Porsche could also be greatest recognized for the 911 however it was the automobile’s predecessor, the 356, that put the German marque on the map.

The 356 entered manufacturing in 1948, initially in Gmünd, Austria. Solely about 50 examples have been constructed there earlier than Porsche moved manufacturing to its present house of Stuttgart, Germany. Manufacturing ran to 1965, making the 1963 mannequin featured within the newest episode of “Jay Leno’s Storage” one of many later examples. Porsche had already launched the 911 in 1963.

The featured automobile is a 356 SC coupe which was a extra highly effective model of the 356 supplied on the time. Its air-cooled 1.6-liter flat-4 engine is rated at about 95 hp, versus the 75 hp of the usual automobile.

The automobile has traded arms a number of occasions however was all the time serviced and garaged. Its present proprietor was capable of hint again its possession to the unique purchaser, with upkeep receipts included. It is carried out about 69,000 miles, with solely the seats and paint having been changed throughout its life. Even the tires are 40 years previous, although Leno reveals that he has expertise driving automobiles with extraordinarily previous tires.

The 356 is the mannequin Porsche acknowledges as its first automobile, although it is not the primary Porsche sports activities automobile. Ferdinand Porsche, who began the unique Porsche engineering firm in 1931, had already explored the potential of a sports activities automobile with the Kind 64, of which three have been constructed from 1939 to 1940.

Identified formally because the Kind 64 60K10, the automobiles have been endurance racers initially designed to compete within the 1939 Berlin-Rome race, although the race was canceled because of the onset of the Second World Struggle.

Two of these automobiles have been destroyed shortly after they have been constructed, with the chassis of the primary automobile used for the third automobile, and the stays of the second automobile being restored and at this time on show within the Petersen Automotive Museum. The third automobile went into non-public possession and got here up on the market in 2019 however did not discover a purchaser.