When, after the Second World War, Ferry Porsche decided to build a light, supercharged car to rival the VWs he had driven, what ultimately emerged was Project 356.

The chassis was influenced by the Type 114 and Karl Frohlich’s Auto Union concepts. As the flat-four was positioned behind the driver and passenger seats, the VW’s rear suspension was reversed so that the transverse torsion bars sat at the back and the trailing arms became leading arms. In theory, this meant wicked oversteer that was reduced by careful attention to weight distribution, which ended up nearly even, and by an ultra-low center of gravity.

“We built that car only for experience,” Ferry Porsche recalled in 1984. “It was to see how light we could go and how many VW parts we would need.” He and a bright young engineer named Robert Eberan von Eberhorst first tested the running chassis in March 1948 on a natural proving ground not 20 miles from Gmund: the daunting 32-percent gradient of the Katschberg Pass. It easily passed every test, confirming that the VW hardware could withstand the most demanding conditions.

Retrospectively known as 356/1, the first prototype Porsche received its aluminum roadster body, designed by longtime Porsche hand Erwin Komenda, in April 1948 and was completed a month later.

The first prototype was sold on June 8th 1948 to Richard Von Senger, a Swiss advertising agency owner for 7000 Francs, providing a much needed injection of funds for the embryonic company.

The car debuted to the public at the Swiss Grand Prix in Bern on July 4 and earned good reviews from the British and European press. That same month, the 356/1 captured a 1,000-1,200-cc road race in Innsbruck, Austria - the first of many 356 victories to come.

Von Senger and fellow Swiss dealer Bernhard Blank’s early orders provided the financial security which secured the transition of the Porsche 356 from a bespoke prototype to full production model.

The Von Senger prototype was brought back by Porsche in 1958 and can now be seen at the factory museum.

Some YouTube treats:

Porsche 356 Production Line

1950 Porsche 356 driving in the mountains

Porsche 356 first Roadster Testdrive

Some Rare Porsche Vids (How's your German?)