Looking to celebrate the success of the 550 Spyder within the Carrera Panamericana, Porsche decided to install a slightly de-tuned version of the 550’s complicated 1.5-liter, four-cam, twin-plug racing engine into a limited number of production cars. The new high-performance 356 A was introduced at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 1956 model. The new model would, of course, be named the Carrera—a name that has resonated to the present day as representing Porsche’s ultimate performance street machines.

This new Fuhrmann-designed engine could be ordered in all three of Porsches 356 A body styles; Coupe, Cabriolet, and Speedster. The engine itself was a roller-bearing boxer engine with a dry sump ,chrome-plated cylinder bores, and 8.1 compression-down from the Spyder’s 9.5. The Carreras were fitted with the new and improved Type 644 transmission with a single-piece case, with the gear shafts being installed from the front. The oil tank for the dry-sump lubrication system was mounted in the left-rear wing well, being protected from road debris by a mesh screen, which carried the car’s chassis number. A pair of Autopulse fuel pumps and a pressure-reducing valve controlled fuel flow.

Improvements to the Carrera’s suspension included revised torsion bars, larger shock absorbers, and revised suspension bump stops, which all helped make these potent little cars much more enjoyable to drive. Wheel diameter was reduced to 15 inches from the 16-inch size of the Pre-As, and wheel width was increased by a full inch to 4.25.

This Carrera 1500 GS, originally finished in Ivory paintwork and outfitted with sealed-beam headlights and two external mirrors, was originally sold new to Harold W. Kuhns, a captain in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Japan, via Mitsuwa Motors of Tokyo in January of 1957. Later exported to the U.S., having presumably been brought home by Captain Kuhns to New York, the car would later pass through two owners in Colorado and an owner in New Hampshire prior to being exported to its native Germany. Acquired by the consignor in 2017 and imported from Germany to the United States, the car has remained in Southern California ever since.

Both today and when they were new, for those who could afford the GS upgrade, the improved performance was well worth the price. Carreras were campaigned successfully in racing events around the globe and are still highly regarded by Porsche enthusiasts for their power, road handling ability and, most importantly, their rarity. As one of the most sought-after Porsches for 356 enthusiasts, this is an opportunity to own a unique and rare piece of Porsche history.