Porsche Vision 357 Concept
75 years ago, on June 8, 1948, 356 No. 1 Roadster became the first car bearing the Porsche name to receive general operating approval – the birth of the sports car brand.
Porsche now begins its anniversary year with references to the Porsche Vision 357 and the Porsche 356 – Ferry Porsche’s sports car dream. As a tribute to this, design research brings the monolithic form to the present. Exempted from the regulations imposed to be introduced as a series model, the Style Porsche Team manifests the potential expressions of the future design philosophy: one example is the continuous improvement of the light signature, which is both progressive and visionary. will come. The main concept reflects the interplay between tradition and innovation: what would Ferry Porsche’s sports car dream look like today?
356 as basis for DNA design
“We’ve created a very special birthday gift in the form of the Porsche Vision 357. This gift draws on the 356 to emphasize the importance of our design DNA,” said Michael Mauer, Vice President of Style Porsche. “The design study is an attempt to connect the past, present and future in a sequence, containing proportions that recall its historical archetype and details that visualize a vision of the future.”
Built on the 368 kW (500 PS) 718 Cayman GT4 RS technology platform, the Porsche Vision 357 represents outstanding sports car performance. The exterior design study is the highlight of the special exhibition “75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars” at the Volkswagen Group’s “DRIVE” Forum in Berlin, which opens with an exclusive evening event on January 25, 2023. Design research will be presented at the exhibition. South by Southwest in Austin and at other international events throughout the year.
2023 Porsche Vision 357 Concept
Design has been an elemental component of the Porsche legend since the beginning. Visionary research and concept cars form the basis of Porsche’s impeccable yet innovative design. “Thinking out loud about the future is one of the main missions of Style Porsche. Design research is the pool of ideas that feeds the design of tomorrow,” says Michael Mauer. “We are constantly on a conceptual journey into the future of mobility. Time and again, the history of the brand serves as a source of inspiration. Taking a look at our tradition with a future concept car is not as paradoxical as it seems. Creative freedom is also important: here valuable ideas can emerge unhindered, taking our consistent design philosophy in innovative new directions. who help to imagine.”
A modern interpretation of the Porsche 356
The proportions of the Porsche Vision 357 are reminiscent of the lines of the 356. The windshield sharply surrounds the A-pillars. Like its historic ancestor, Porsche pushes the boundaries of glass production: early 356s had a split windshield with a bar in the middle. The split design was replaced in the 1952 model year with a one-piece windshield that curved down the center. The A-pillars of the Porsche Vision 357 are black and visually unite the side window surfaces into a single unit. This DLO (daylight opening) graphic is similar to the face of the helmet.
Functional details are integrated and support the car’s sculptural character. This includes hidden door switches in the side windows and taillights that sit behind patterned dots on the body itself. Another nod to the original is the grille pattern at the back where the third brake light is integrated. Like all current Porsche models, the Vision 357 has a four-point light signature at the front. The round design of the headlights also reflects the characteristic lights of the 356. There are also parallels in the paintwork: the two-tone concept is echoed in the lower parts of the front with Ice Gray Metallic and Grivola Gray Metallic. Gray tones that were already popular in the 1950s.
A wide track creates a high impression and improves driving stability. The 20-inch wheels are made of magnesium and equipped with aerodynamically efficient carbon fiber hubcaps and center locks. Visually, they are also reminiscent of the legendary Porsche wheel: the 356 A and 356 B with drum brakes had wheels with a particularly large bolt circle of 205 millimeters.
Sporting details from the 718 Cayman GT4 RS
The “75” anniversary logo adorns the doors and front of the design work as the starting number. And this is far from the only detail in the racing world: there is nothing behind the lower part of the front wheels to allow better ventilation of the wheel arches. The hinged, hingeless front hood is secured by quick-release mechanisms. Grooved bars stabilize the large front spoiler. On the side sills, Porsche designers used natural fiber reinforced plastic (NFRP) – as in the case of the Porsche Mission R, a concept study for an all-electric GT racing car due in 2021. It is the main canvas for sustainable materials. fibers from agriculture. Instead of traditional exterior mirrors, the design work is equipped with cameras on the edge of the roof. The visible tailpipe at the rear is made of blue visible titanium, and the inside of the tailpipe is made of ceramic.
Like the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, the Porsche Vision 357 has high-mounted processing air intakes behind the driver and passenger side windows, which the designers decorated with comical “Air” decals. Like the “eFuel” logo on the right wing tank cap, the decals are reminiscent of motorsport decals. The naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine has a theoretical power of 368 kW (500 PS) with a displacement of four liters. The high-speed mid-engine is designed to run on electronic fuel.