It’s been 75 years since the legendary Porsche 356 hit the streets. Back on June 8, 1948, the 356 became the first automobile to bear the name Porsche. The rest is, as they say, history. The Porsche Vision 357 Concept is a celebration of 75 years and counting for the prestigious German motorsports marque.
Celebrating a 75th anniversary is something you only get to do once, so you might as well do it right. That’s why Porsche approached the 357 Concept with a unique vision. You see, the original 356 was a fulfillment of a dream to make a sports car by Ferry Porsche. The design team of the 357 pondered what Ferry Porsche’s dream might have looked like using modern automotive industry resources and technology.
Porsche built the Vision 357 Concept on the platform of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS which means it features excellent performance and handling for a sports car. This internal combustion engine platform consists of a 368 kW naturally-aspirated 4.0L boxer flat-six-cylinder engine. It produces 500 PS of power which translates to about 493 horsepower.
Here is where it gets interesting. You may be wondering why a Porsche concept car is not electric. Isn’t everyone else in the industry making electric cars now? Well, Porsche is looking for innovative ways to keep internal combustion engines a possibility in the future.
Porsche has made a long-term commitment to developing carbon-neutral synthetic fuel. When you walk around to the gas cap of the Vision 357 Concept, you will see the word eFuel on the cap. That’s because this mid-engine Porsche concept car is designed to run on a fuel they are still working on. This new eFuel could keep the legendary Porsche boxer engines alive and well into the future.
Similar to the 356, Porsche used a monolithic design for the 357 Concept. You can really see why Porsche calls the 357 a modern interpretation of the 356. From the sloping roofline to the wide stance, the Vision 357 Concept looks like a flawless retro-inspired Porsche design. It probably helps that, for the most part, Porsche used the dimensions of the 356 while designing the 357.
You will find the number 75 throughout the details of the 357 Concept in an effort to mark the occasion. The Porsche Vision 357 Concept rides on 20-inch magnesium wheels with carbon-fiber hubcaps. Love them or hate them, you will definitely notice the wheels look a little different than what you are used to seeing on modern cars.
Then, if you look a little closer, you will notice a few decals that reveal the sense of humor they have over at Porsche. For example, there is a Tyrannosaurus rex decal on the side sills. Why? Because the designers and engineers jokingly admitted that working on a gasoline-powered car in the year 2023 is like working on a dinosaur.
If Porsche ultimately finds success in their quest to develop a carbon-neutral synthetic fuel, you can be sure the company will continue pumping out flat-six-cylinder sports cars that are a blast to drive. Banking on what you built your entire foundation on is usually a safe bet.
For now, the eFuel dreams of Porsche remain trapped in the vision of the 357 Concept. There are plenty of people in the industry who are very curious about what could emerge from the 357 Concept car in the future.
You could see the Vision 357 Concept in person for a limited time at an exhibit in Berlin until mid-February of 2023 and then at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas on March 10, 2023. This concept car is expected to be on display at several international events throughout the year. Stay tuned to Porsche for more details.
Disclosure: Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a small referral fee, at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.
