Although few would have realised it at the time, the 1948 launch of the Porsche 356 was a significant milestone in automotive history.

It marked the commercial birth of what has become one of the world’s greatest car manufacturers; a company that has many times won Le Mans on Sunday and inspired the rich of the road on Monday.

Its achievements are unique.

The 356 was a collaboration between `Ferry’ Porsche, the son of the company’s founder, and its chief body engineer Erwin Komenda.

The first examples of the 356 were handcrafted from aluminium in Gmund, Austria.

And, with parts in short supply following the war, the model initially employed the engine, transmission and suspension from the Volkswagen Beetle (the car famously designed by Porsche Senior).

However, within two years the car had been considerably re-engineered and was less reliant on stock Volkswagen parts, while production had moved to Zuffenhausen in Germany with bodies now made of steel.

Thanks to efficient aerodyn...