1956 Porsche 356A 1500 GS Carrera Speedster - ESTIMATE: $800,000 - $1,000,000

1498cc 4-Cam Flat-4, Speedster Body by Reutter 

Chassis No. 82190
Engine No. 90641
Speedster body by Reutter
Type 547/1 Carrera 1,498cc 4-cam flat-4 engine
Tool roll, owner’s manual with Carrera supplement and copy of Kardex
Delivered new in June 1956 to Max Hoffman Motors in New York
The original color combination was Weiss (White) with Schwarz (Black) interior
Part of a private collection for more than 30 years

Soon after inception in 1948, Porsche began sweeping across Europe with a succession of racing victories, including back-to-back class wins with its Type 356-based racing cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950 and 1951. Development of the 356 was swift and relentless, with the basic design distanced from its relatively humble Volkswagen-based roots into a truly unique automobile, powered by ever-more potent 1500cc and 1600cc engines and garnering strongly rising sales for Porsche during the early 1950s.

Debuted alongside the comprehensively revised Porsche 356A at Frankfurt in the fall of 1955, the new 4-cam Carrera—and especially its Ernst Fuhrmann-engineered powerplant—represented the future of Porsche’s competition efforts. Described by Karl Ludvigsen, author of “Porsche: Excellence Was Expected,” as “… very much another breed of Porsche,” the new Carrera and pushrod 1600 models “… were instrumental in adapting the auto that started with forty horsepower to a power level that was two-and-a-half times higher.”

Available as a coupe, cabriolet or elemental and lightweight Speedster, Porsche’s 356A Carrera was built with 1500cc and 1600cc engines from 1955 until 1959. Two specifications were offered: the GS for street use, and the racing GS GT beginning in 1957. Further Carreras were produced for racing in 1960 and 1961 on the 356B body style, followed by the Carrera 2 produced from 1962 to the end of 356-series production in 1965. According to the Porsche magazine Excellence, approximately 700 Carreras were built in all, including some 260 on the 356A, making these race-bred Porsche models particularly coveted today.

Bearing Chassis No. 82190 and Engine No. 90641, this 1956 Porsche 356A 1500 GS Carrera features the most sporting and elemental Speedster body, built by Reutter. Delivered new in June 1956 to Max Hoffman Motors, the famed European-car importer in New York City, this 1500 GS Carrera Speedster was originally finished in Weiss (white) with a Schwarz (black) interior. Part of a private collection for more than 30 years, it is presented in Cream paintwork over a black-upholstered cockpit. The legendary 4-cam flat-4 Type 547/1 Carrera powerplant displaces 1498cc and features a roller-bearing crankshaft and dual carburetors. A 4-speed manual gearbox delivers the power to the road via a very rare and valuable set of Rudge knock-off wheels. Accompanying items include a tool roll, owner’s manual with Carrera supplement, and a copy of the factory Kardex production record. An exceedingly rare offering, this Porsche exemplifies the company’s first model to exceed the 200 km/h mark at full chat.

EQUIPMENT
Dual carburetors
4-speed manual gearbox
Very rare Rudge knock-off wheels

Monterey 2023  Auction: 

AUGUST 17-19, 2023
HYATT REGENCY MONTEREY HOTEL AND SPA - DEL MONTE GOLF COURSE - MONTEREY, CA · 600 VEHICLES