1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 GS/GT Carrera Coupe

Among the most coveted variants of the 356, the Carrera GS/GT represents the ultimate high-performance expression of Porsche’s original sports car. Introduced in 1955, the Carrera combined Porsche’s lightweight and agile 356 platform with the sophisticated four-cam engine developed by Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann for the 550 Spyder. The result was an advanced dual-purpose machine that excelled on both road and track, earning a reputation as one of the most fearsome “giant-killers” of its era.

Porsche further refined the concept beginning in 1957 with the introduction of Carrera GT specification. Drawing directly from the marque’s competition experience, GT models incorporated lightweight aluminum body panels, Plexiglas windows, enlarged brakes, alloy-rimmed wheels, and 80-liter fuel tanks. With the arrival of the 356 B in 1960, Porsche continued to produce lightweight GS/GT Coupes in Reutter’s new T-5 body style alongside the limited-production Abarth Carrera GTL.

Just 49 examples of the 356 B T-5 Coupe were completed in factory GT specification during 1960 and 1961, making them among the rarest and most desirable of all Carrera models. Their capabilities were proven in period competition, including victory in the GT category at the 1960 Tour de Corse.

According to a copy of its original Porsche Kardex, the Carrera 1600 GS/GT Coupe offered here, chassis 115370, was completed on April 12, 1961, finished in Silver Metallic (608) with black leatherette upholstery and equipped from new with a sport exhaust system. The Kardex further records the car’s original engine, no. 96020, which remains fitted today.

Of particular significance, this GS/GT is equipped with the highly desirable Type 692/3A engine, the ultimate development of Fuhrmann’s celebrated 1600 Carrera powerplant. Featuring a plain-bearing crankshaft and producing approximately 135 hp, the 692/3A was developed for use in the Abarth Carrera GTL and ranks among the most exotic production engines of its era. It is believed that only a handful of GS/GT Coupes – perhaps as few as 13 examples – were equipped with this rare powerplant.

The Kardex records the car’s first owner as Fa. Semes Metall-u. Maschinen GmbH of Düsseldorf, Germany. Subsequent history places the Carrera in Prague, Czechoslovakia, where it is believed to have spent many years; previous accounts have suggested a possible connection with the Tatra factory and museum, though definitive documentation has not surfaced.

Following the political changes that transformed Eastern Europe in the early 1990s, the Carrera returned to Germany. In 1994, it was acquired by Kücke Motorsport GmbH, which commissioned Porsche to carry out cosmetic and mechanical restoration work. It subsequently was exported to the US and resided in the collection of James Page, and later Ed Blais, who displayed the GS/GT at the Porsche Race Car Classic in Carmel, California, in 2011.

Under current ownership, the Carrera has benefited from specialist care and sparing use, highlighted by a recent rebuild of its original four-cam engine by renowned Carrera authority Jim Ansite.

Presented today in its original color combination of Silver Metallic over black upholstery, this Carrera retains its matching-numbers engine (no. 96020) and transaxle (no. 44189) as documented by factory records. Matching body stampings are also present on the aluminum hood and deck lid assemblies.

Accompanied by a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, copy of its original Kardex, tool kit, and assorted records, this rare Carrera GS/GT combines factory competition specification, the coveted 692/3A engine, matching-numbers drivetrain, and recent mechanical attention from a recognized expert. As one of only 49 examples built, it represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the most exclusive and desirable variants of the entire 356 line.