. Visitors to the PROTOTYP car museum will soon be able to gain an impression of the fascination that this vehicle arouses. The special exhibition, which is definitely worth a visit to the car museum, is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, as is the entire museum. Admission, including the special exhibition, is 13.50 euros for adults and 8.00 euros for children aged 4-14.
Further information can be found on the website of the PROTOTYP car museum.
