The Porsche 356 enjoyed a decade-plus of production, but by 1959 the company knew it needed an updated replacement. The new design had a longer wheelbase, more interior space, and more power and amenities. At Ferdinand Porsche’s insistence, this new coupe would retain the fast-back styling of the 356 but be powered by a modern six-cylinder overhead-cam air-cooled engine. A non-running mock-up of the new design, initially designated as the Type 901, first saw the light of day in September 1963, at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

A running demonstration model was shown in early 1964 and actual production started after the annual August break. The car was powered by a new two-liter, dry-sumped, air-cooled flat six which developed 130 hp at 6,100 rpm. Combined with a new five-speed manual transaxle, the relatively light sports car could achieve a 0–60 time of less than nine seconds and a top speed of about 130 mph, a marked improvement over its predecessor. A small number of the new coupes were completed by the end of 1964, but the model number was changed to “911” beginning in 1965 to mollify French automaker Peugeot, which claimed trademark rights to model designators containing a “Zero” as the middle digit. Thus the 911 entered the pantheon of immortal car designs.

According to a copy of its original factory Kardex, this 911 coupe was completed on the last day of August 1965, making it one of the last built before the factory’s annual late-summer model-year changeover. Originally Slate Gray over a red leatherette interior, it was fitted with U.S.-specification road equipment and optioned with a Webasto gasoline heater and fitted with Phoenix tires. The consignor states that he purchased the car in early 2017 from a Virginia family that believed to have acquired the car from new; it was passed from father to son and then to the son’s surviving spouse. The consignor adds that all the body panels appear to be numbers matching, and all the trim is original.

This car was fitted with front-seat headrests and a radio/antenna package, accessories commonly fitted after delivery to thwart dockside theft, a common problem in those days. Although this example has not been restored as such, it was repainted in Silver Metallic in the 1980s. It retains its original leatherette interior with three-point seatbelts, highlighted by a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and the handsome wood-veneer dashboard trim housing VDO instrumentation. A set of desirable Fuchs forged alloy wheels conceal the four-wheel disc brakes. A new set of Vredestein Sprint Classic tires has also been fitted. The odometer read 1,399 miles at the time of cataloguing, and it is likely that it has begun a second rotation. This 911 is supplied with its original owner’s manual, spare parts catalogue, workshop manual, jack and hazard kit, as well as an extra hood badge, copy of the factory Kardex, and Porsche Production Specifications certificate.

Arguably one of the most iconic cars in the world, the Porsche 911 has captured the hearts of automotive enthusiasts for years. This car, a stunning, first-generation, short-wheelbase 911 is a very sought-after model among Porsche collectors. Remaining very much in the way it left the factory in 1965, save for an older repaint, this highly original 911 is ready to be enjoyed by new ownership.