356 “No. 1”

Rennsport Reunion VI is the culmination of this year’s global celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the first Porsche sports car.

The original 356 “No. 1” Roadster was on display at Rennsport and even took to the track, piloted by none other than Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG and son of Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche, who built the first Porsche sports car.

Based on Ferry Porsche’s ideas, the first car bearing the Porsche name is constructed in the Austrian town of Gmund on June 8, 1948, the 356 “No. 1” Roadster receives its general operating permit. This is generally considered to be the birth date of the Porsche brand. The aluminum body and steel lattice tube frame are created by Porsche. The mechanics are borrowed from Volkswagen and modified. A performance-enhanced four-cylinder flat engine from VW is located in front of the rear axle. The “No. 1” remains a truly one-off unit, as the series-production version is fitted with a rear-mounted engine and, from 1950 onwards, a steel body.