Porsche has kicked off the 75th year making its own cars with a special design study that pays homage to the company's very first - the 356. The new 357 concept was created by Porsche's stylists without the constraints of series production (and it doesn't even have an interior), apparently. Unfortunately, that means there's virtually no chance that the 357 will morph into a new showroom-bound model, but could instead be taken as an answer to the question "what would Ferry Porsche's dream car of 2023 look like?"
Inspiration from Porsche 356 coupe
The 357 clearly takes inspiration from the Porsche 356 coupe, albeit examples bred for a little more performance than the very first models managed. Hidden within the bodywork are almost ghosts of the 356's lights at the front and rear, while the bulging arches emphasise how narrow the glasshouse is. At the back, there's a full-height grille detail joining the diffuser to the rear glass, too, referencing the various air vent designs used by rear-engined Porsches over the years.
Nonetheless, while the 356 is lovingly referenced in the design details, the 357 is clearly a product of a contemporary design studio. Drink in the modern surfacing and particularly muscular rear end, the wide stance, the wraparound windscreen, the 20-inch magnesium and carbon-fibre wheels pushed out to each corner and the hidden door handles. And there are slender camera pods instead of door mirrors.
Porsche's long history and success in motorsport is also celebrated in the 357. The design study has a large bonnet held in place by quick-release clamps, there's a serious front splitter stabilised by threaded bars, a stylised race number on the side (75 of course) and aerodynamic side sills using natural fibre-reinforced plastic (NFRP) - as in the Porsche Mission R concept racer. The bodywork aft of the front and rear wheels is also scalloped away in the manner seen on current GT racing cars.
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS underpinnings
The 357 might not have an interior for the world to look at, but it is built on the platform of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS. That means a mid-mounted 4.0-litre flat-six petrol engine, naturally aspirated and producing 500hp and 450Nm of torque, all sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed PDK gearbox. Porsche's designers even retained the GT4 RS's unique air intakes close to the ears of the driver and passenger so as to bring the sound of this engine to the fore in the 357.
Is there any chance?
The Porsche 357 was revealed today as part of the Volkswagen Group's "DRIVE" forum in Berlin and will be available to see by the public there until the middle of February. Porsche has confirmed that it will bring the vehicle along to other shows throughout the year.
Although the press release clearly alludes to the fact that the 357 is purely a design study, Porsche collectors are likely already posting blank cheques to the company in the hope that it will produce a limited number for their needs. As it's based on the underpinnings of an existing model, it wouldn't be outside the bounds of reality to expect a tiny production run of vehicles that are not homologated for use on the public road - as Porsche did with the Moby Dick homage, the 911 GT2 RS-based 935.