- The Porsche Vision 357 concept is a tribute to the German automaker’s first sports car, the 356, which entered production 75 years ago in 1948.
- Although it’s based on the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS, the Vision 357 echoes the classic 356 proportions and the curvaceous, sleek body design of the original Porsche sports car.
- The Vision 357 is packed with unique details, from the subtle headlight and taillight design to the motorsport-inspired front splitter and comedy decals on the windows and side sills.
Porsche loves to celebrate birthdays. Sometimes tributes can feel forced, honoring a vehicle or event that has faded from memory or creating a limited edition as a cash grab for customers who just want an exclusive museum piece. However, the Vision 357 concept, unveiled in Berlin at the Volkswagen Group’s “DRIVE” Forum, feels truly special and pays homage to a worthy ancestor, commemorating 75 years since the launch of the first Porsche sports car, the iconic 356.
Surprisingly for a concept car released in 2023, the Vision 357 is not electric. Instead, the slinky coupe is based on the bones of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, including a mighty 4.0-liter flat-six that puts out 493 horsepower. Porsche envisions the mid-mounted motor in the Vision 357 using carbon-neutral synthetic fuel—as indicated by the “eFuel” logo on the gas cap—which Porsche is committed to developing in hopes of keeping the internal combustion engine that powers the brand. famous alive.
But the real focus of the Vision 357 is the design. Despite sitting on a modern platform, the 357 retains the proportions of the 356, with a narrow cabin, squat stance and wide rear. The bodywork is very smooth, with no hard creases in the metal that were impossible to make when the 356 first arrived in 1948. The door handles are hidden next to the side windows and the headlights and taillights are barely visible, represented only by a series of dots arranged in circle and rectangle, respectively. The brake lights are discreetly integrated into the rear grille that flows from the rear glass to the diffuser, another reference to the 356.
The Vision 357 also embodies Porsche’s motorsport heritage, most notably with the racing number “75” adorning the doors and hood. A large front splitter juts out while the side sills are constructed from natural fiber-reinforced plastic, as on the Mission R concept and Cayman GT4 ePerformance prototype. The concept rides on 20-inch magnesium wheels with carbon fiber hubcaps that straddle the line between the aerodiscs on ’80s racing cars and traditional spoked wheels.
Porsche designers must have had fun writing the Vision 357, as evidenced by the comedy decals that adorn its body. A small cloud emblazoned with the word “Air” sits on the side glass just in front of the intake, directing the surrounding atmosphere to naturally feed the engine. The little Tyrannosaurus rex sticker on the side sills came from a conversation the designers had while working on the project, joking that they were creating a gas-powered concept in 2023, which would make the vehicle “like a dinosaur.”
After the Vision 357 exhibition in Berlin ends in mid-February, it will appear at events around the world. Hopefully, the timeless design will also be the inspiration for the next-generation electric 718 sports car that will be released in 2025.
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