Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS

1956 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS Speedster with the Fuhrmann four-cam Type 547/1 engine.

With the Carrera 1500 GS, Porsche transferred technology developed for the 550 Spyder into the road-going 356. The lightweight Speedster body was combined with one of the most technically sophisticated Porsche engines of its era.

The air-cooled 1.5-litre Type 547/1 flat-four features four overhead camshafts driven by vertical shafts and bevel gears. Dual ignition, dry-sump lubrication and two twin-choke carburettors distinguish the so-called Fuhrmann engine fundamentally from the simpler pushrod engines used in other 356 models.

This photorealistic cutaway illustration reveals the unusual combination of lightweight bodywork, compact chassis and advanced powertrain engineering. It also shows the complex camshaft drive, dual-ignition system and separate oil circuit of the Carrera engine.

Technical specifications

Layout: Rear engine, rear-wheel drive

Model: Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS Speedster

Year: 1956

Engine: Air-cooled Type 547/1 flat-four

Displacement: 1,498 cc

Valve gear: Four overhead camshafts, vertical-shaft and bevel-gear drive

Ignition: Dual ignition

Lubrication: Dry-sump lubrication

Power: 100 PS at 6,200 rpm

Transmission: 4-speed manual gearbox