Porsche’s remarkable 356 placed the Zuffenhausen company firmly on the automotive map during the 1950s.

Conceived by Ferdinand Porsche as a lightweight, rear-engined sports car derived in part from Volkswagen Beetle underpinnings, the model evolved over more than 15 years into a technically sophisticated and beautifully resolved machine.

The earliest 356s were powered by a Volkswagen-derived 1,086cc flat-four producing 40hp, with larger capacity engines introduced as development progressed.

By the early 1950s, continual refinements brought increased performance, improved braking and greater usability, culminating in the highly regarded Pre-A cars - now prized for their purity of design and relative rarity.

Built at the instigation of Porsche’s North American importer, Max Hoffman, the Speedster was conceived as a pared-back, open-top version of the 356.

Lightweight, purposeful and relatively affordable, it proved highly successful in the United States, particularly among amateur ...