Porsche Vision 357 Celebrates the 356 Legacy and 75th Anniversary

Is this the first hint of a new outlook from Porsche? The company has finally put the ‘Porsche 357’ moniker to use with this latest concept sports car, which is a modern homage to the legendary Porsche 356, which was, you may be surprised to hear, launched 75 years ago in 1948 as the 356 No. 1 Roadster, though we are possibly more likely to be more familiar with the models from the 1950s when the V-shaped windscreen replaced the split screen. I admit, that given enough money I would indulgently buy a fully restored classic Porsche 356 at the drop of a hat, so this is an especially interesting update from Porsche.

Once I had managed to wade through the traditional car-speak in the Porsche announcement, It turns out that this is actually a slightly fanciful idea (and why not) based around the concept of ‘what would a sports car created by Ferry Porsche (son of Ferdinand Senior) look like if it was built and designed today? The result is a nice, compact looking Porsche that straddles the present and the past. Here, Porsche presents us with the Porsche Vision 357 coupe.

The car itself is built on the same platform as a Cayman GT4 RS and gives the Vision 357 the use of a 4-litre 6-cylinfer engine capable of 493bhp. Much like the development into a V-shaped windscreen, Porsche has tweaked the windscreen of the Vision 357, giving a sort of wraparound effect. I guess if you are developing a concept from the ground-breaking 356, you really must take a long hard look at the windscreen.

The overall look is a mixed bag in my opinion; there are hints of the de-chromed and de-seamed Cal-Lookers so beloved of the custom car community in California a couple of decades ago, yet in the attempt to not go too overtly retro, there are some classic 356 styling cues missed in such an approach. While the lack of door handles, exterior mirrors and lack of any obvious seams leads the eye to appreciate the overall exquisite shape of the Vision 357, I can’t help thinking that the one thing that makes a 356 stand out – that rear vertical grille – would have looked great in some form on the Porsche Vision 357. To be fair, it is hinted at here in the design that sits centrally on the rear, but it’s a subtle touch. The sleek curves do though echo nicely the curves of the original 356.

The Vision 357 comes equipped with 20-inch wheels made from magnesium, as were wheels available for the original Porsche 356 (of course, these days magnesium wheels are less prone to corrosion), coupled with carbon fibre centre-caps. Some unusual aspects are the car’s sills which are made from a type of reinforced natural fibre (containing flax) plastic, while the lack of door mirrors is balanced by having cameras to give similar rear views. A ceramic exhaust is also included.

The Porsche Vision 357 is the highlight of the 75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars exhibition which can be found at the VW Group’s DRIVE forum in Berlin in Germany, which opened on 25 January 2023 and by the time you read this, will be open to the public. If you want to see the Vision 357 up close, it will be a centrepiece of the exhibition until the middle of February, so you’ve not too long. Following this, the Vision 357 heads to Texas for the much-loved rambling music festival South by Southwest (SXSW), which is based in Austin from March 10.

Images: porsche.com