Showing posts with label 356. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 356. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

My GT7 Log: Know Your Legends - Porsche 356A

Let's get to know about the legendary cars that are hard to get in Gran Turismo 7's Legend Cars not only because of their extreme rarity that appears once in a blue moon but also their outrageous price tag that takes almost forever to save one. Today, let's get to know about the Porsche 356A, the improved version of the first Porsche ever made.


The 356 is the first Porsche ever made when it was launched in 1948 and forever revolutionized the compact sports car genre. The 356A is the improved version of the said car. Debuted in 1955 and again in 1959, the 365A was offered with a four-cam Carrera engine only available on spyder race cars. Engine ranges vary from 1300 1.3L Type 506 engine up to the 1600 1.6L Type 616 engine with dual downdraft Zenith carburetors, producing 59hp of power and 110Nm of torque. 

Seen here is the 1500 GS Carrera, a limited-edition model powered by the same 1.5L four-came engine as the 550 Spyder that produces less than a hundred horsepower. It was the first to don the Carrera name, which has now become synonymous with Porsche.


Let's drive the 356A around the Goodwood track to prove its worth. Roll the tape.


It did it in 1m50.834s.

This car says it all. It's the genesis of Porsche, redefined.

What other hard-to-get legendary cars should I drive next? Stay tuned for more.

Thursday, November 9, 2023

My FH5 Log: The first Porsche

The Porsche saga began 75 years ago with the 356, the first Porsche car ever made. Penned by Ferdinand Porsche and running on Volkswagen mechanicals, inheriting its rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout from the original Beetle, the 365 is the genesis of Porsche that inspired its iconic successor, the 911.


Here in Forza Horizon 5, there are two decent 356 vehicles that are untouched by human hands and kept as if they had emerged from The Book of Genesis. Let's get to know about the two sides of the Porsche legend.


Let's begin with the 356 SL, a racing version of the 356, and the one that I've won from the Forza Horizon 5 Dia de Muertos Hot Season Playlist.

The 356 SL Gmund Coupe is no doubt the first racing Porsche in history and the first to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951, class victory of course. The story of the first racing Porsche began when Ferdinand Porsche met the Le Mans organizers at the 1950 Paris Motor Show and they invited him to take part in the 1951 race. Rather than using steel from the production versions, they've used some aluminum for their racing 356 machines. It placed 19th overall and won the class for 1.1L vehicles.


Now, let's get to know the 356A, the genesis of Porsche redefined. Introduced in late 1955, the 356 A is a minor change from the original 356 with earlier models designated as Type 1 while the 1957 models and beyond were designated as Type 2. The 356 A was offered with a four-cam Carrera engine only available on spyder race cars. Engine ranges vary from 1300 1.3L Type 506 engine up to the 1600 1.6L Type 616 engine with dual downdraft Zenith carburetors, producing 59hp of power and 110Nm of torque.




Let's give these two 356 machines a quick lap around the Bahía De Plano just to see if they're still the stuff of legends that gave rise to the Porsche empire. Let's watch.


...and now the results...

356 A - 1m26.420s
#46 356 SL - 1m26.904s

What a close result. The gap between the two is nearly half a second apart but it's fun driving these two ancient marvels that made Porsche great.


Without the 356, there would be no 911 and Porsche would cease to exist as one of the greatest sports car makers emerged from the ashes of the Second World War. This is why the 356 is the genesis of Porsche worth knowing about and if you're asking what is the first Porsche ever made, you're looking at it.


Be it on the road or on the track, the legend of the Porsche 356 will never die. Here's to 75 more years of Porsche!

Friday, August 5, 2022

My FH5 Log: Stuttgart Classics (PART 3)

The next Porsche prize car in FH5 Series 10 update is another resto-mod and this time, it's the Emory Special 356 that can be won from the Dry Season Playlist. With this resto-modded 356 under my disposal, it's time for a quick dive with the bespoke masterpiece.


The Emory Special is a bespoke 356 made to cater to every customer's desires with Rod Emory's eye for detailing. Because no two Emory Special are the same, the bespoke Special benefits from all of Emory Motorsports' restoration standards with some modifications that will set other clients apart. Every Emory Special is equipped with the Emory-Rothsport Outlaw 4-cylinder engine, which is based on the 3.6L dry-sump engine architecture from the Type 964 but displaces from 2.4 to 2.6-liters, depending on the specific configuration.


With the intro done, it's time to take the Emory Special to the skies and tackle through the Hot Wheels tracks while the competition's making an impression out of it. Ready? Let's roll the tape.


The Emory Special made a lasting impression on the Hot Wheels tracks. Not bad for a bespoke artwork.

Enjoy your new ride!

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Forza Horizon 4: Series 34 debriefing

If you've managed to get the two new prize cars from the Series 34 update of the Forza Horizon 4, then congratulations. You now have two new welcoming additions to your ever-growing garage. So, if you want to know the two prize cars you've obtained from the update before moving on to the next series update, it's time for a quick debriefing.


The Porsche 356 RSR from Emory Motorsports that you've won from the Summer Playlist. How was it? Yes, I know, this game has a lot of 356 models from normal ones to the other Emory-made 356 that you got from a long time ago but in-game, this is the quickest 356 you'll be familiar with.

The Emory RS is the ultimate Outlaw vehicle that blends the characteristics of both the 356 and the 964. Like most Outlaw machines, it can be fitted with either a 2.4 (seen here) or a 2.6 depending on the specific configuration. Turbochargers are optional.


The car that you've got from the Spring Playlist is the first-generation Pontiac Firebird, it's the first chapter of Pontiac's equivalent of the Chevrolet Camaro. First launched in 1967 until its full model change in 1970, the Firebird is offered in a choice of a coupe or cabriolet with a range of straight-six and V8s offered. Seen here is the range-topper with the 400cu V8 engine producing 335hp of power and 430ft-lb of torque while mated to a four-speed manual gearbox.



Now that the quick debriefing's done, let's give these two new additions a quick spin. Roll the tapes!



Enjoy your new rides!

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Forza Horizon 4: Emory Special

The Porsche 356 has been a common piece in Forza Horizon 4 and no game has featured so many 356 variants than this. We got the coupe, the speedster, the Gmund Coupe, and now this.



What this is is no ordinary Porsche 356 because an Oregon-based specialist named Emory Motorsports created those handbuilt Porsche 356 "Outlaw" restomods to cater every Porsche aficionado's special needs.



The Emory Special is a bespoke 356 made to cater every customer's desires with Rod Emory's eye for detailing. Because no two Emory Special are the same, the bespoke Special benefits from all of Emory Motorsports' restoration standards with some modifications that will set other clients apart. Every Emory Special is equipped with the Emory-Rothsport Outlaw 4-cylinder engine, which is based on the 3.6L dry-sump engine architecture from the Type 964 but displaces from 2.4 to 2.6-litres, depending on the specific configuration.



Letting the Emory-Rothsport Outlaw 4-cylinder engine for just a minute, you will realize just how special is the Emory Special is and thanks to its Emory magic underneath its vintage skin, it drives like a modern sportscar at so many levels. You'll find plenty of good reasons to enjoy this bespoke masterpiece from the best Porsche 356 specialists from Oregon.



It's true that no two Emory Special are the same but just how different is the Emory Special? I've summoned other Emory Special drivers and take this masterpiece, acquired from the recent Horizon Winter Playlist, for a spin on the Ice Flats and at the Festival. Ready, Go!




Guess mine's different than the rest of the Emory Special drivers.



The Emory Special really sets the Porsche 356 models apart because of its one-off styling fit for clients' needs, its Outlaw 4-cylinder engine, and improved driving feel that lets drivers think that this car is so much than just being a restomod. As a matter of fact, it's far more complicating than that and that's what makes the Emory Special, you guessed it, special.

Enjoy your new ride.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Forza Horizon 4: The first racing Porsche

All of the greatest Porsches in the history of motorsport can be easily traced back to the first of its kind; the legendary Porsche 356 SL that I won from the recent Horizon Playlist on Forza Horizon 4 and now that I have it, I have a little X-file on that first racing Porsche in history.



The 356 SL Gmund Coupe is no doubt the first racing Porsche in history and the first to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951, class victory of course. The story of the first racing Porsche began when Ferdinand Porsche met the Le Mans organizers at the 1950 Paris Motor Show and they invited him to take part in the 1951 race. Rather than using steel from the production versions, they've used some aluminum for their racing 356 machines. Four of them were turned into race cars; with two as prototypes and the latter half being race cars. With one 356 SL Gmund Coupe crashed during the race, this #46 356 SL Gmund Coupe placed 19th overall and won the class for 1.1L vehicles.



That's right, it's a 1.1L engine-powered car but it's a long story because having indulged in the first Porsche race car in history, I decided to jump into action by taking the 356 SL Gmund Coupe around Fortune Island and see if it can flex its muscles after several decades. Roll the tape.



The legend still flexes its muscles after a rough and dirty vintage racing down Fortune Island.



Having learned from driving the car, it's a great thing to know that I have finally gotten to know the first racing Porsche in history and if that didn't exist, the greatest racing Porsches in history might cease to exist as well and we have to give thanks to this legendary machine.

Friday, October 19, 2018

Forza Horizon 4: The genesis of Porsche refined

Continuing Porsche's 70th-anniversary celebration in Forza Horizon 4, players who obtained the Car Pass are rewarded with the Porsche that started it all, only different.



At first glance, this may look like the Porsche 356, the car that started it all, but the genesis of Porsche looks a bit different because what that is is not the Porsche 356. It's a 356 A. I repeat, 3-5-6-A. So what is the 356 A, you may ask? Introduced in late 1955, the 356 A is a minor change from the original 356 with earlier models designated as Type 1 while the 1957 models and beyond were designated as Type 2. The 356 A was offered with a four-cam Carrera engine only available on spyder race cars. Engine ranges vary from 1300 1.3L Type 506 engine up to the 1600 1.6L Type 616 engine with dual downdraft Zenith carburetors, producing 59hp of power and 110Nm of torque.



Although it is essentially a 356, it still looks and feels like the very first production Porsche ever made, and although with so many heated debates about the genesis of Porsche, thorough Porsche people do believe that it wasn't the first but who cares about the issue now that 2018 is the year of the Porsche. Either way, there are so many reasons why the 365 deserves the respect as the founding father of Stuttgart's best sports cars but there is one very good reason for this.

Listening to the sound of its 1.6L OHV 4-cylinder engine, I have the strong impression that the 356 A wants me to do something special since the refined version of the Porsche started it all and I think I have a plan.





What the 365 A wants to show the world if the legend is real and for that, I'm taking this founding father for a Double Dare around the English countryside because what better way to celebrate 70 years of Porsche than by taking the one that started it all for a spin just to show the world how it's made.


So, is the legend real? If you're a Porsche fan, it is, slightly, of course.



Most people call the 365 the very first Porsche in history, although thorough car enthusiasts have mixed reactions about it either way, this is a celebrated machine for Porsche fans who are still busy celebrating 70 years of Porsche, and even in this 365 A model, it's still looking pretty to drive with the refined genesis of Porsche. With Porsche's 70th anniversary celebrations in a full circle, let's slow things down and get to know more about the 365 A, the genesis of Porsche refined, in Forza Horizon 4.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Forza Horizon 3: The Tailor of Panamera



For over half a decade, the Porsche Panamera has became a sacrilege for Porsche traditionalists because this is more of a saloon than what a Porsche should be and behind the ugly looking exterior design comes the beating heart of the Porsche DNA that makes it a four-door supercar that promises everyone to ditch their chauffeurs and drive anywhere they like in this Porsche saloon beyond the limit.



At long last, here comes the second-generation Porsche Panamera. To be found on the Porsche Car Pack of Forza Horizon 3, players got themselves the golden opportunity to try out the latest generation of Porsche's first ever saloon car that works like a luxury car and a sports car at the same pace. The Panamera you know has been refined, recharged, and reloaded for the new era.

For the second-generation Panamera, the exterior has been influenced by Porsche sports cars such as the 911 and the 718 while the interior has been heavily revamped with modern features such as touch panels in place of buttons. For the first time, an Executive long-wheelbase was offered featuring a much longer legroom on the back courtesy of its long wheelbase. The choice of engines include a 3.0L V6 (single or twin turbo), 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo, 4.0L V8 Diesel, and the E-Hybrid variant with the combination of a 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine and an electric motor. All models are mated with an 8-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (Double Clutch Gearbox).

Seen here is the Panamera Turbo, which is the most powerful in the range for now and when equipped with the Sport Chrono package, it produces 550PS of power and 770Nm. of torque. It can go 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds and onwards to 306kph. This is very fast for a luxury premium saloon and because it has permanent four-wheel drive system, it's not afraid to take on any weather condition forecasted on the telly. Hold on, since this car has four-wheel drive, you might think that this car is grippy as last time, am I right? Not so because with the adaptive air suspension with new three-chamber technology, including Porsche Active Suspension Management, the enhanced Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport system including Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus and active roll stabilisation, as well as a new electromechanical steering system, the new Panamera is like a hectic schedule of a basketball player who plays on game day and then after that, arrives on time for the wedding while dressed in formal attire...only this time he forgot to change his shoes. It's like sports and business mashed up for an executive saloon with the the DNA of a Porsche sportscar.



I know that I didn't like the latest exterior design of the Porsche because it feels like it haven't changed a bit but what I like about in the Turbo variant is the variable rear wing that is very Iron Man-ish when you're speeding. Looks cool but it can get you into real trouble when on public roads but since this is Horizon and there's no one around here to stop you, you're free to look at that new Panamera sprouting its wings like a metallic superhero. Speaking of which, since the Panamera is an executive premium saloon and a high-performance sportscar all rolled into one, my brain just hatched an idea.







Catered by the tailor of Panama...sorta...I have given the brand new Panamera the impression of a queen. The "Perfect Queen" if you know what I'm saying, huh? Anyway, you may not know her but this lady here is Aikatsu Stars' newest character, Elza Forte of the Venus Ark. That's right and that suits both of their personalities rather well so with some improvements already taken care of, it's time for the Perfect Queen to impress the crowd against...the best of Germany.





And so Queen Elza stunned the crowd with her pride and prestige while my allowance after the first four races with the new Panamera will surely rise. Although that sounds too cheap for me but...hold on, what's that? Hmm? Ok... I've just received word that there's a new barn find hidden somewhere in the Outback. While I was racing with the Panamera, word from the mouth is the Barn Find is located near the airport grounds. Here is the shot...



With the location set, me and the Panamera set off for the latest treasure hunt...



Time to find out what kind of legendary machine we encountered today...



Why that's the legendary Porsche 356A Speedster, a 356 catered for the American market. Known as the entry-level open-top version of the said model with the low, raked windscreen that can be detached for track racing, bucket seats, and a minimal folding top, this rare Californian treat is powered by the same 1.6L petrol engine as the other 356s, producing 60HP of power and 81ft-lb of torque, while mated with a 4-speed manual gearbox, but it weighs 1,676lbs, which makes this legend very nimble on the corners.

Anyway, enough chit-chat, let's see how the 356A lives up to being a legendary Porsche that became a hit in Californian roads in the past. Roll the tape!



Man, what a day it was for me. I managed to tailored the Panamera like a "perfect queen" and then unearthened a legendary Porsche 356A Speedster from the outback. It's like The Royals meets the Deadliest Catch and I couldn't be thankful for this day without these Porsches. Speaking of which, looks like the "perfect queen" wants me to have another go and yet, here I am, taking her for a spin.

See you again, folks.