The House of Beutler

In Switzerland Ernst and Fritz Beutler made a good living from special bodies on both Volkswagen and Porsche chassis. Ultimately Porsche took a close interest in what the brothers were doing because it had 2+2 ambitions of its own.

The Swiss brothers Beutler stepped on the stage of Porsche-car history at the beginning of the first act, when Gmünd-built 356s were being sent to Switzerland, some as completed coupes and some as chassis. Importer Bernhard Blank arranged to have the chassis bodied as cabriolets by panel-beater Fritz and designer Ernst Beutler at their workshops on Gwattstrasse, in Thun’s southerly Dürrenast district, not far from Thun Lake.