Porsche 356s are in vogue at the moment, with most of the action confined to the connoisseur ‘pre-A’ cars. That’s probably to be expected, because these rare little cars are often referred to as the Swiss watches of the classic car world.
The price rises are even more significant when they’re set against the receding tide of most Porsche values, widely accepted to have overheated more than most marques during the boom times, particularly the later models. The key here, once again, is genuine rarity rather than being one of the rash of special editions that popped up in the Nineties, and were often stored rather than used. There’s more kudos in owning a real survivor.
An otherwise very nice 356 Speedster that had been mildly modified and fitted with a later engine attracted no attention at RM’s Essen sale, despite a low estimate of £237k. Its overall condition was better than the ‘Good’ that aligns with our guide. Originality sells.