The Porsche Vision 357 is a design study by Porsche that pays homage to the first Porsche model line, the 356, which received its general operating permit 75 years ago on June 8, 1948, marking the birth of the sports car brand. The Porsche Vision 357 is the highlight of the special exhibition “75 Years of Porsche sports cars” at the Volkswagen Group’s “DRIVE” Forum in Berlin, which opened with an exclusive evening event on January 2023. The exhibition is open to the public from January, 2023, and the Porsche Vision 357 will be on exhibit until mid-February. The design study will be presented at the South by Southwest in Austin from March 10, 2023, and at further international events over the course of the year.
The Porsche Vision 357 is an attempt to combine the past, present, and future with coherency. Built on the technology platform of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, the design study represents outstanding sports car performance. The exterior design study brings the monolithic form of the 356 into the present day, liberated from the regulations that apply for implementation as a series model. The Style Porsche Team manifests potential expressions of the future design philosophy, such as the consistent enhancement of the light signature, which is both progressive and visionary in the way it points towards the future.
“We created a very special birthday present in the form of the Porsche Vision 357, one which uses the 356 as a basis to underscore the significance of our design DNA,” says Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche. “The design study is an attempt to combine the past, present, and future with coherency, featuring proportions that are reminiscent of its historical archetype and details that visualise the outlook for the future.”
The Porsche Vision 357 is a modern interpretation of the Porsche 356, with its monolithic form, the narrow passenger cell with an abruptly sloping flyline and broad shoulders, and the windscreen that sharply wraps around the A-pillars. As in its historic forebear, Porsche is pushing the boundaries of glass production, and the A-pillars of the Porsche Vision 357 are black and visually unite the side window surfaces into a single unit. The functional details are integrated and underpin the sculptural character of the vehicle, including the concealed door openers by the side windows and the taillights, which sit behind a patterned array of points in the body itself.
The Porsche Vision 357 is an example of how visionary studies and concept cars form the foundation for Porsche’s unmistakable yet innovative design. “Thinking out loud about the future is one of the core missions of Style Porsche. Design studies are the pool of ideas that feed the design of tomorrow,” says Michael Mauer.
📷: PORSCHE
