If the Volkswagen was the “people’s car” then it wouldn’t be a stretch to consider the first Porsches as the “people’s sports car.” Porsche’s fairly humble beginning with the model 356 was hardly predictive of the brand’s current dominance of the high-performance car market. Emerging close on the heels of WWII, production of the 356 was limited by post-war turbulence and material shortages. The first Porsche 356s got the attention of only a small number of European racing enthusiasts – but the small car made a big impression.
Of the Porsche cars I have yet to illustrate, the Gmünd coupe and the 904 intrigue me the most, in the main because of their history and impact on the marque. That said, I’m also fascinated with the 912 because it has a unique place in Porsche history as a “one and done” effort soon to be replaced by the 911. The bottom line: just about any of the classic Porsches has a great story to tell. And that means great art is possible.