Modern cars with 356 spirit or look

[Rick Dill]

OK, is this a safe place to talk about the cars today that try to provide some of the spirit and/or look of our 356?

I would nominate the Honda CRX .. yes it has water aboard. It is the same displacement as the 356, will carry two passengers and two legless children. It handles well and has some reasonable performance, but still within the range of what a 356 can do. Yes, I had one and loved it.

I would also nominate the Beck Spyder. It is a modern incarnation of a car that most of us can't even dream of owning. It certainly is in the spirit of the Porsche that it emulates, being light, sleek, and remarkably performing for a car with a small engine .. as the Porsche 550 was.

I'm sure that we have among us people who love 356s and also other cars.

The Registry is not the PCA. You don't have to own a Porsche to belong. We should tolerate discussion of these cars, even if they aren't the real thing.

Rick Dill

59 Berkeley 492
62 Normal B coupe
neither currently on the road

[Ashley Page]

It would be a stretch to say it had the look. I can't even say it had the spirit except that in its price range it was the leader at the time.

I bought a new Fiat 124 Spyder in 1970. I got a good one as it was one of the best cars I have ever owned. Priced in between an MGB and a 240Z, I think it was more car than either. Twin over head cam, 5 speed transmission, 4 wheel disc brakes, a top that went up and down very easily and a complete unit construction like the 356 with all welded fenders.

Great two passenger car.

I worked for Mazda for a while and had as a company car a few of the RX7's. I once asked why the leather seats didn't put out the nice leather smell like the European cars and was told that Mazda worked very hard to eliminate that leather smell. Go figure.

In spite of that the RX7 was a great car. Much more power than the 124 Spider but not as nice of fit and finish. But I will say it was more comfortable to drive.


I would enjoy having a 550 replica. I have my eye on one now that was never assembled. The owner doesn't know it but one day I am going to put a bid in for it. Who knows - I may get it.

[Michael Eker]

http://backup.trinityhome.org/~harakiri/car/index.php

I agree, the spirit of the cars is more important than arguing about the exact placement of a transfer on the oil filter.

Meker

[Mark Pribanic]

I bought our Audi TT because it favored the 356. The profile reminds me of a 356.

[charles kourmpates]

The headlights are similar? So is the immediate fender line? Kinda?

[Deborah King]

Okay, so it's water cooled, front-wheel drive, four seats, and BRITISH! But here's my candidate for pure fun:



She's my 2007 MINI Cooper S--named Zippeee! (Yes, we MINI owners name our cars, too.) When you buy one, you join one of the world's largest cults--in fact, lots of MINI forums have a "Koolaid" smilie! BTW, if you're wondering why I capitalize MINI, it's to differentiate between the original Mini, and BMW's reincarnation of the car, first released in Europe in 2001.

There are three MINI models--the S, the Cooper, and the Clubman. Until 2007 the S models were supercharged; now they're turbocharged. It has more power with a pure-fun torque curve, and still gets well over 30 mpg. (The Cooper gets almost 40.) The new model has been redesigned, too, although they "all look alike," as the saying goes. The Clubman, just released a couple of months ago, has more room just behind the front seats, so passengers actually have footroom.

Just like 356 owners, we like to organize drives. In fact, I've been on 3 runs this past month to see the Texas bluebonnets--two with MINI clubs, and one yesterday with the Houston area 356 owners. (Believe it or not, there ARE real curvy and hilly roads in the area--you just have to know where to look.) We also do a lot of autocrosses, held at the HPD academy training grounds. Whereas the 356 tends to lift up in the rear end, the MINIs just hunker down. Ask Hubby how hard it is to autocross our SC on these courses--designed by the BMW club.

One difference between 356 owners and MINI owners is that rather than preserving history, the owners tend to personalize their cars with various modifications, generally performance enhancing. Mine is still stock, though--no need for more power. A sway bar might be in Zippeee!'s future, though.

[charles kourmpates]

Deborah,

I make a "MINI" graphic for the door and sill bottom. It goes the whole length.

I could replace MINI with Zippee?

Charles

[Deborah King]

Deborah,

I make a "MINI" graphic for the door and sill bottom. It goes the whole length.

I could replace MINI with Zippee?

Charles

Only if you're willing to pay for my burial costs, Charles. Hubby doesn't go for graphics, and he's on the title, too.

Great idea, though!

P.S. It's "Zippeee!" on the spelling. Extra e and ! fully intended. :mrgreen:

[Pat Daily]

There ain't none--none that I can find.

[Rob Whitacre]

it's gotta be Miata. particularly the early ones. simple, reliable, good design and built like a racecar (with taught suspension and steering, great shifter and gearing). and, it actually sounds like a sports car when wound out (which it likes). put one on the track and see.....

[Perry Lee]

it's gotta be Miata. particularly the early ones. simple, reliable, good design and built like a racecar (with taught suspension and steering, great shifter and gearing). and, it actually sounds like a sports car when wound out (which it likes). put one on the track and see.....

I agree with Rob on the Miata. Its nimble, not big on power, and is popular with the road racers, all which were the same traits as the 356 back it its day.

[Rob Whitacre]

Sacrilegious, probably, to many but that was a great car; unique in its day (see Ashley Page's post above for spec). I had one, too. Pre-racing days, so I don't know how it would have fared and don't recall seeing any on the track...ever... But, it compared very well to the Alfa Spider (I bought the FIAT because I liked it better). It was leaner, (at least felt) quicker, and cost lots less. It was a shame FIAT never really supported its US distribution.

Obviously, history has not treated the FIAT well (when was the last time you saw one?), and it was not produced in the same numbers as the 356.

So, Miata may well be the 356 of the future.... (with respect, the Mini will be the TR4 of the future....).

[Deborah King]

The biggest problem with the Miata, IMO, is the size. I'm tall, but not that tall (5'9"), and the bottom of the steering wheel rubs on my thighs, just driving down the road. The car I drove a few years ago was the "new and improved" model, with more room, too.

Other than that, they are a blast to drive, and I would definitely have considered it (except that I really WANTED a MINI)! I just couldn't have lived with one on a daily basis, and I'm not sure I would have wanted to do any really spirited driving other than the test.

[Deborah King]

Obviously, history has not treated the FIAT well (when was the last time you saw one?), and it was not produced in the same numbers as the 356.

It's because they all rusted away! :mrgreen:

Seriously, I bought a FIAT Bravo when they came out. Bought it brand new, and there was rust within the first year...and I DON'T live in the "rust belt" where salt is used on the roads in winter. Loved the car, though.

[Emil Wojcik]

To me the original Miata is much closer to the MGB then any 356 - front engine, shape, etc.

Reality is that the closest thing today to the 356 is the 911 - rear engine, much more similar in shape and is actually a product of the further development, through many generations, of the 356. There are no other cars closer to the 356 today.

And if you're talking strictly about a car today with the same spirit as the 356? There are none. There's just too much technology even in the most basic cars to match the 356 in spirit.