Schuco Porsche 356 A Coupé, grey, 1:43

PORSCHE 356 A Coupé, grey, 1:43

ABOUT PORSCHE 356 A

The 356 is a lightweight and nimble-handling, rear-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door available both in hardtop coupé and open configurations. Engineering innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsport’s success and popularity. Production started in 1948 at Gmünd, Austria, where Porsche built approximately 50 cars. In 1950 the factory relocated to Zuffenhausen, Germany, and general production of the 356 continued until April 1965, well after the replacement model 911 made its September 1964 debut.

Prior to World War II Porsche designed and built three Type 64 cars for a 1939 Berlin-to-Rome race that was cancelled. In 1948 the mid-engine, tubular chassis 356 prototype called "No. 1" was completed. This led to some debate as to the "first" Porsche automobile. Although the original Porsche 356 unit had a rear-mid engine placement, the rear-engined 356 is considered by Porsche to be its first production model.

The 356 was created by Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche (son of Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the German company), who founded the Austrian company with his sister, Louise. Like its cousin, the Volkswagen Beetle (which Ferdinand Porsche Sr. had designed), the 356 is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive car with unitized pan and body construction. The chassis was a completely new design, as was the 356's body, designed by Porsche employee Erwin Komenda. At the same time, certain mechanical components, including the engine case and some suspension components, were based on and initially sourced from Volkswagen. Ferry Porsche described the thinking behind the development of the 356 in an interview with the editor of "Panorama", the PCA magazine, in September 1972. "...I had always driven very speedy cars. I had an Alfa Romeo, also a BMW, and others. By the end of the war, I had a Volkswagen Cabriolet with a supercharged engine, and that was the basic idea. I saw that if you had enough power in a small car, it is nicer to drive than if you have a big car which is also overpowered. And it is more fun. On this basic idea, we started the first Porsche prototype. To make the car lighter, to have an engine with more horsepower…that was the first two-seater that we built in Carinthia (Gmünd)"

The 356 was built in four distinct series, the original ("pre-A"), followed by the 356 A, 356 B, and finally the 356 C. To distinguish among the major revisions of the model, 356s are generally classified into a few major groups. The 356 coupés and "cabriolets" (soft-tops) built through 1955 are readily identifiable by their split (1948 to 1952) or bent (centre-creased, 1953 to 1955) windscreens. In late 1955 the 356 A appeared, with a curved windshield. The A was the first road going Porsche to offer the Carrera four-cam engine as an option.

In late 1955, with numerous small but significant changes, the 356 A was introduced. Its internal factory designation, "Type 1", gave rise to its nickname "T1" among enthusiasts. In the US, 1,200 early 356s had been badged as the "Continental" and then a further 156 from autumn 1955 to January 1956 as an even rarer T1 "European" variant after which it reverted to its numerical 356 designation. In early 1957 a second revision of the 356 A was produced, known as Type 2 (or T2). Production of the Speedster peaked at 1,171 cars in 1957 and then started to decline. The four-cam "Carrera" engine, initially available only in the spyder race cars, became an available option starting with the 356 A.

Within the last 25 years, replicas of the 356 A have become very popular.

Product information
Throughout the production period, between 1948 and 1965, more than 76,000 of the first production Porsche sports car, the Porsche 356, were manufactured. With the 356, Porsche established its reputation as a producer of high-quality, elegant and highly efficient sports cars. The Porsche 356 is now one of the sought-after, sports car classics and, whether as a model or the original, is an inspiration with its timeless, attractive design. Schuco presents the die-cast Porsche 356 A Cabriolet in 1:43 scale. As is expected of Schuco models, a number of key features have been reproduced exactly with the greatest attention to detail.

Product Specification :
Colour : Grey
Manufacturer : Schuco
Scale : 1/43

Dimensions:
Packed: 15cm x 7cm x 7cm ( L x W x H )
Unpacked: 9.5cm x 4.5cm x 3cm ( L x W x H )
Excludes shipping carton

The item comes in an Acrylic case and a Paper Sleave
Age: 14+ Years Adult Collectible Diecast Model
Product details
Period: Historic
Material: Zinc Diecast
Model brand: Porsche

Limited Edition: 750 pcs Worldwide

Article number: 450260200

SALE / BOX DAMAGE: THIS PRODUCT IS ON SALE DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE ACRYLIC BOX & PAPER SLEEVE. THE PRODUCT ITSELF IS NEW ORIGINAL PRISTINE CONDITION.