√Porsche Vision 357 concept revealed to celebrate 75th anniversary

A new retro-styled concept car inspired by Porsche’s first production model has been revealed to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary.

Porsche has revealed a new concept designed to pay tribute to its first car, the 356 – and mark 75 years as an automotive manufacturer.

The Porsche Vision 357 is a modern reimagining of the company’s first production model, the 356 sports car of 1948 – underpinned by the chassis and engine from a modern 718 Cayman GT4 RS coupe.

There are no plans to put the car into production, as it is a design study only – however Porsche says the 357 wears unspecified “details that visualise the outlook for the future.”

The Vision 357’s design is a nod to the original 356, with a narrow cabin, broad wheel arches, and a distinctive curved rear roofline – plus a windscreen that wraps around the front pillars and meets with the side windows.

Key design cues include the concealed door handles and tail-lights, the headlight signatures – with a circular shape inspired by the 356, but four light components similar to modern Porsches – and camera-based side mirrors.

The concept is finished in Grivola Grey Metallic and Ice Grey Metallic, two colours said to be inspired by the “grey tones that were already popular in the 1950s,” according to Porsche. Blue and red ’75’ branding adorns the bonnet and doors.

It rides on lightweight 20-inch magnesium wheels with carbon-fibre hubcaps and centre locks – claimed to by inspired by “rims with the notably large bolt circle of 205 millimetres” on early 356A and 356B sports cars.

Other highlights include quick-release mechanisms for the front bonnet, titanium and ceramic exhaust tips, natural fibre-reinforced plastic (NFRP) side skirts – made from “flax fibres from agriculture” – and high-mounted side air intakes.

The Vision 357 concept is based on a production 718 Cayman GT4 RS, meaning it’s powered by a mid-mounted 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated flat six-cylinder engine developing 368kW, powering the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

According to Porsche, the Vision 357 concept would be “designed for operation” with synthetic fuel technology the company is developing.

The Porsche Vision 357 will be shown at a Porsche-themed exhibition at the Volkswagen Group’s ‘Drive’ showroom in the centre of Berlin, Germany, until mid-February.

Porsche says the car will be displayed at the South by Southwest film festival in Texas, US in March – ahead of “further international events over the course of the year.” It’s unclear if the car will come to Australia.

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