A San Diego Stroll with the 1957 Porsche 356A/1600 Super Speedster

INTRODUCTION

"There it is!" I exclaimed to my friend as our Uber pulled up to the airport lot.  Upon our entry into the lot, my eyes could only stay glued to this curiously-shaped blue egg on four wheels. Although we were surrounded by more modern performance offerings such as the 718 Cayman, Alfa Romeo 4C, and the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, I only had one goal: to experience a few hours of life with a Porsche 356 A Speedster.

Introduced in 1948 as Porsche's first production vehicle, it quickly became a motorsports powerhouse and thrust the Porsche name intoto the mainstream. Additionally, the win at the 1951 Le Mans may have also been a contributing factor. While the 356 initially shared parts with the Volkswagen Beetle, the car shared fewer parts as Porsche progressed and improved the car's performance until when in 1966 the final variant, the 356 C, was created. Pristine models of 356s have steadily gone up in price over the years with alongside the Porsche 911 wave. Pre-A and 356 A models are the most valuable, followed by the 356 B and 356 C. 356As can be found at auction for upwards of $250,000, with Speedsters being the most desirable. Interestingly enough, low-mileage and pristine replica examples are slowly rising in value as well. 

With that said, this 356 A replica is powered by an upgraded 1.9L VW engine (rated at 85 hp) and VW transmission along with a modern stereo and, assumably, modern metals. The car is even CA registered as a Volkswagen. Additionally, the car features 4-wheel disc brakes, a feature only the 356 C had back during its production years. Despite the modern upgrades, this Speedster does drive like a vehicle from the era. More on that later.  

The Drive

Earlier in June 2018, I met Jason from Luso as part of a fleet photography assignment from Turo, the car-sharing company (like an AirBnB for cars).  After getting to know Jason and the rest of the Luso team, I was put in contact with Sarah from the San Diego Luso location when I asked Jason about the 356. Because I was already visiting a friend in San Diego, I figured it was a good time to get behind the wheel of the Porsche. A phone call and a short Uber drive later, I was invited to take part of Speedster experience. 

Stepping into the car, the driver will come to find that the seating position is very different than that of modern vehicles. The driver is "seated" in a near-laying-down position, which can be very awkward at first. The leather seats were plush and comfortable, and let's be honest, who needs headrests anyway? Thumbs up for a single lap belt securing you in the vehicle! The pedals were easy to operate even seated in this manner, the transmission, while notchy, still featured a little play while the clutch was just a tad soft for my liking. 

Upon startup, it has the very recognizable sound of a 60s Beetle. It still managed to turn the heads of passersby while the car rumbled idle. I may or may not have let the engine roar as we cruised down the road after cruising around a little bit, but it was all in good fun...and maybe to see just how many people would do more than stare. 

Now for the fun stuff: Trying to keep up with the flow of traffic was a losing proposition, though the VW engine did its best. While rowing through the gears, it was a course in maintaining momentum right from the get-go. The oversized steering wheel made for some hilarious moments as my friend and I cruised down the highway. It was akin to piloting a nimble boat on rough waters. It was especially entertaining when we were crossing the Coronado bridge.  I continuously had to fight wind gusts and the car's tendency to tramline road surface. Fighting the wheel and keeping it within the lane markers was an exercise in patience and finesse, though it is expected for vehicles from this era.

Nevertheless, it put a smile on my face while envisioning how the bravest men of the 40s and 50s were able to pilot these vehicles at speed and win races. My friend's face, on the other hand, expressed sheer terror at the amount of effort needed just to drive the car around the streets of San Diego. 

The Details

The interior is simple but beautiful Creature comforts were minimal, save for a modern radio discreetly installed just under the left side of the dashboard, heating, and air-conditioning. 

With a buckskin-tan leather-wrapped dashboard, leather door cards, tasteful chrome bezels, trimmings, and handles, along with the woodgrain steering wheel bearing the iconic Porsche logo, it is difficult not to fall in love with the interior. According to FRED Economic Data, the average commute time in San Diego is 25.4 minutes. There are certainly worse places in the world to be sitting in for 25 minutes. I would say the California DMV falls in that category but that's more like 250 minutes, not 25. 

The outside of the vehicle is where most of the appeal lays. It's an iconic shape and this particular shade of blue (Aquamarine Blue) in my opinion, is perfect for the 356. 

The moon hubcaps add a touch of flash to complement the rest of the chrome features on the car. 

Perhaps you'd like to go away on a short trip with your special someone. Porsche has you covered with the luggage rack on the vented hood covering the engine. Of course if you needed more room, the "frunk", or front trunk, has some room for your traveler bag. 

The fender-mounted mirrors were not an issue since they gave me enough information on whether or not the lane next to me was clear. However, being that it's a Speedster, there's no reason to not check the blindspots in addition to listening if there's a car next to you. 

The front of the car with its aerodynamic windshield, bulbous headlights, chrome bumper, yellow fog lights, and opaque indicators make up the iconic face of the 356. A pretty sight for those crossing the intersection or sitting at the opposite-facing end of the traffic lights. 

Finally, just in case you didn't know what kind of car it was, its various logos will tell you, erasing all doubts to whether or not what you're experiencing is real. 

The Decision

Replica car or not, the car ticked all of the boxes on my list of preferred vehicle characteristics. "Fun to drive" is at the top,  but with the noise of the air-cooled 1.9L engine behind our heads roaring as I stepped on the throttle, the aesthetically pleasing interior, the experience of literally dancing with the car as we battled tramlining and gusts of wind as we crossed the Coronado Bridge in both directions, or the overall shape and color of the car, I would even begin to say that this was the total package. 

Final thoughts here: I've driven a handful of 50s/60s sports or touring cars but this Porsche experience was a different animal entirely, and that's saying something when compared against Alfa Romeos of the same caliber. The look, feel, and driving characteristic of this car was phenomenal, though perhaps it being a "modern" car may have altered the feeling a bit. 

I am curious if a real 356 A has similar driving characteristics. Perhaps time will tell if, and hopefully when, I get behind the wheel of one. Time to increase that vehicle insurance!

The Appreciation

I would like to thank Luso for allowing me to spend time with their Speedster. Driving around San Diego in it was a blast and it is a certified head-turning. Thank you to Matt, Sarah, and Jason for being awesome people and getting me behind the wheel.

If you would like to have your own Speedster experience, be sure to check out Luso's Turo page for this specific car. Additionally, with locations in San Jose, San Diego, and Honolulu, Luso may have just the car for you. As Luso says, "Life is too short to rent boring cars."