In 1959, the Porsche 356 underwent its second makeover and made its Frankfurt Show debut as the 356 B. In the preceeding years first the 356 and later the 356 A had become increasingly popular, despite the relatively high cost of the car compared to its competitors. Compared to its predecessors, the 'B' featured a revised bodyshell and interior. Porsche did make sure that the 356 B remained easily recognisable.
The most obvious changes were carried through on the nose where the lights were mounted higher on the front fenders. The nose panel was raked more and heavier bumpers were fitted to comply with stricter safety regulations. On the inside the most notable changes included two seperate rear-seats with foldable backrests. The front seats were also revised to make the 356 B the perfect car for long distance driving at high speeds.
Three versions of the push-rod engine were available in the Normal, Super and Super 90 models. Output of the 1.6 engine varied from 60 bhp in the Normal model to 90 bhp in the appropriatly named Super 90 model. The 90 bhp engine featured light-alloy cylinders and two Solex Carburetors, which made it the most powerful Porsche push-rod engine.
The quad-cam Carrera engine's output was nearly matched by the Super 90, but at a fraction of the cost. With the Super 90 model in place, the Carrera model was no longer available for road use and the engines were produced solely for racing cars.
The 356 B remained equally popular as its predecessors, but the high mounted headlights did have a negative effect on the handling and top-speed of the 356.
Featured is a fine example, which was offered for sale at Christie's Paleis 't Loo Concours d'Elegance auction. It changed hands for a decent EUR23,500.
Article by Wouter Melissen, last updated before 12 / 01 / 2004
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356 B Super 90 Coupe
In 1959, the Porsche 356 underwent its second makeover and made its Frankfurt Show debut as the 356 B. In the preceeding years first the 356 and later the 356 A had become increasingly popular, despite the relatively high cost of the car compared to its competitors. Compared to its predecessors, the 'B' featured a revised bodyshell and interior. Porsche did make sure that the 356 B remained easily recognisable.
