Vehicle Description
F40 Motorsports is proud to offer you this 1955 Porsche 356/1500 Super pre-A Continental Reutter Coupe.
This is a One-year-only Model and the last of the ‘pre-A’
Some options are 1500 Super Engine, Sunroof, Body Mount Fog Lamps and Abarth Race Exhaust
Some History:
Porsche 356 ‘Continental’: A short story about a well-known name:
Yes, Porsche, too, built a ‘Continental’. It was way back in the mid-1950s and was a special version of the ‘pre-A’ 356, specifically aimed at the North American market. The Ford Motor Company, however, was none too pleased...
Like so many successful marketing ideas of the time, it came from the German company’s North American importer, Max Hoffman (the man who also brought the world the 356 Speedster and the Mercedes 300SL ‘Gullwing’).
As a means of clearing stock of soon-to-be-outdated 356 coupés and convertibles, he suggested naming them ‘Continentals’, to emphasize the international, sophisticated European nature of the advanced sports cars from Zuffenhausen.
All Continental-badged cars were the top-model, 1500cc version, with many extras. “Super” was generally reserved for the higher-horsepower pushrod engines. The immensely complex engines were the most technologically advanced units Porsche ever installed in the 356 and today the cars are at the top of the 356 hierarchy.
The chrome badge was in Porsche’s characteristic script, set on the top of each front wing. The cars were well equipped, too – a foretaste of special editions from all manufacturers in years to come.
Very few of these special 356s were built, though, as Ford was none too keen on Lincoln’s well-known ‘Continental’ name being applied to any other car. Legal proceedings, settled in favor of Ford, meant that only a handful of 356 Continentals were produced. For 1956 the name changed to ‘European’.
About this Car:
This is an extremely rare Sun Roof example of Porsche’s Short-Lived Legend Continental! The Porsche Continental was a one-year-only and they represent the last of the ‘pre-A’ breed. A very limited number of the Continentals were ever made in 1955 making them extremely hard to find and highly collectible.
This example was subjected to a Body Off Restoration done by Jim Liberty to Factory specifications and Concours Standards. Jim Liberty is a very well-known Porsche Marques Specialist in Costa Mesa, California. Equipped with a 1500 Super Engine, Body Mount Fog Lamps and Abarth Race Exhaust and much more listed below. This Porsche is documented in the 356 Registry and comes with a Porsche COA as well.
*This Porsche was also on the cover of “Classic Porsche” magazine (Issue #9) and had a 4-Page spread on its story.
