Now offered for sale through RM Sotheby’s Private Sales, this 1957 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS Coupe by Reutter represents one of the most desirable and historically significant variants of the early 356. Sold new to a U.S. Air Force serviceman stationed in Japan and equipped with sought-after Rudge wheels, the car combines exceptional rarity with an important place in Porsche’s performance-car lineage.
The Carrera name was introduced in response to Porsche’s growing success with the 550 Spyder in the demanding Carrera Panamericana. To bring some of the Spyder’s competition-bred character to the road, Porsche adapted a detuned version of Ernst Fuhrmann’s sophisticated 1.5-liter, four-cam, twin-spark racing engine for a limited-production version of the 356 A. Unveiled at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show for the 1956 model year, the Carrera established a designation that would ultimately become synonymous with Porsche’s highest-performance road cars.
The Fuhrmann-designed engine was available across the 356 A Coupe, Cabriolet, and Speedster ranges. Its advanced construction included roller-bearing crankshaft technology, a dry-sump lubrication system, chrome-plated cylinder bores, and an 8.1:1 compression ratio. Power was delivered through Porsche’s improved Type 644 four-speed transmission, while the dry-sump oil tank was positioned within the left-rear fender well and protected by a mesh screen bearing the car’s chassis number. Twin Autopulse fuel pumps and a pressure-regulating valve completed the specialized fuel system.
Porsche also enhanced the Carrera’s chassis to complement its increased performance. Revised torsion bars, larger shock absorbers, and updated suspension bump stops improved both handling and road manners. The Carrera adopted 15-inch wheels rather than the 16-inch units used on earlier Pre-A models, while wheel width increased to 4.25 inches.
Originally finished in Ivory with sealed-beam headlights and dual exterior mirrors, this example was delivered in January 1957 to Harold W. Kuhns, a U.S. Air Force captain stationed in Japan, through Mitsuwa Motors of Tokyo. It later returned to the United States, reportedly accompanying Kuhns to New York, before passing through several owners in Colorado and New Hampshire. The Porsche was subsequently exported to Germany before being acquired by its consignor in 2017 and brought back to the United States. It has remained in Southern California since.
The Carrera 1500 GS earned its reputation through a combination of sophisticated engineering, competitive performance, exceptional handling, and limited production. Successful in competition and highly prized by collectors, the model remains among the most coveted of all 356 variants. This example therefore offers an uncommon opportunity to acquire a significant piece of Porsche history—one that helped establish the Carrera name as a benchmark for performance.
Source: RM Sotheby’s
