The outstanding qualities of a 356 may be subtle, but once you study the cars a bit, they become both unmistakable and inimitable. To begin your assessment, walk around the car noting the body lines and how compact it is on the outside. Then slip inside and marvel at how large it is. Compare the room available, both for the passengers and their luggage (or kids in the back)to other sports cars of then or now, such as Corvettes, Mazda Miatas, MG-Bs, Austin Healeys, Alfa, Spyders, TR-6s. The difference in interior room could be the subject of a Senate investigation. The rear-engine configuration means no center tunnel taking up space between the occupants, and the floor pan is placed lower than in a VW beetle.
There is generous glass area and wide, comfortable seats. This all makes for a very open feeling even inside a coupe. If you are tall, not to worry, as the 356 has plenty of room. Don’t like sitting on the floor? No problem. In the 356 you sit on proper seats well above the floor. Like room to swing your elbows? The 356 has it. Regarding the engine, a good 356 has plenty of power, but not so much that you feel intimidated. In a 356 you can push the car on your way to work without worry about losing control or your license. The engine runs will- ingly to redline, but is not so muscle-bound that you feel intimidated. A good 356 has a delightful ride quality at sane speeds: soft and supple around town and well-controlled on the highway. A modern 911 is made to go much faster than the 356, but to deliver this high speed performance, the 911 rides harsher at lower speeds. The 356 isn’t at its best above 90 mph; but it is wonderful at the speeds we see every day.
The early 911s were easy to work on, but with the advent of mechanical fuel injection in the ‘70s and electronic fuel injection in the ‘80s, the 911 isn’t really much of a tinkerer’s joy. Not so with the 356. Anyone with a bit of mechanical understanding and patience can perform all major tuneup and troubleshooting functions. If you want to get a bit more complicated, you can replace your own interior as well. The 356 is ideal to work on yourself.
Want something distinctive to drive? Can’t beat a 356. Interested in top-down pleasures? The 356 has two different lines of open cars from which to choose. How about being part of one of the largest marque clubs, with several different publications and numerous events each year? You simply won’t meet nicer people than 356ers. The 356 represents an early success at producing a high performance sports car still able to be driven as daily transportation. These two goals fight themselves and with the daily use requirement, the builder must provide a car that can be maintained by less than a factory crew. This blend of high performance, occupant comfort and true all weather use, along with serious reliability was unmatched by any machine of its time. Once bitten by the 356 bug, you’ll find the fun of these cars hard to duplicate with anything else.