Porsche Vision 357 concept, inspired by the modern 356.
In 2018, Porsche created a replica of its first sports car, the 356, to celebrate its 70th anniversary of registration; this year, on its 75th anniversary, Porsche once again looked back at the 356, this time imagining what this vivacious sports car would look like if it were launched today. The result is the Porsche Vision 357 Concept, unveiled Wednesday.
Naturally, the concept's design pays homage to the 356 throughout. The concept is based on the 718 Cayman GT4 RS platform, with a mid-mounted 4.0-liter flat-six producing 493 hp. eFuel" logo is a nod to Porsche's recently started production at a pilot plant in Chile. indicating that it is designed to run on carbon-neutral synthetic fuel.
As a further consideration for sustainability, the concept also employs a natural fiber-reinforced plastic made from flax fiber.
While it is unlikely that the Vision 357 will enter production, Porsche design chief Michael Mauer has suggested that elements of the car could herald future design themes for Porsche.
"The concept car is an attempt to blend past, present, and future with coherence, featuring proportions reminiscent of historical archetypes and details that visualize a vision of the future," he said in a statement.
Vision 357 is the highlight of a special exhibition celebrating Porsche's 75th anniversary. The exhibit will be held at the Volkswagen Group's Drive Forum in Berlin and will open to the public on January 27. The Porsche concept will be on display until mid-February.