Porsche Vision 357 Goodwood debut
Celebrating three decades of the renowned Goodwood Festival of Speed, Porsche presents the Porsche Vision 357 Speedster, a companion to the enclosed Porsche Vision 357 that kicked off the manufacturer’s own anniversary festivity.
The Vision 357 Speedster stands as a tribute to the 356 in aesthetics, whilst technologically, it adopts its underpinnings from the all-electric 718 GT4 e-Performance. The automotive giant showcased over 15 unique and timeless models at the Duke of Richmond’s estate in West Sussex. The lineup included the very first Porsche sports car – the 356 No. 1 Roadster, and six Le Mans victors, delighting the motorsport enthusiasts present.
Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche, describes the Vision 357 as a testament to Ferry Porsche’s inaugural model, a cherished dream sports car. He adds, “With the Vision 357 Speedster, we aim to encapsulate the very soul of the brand, blending driving pleasure and dynamic performance with pure, unadulterated form. Like the recently unveiled Mission X, this model too serves as evidence that the essence of Porsche DNA persists, even amidst evolving design trends.”
Under the hood, the Vision 357 Speedster boasts the technical prowess of the Porsche 718 GT4 e-performance. The electric motors and battery technology are inherited from the Mission R, while the chassis is sourced from the 718 GT4 Clubsport. Following its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the concept car will be exhibited at the Rennsport Reunion in the USA at the end of September.
Blending the future with the past
Outwardly, the concept car sports a characteristic squat, shortened windscreen, accentuating its solid body. On the right side, it features a traditional single-sided tonneau cover typical of open-top sports cars. Behind the suspended-looking driver’s headrest is a technically conceived carbon roll-over element, a charging port door, and the anchor for the conventional speedster top.
The two-tone Marble Grey and Grivelo Grey Metallic concept draws inspiration from historic race forebears, like the protective front fenders and darker Metallic front wings. The front wheels also share the Grivelo Grey Metallic color scheme. This is offset with vibrant Miami Blue highlights on the front bonnet’s quick-release mechanisms.
The anniversary emblem featuring a bold “75” and the years “1948” and “2023” employs Grivelo Grey Metallic and Miami Blue. Contrasting the decorative elements of the Vision 357 coupé, these present a fresh color alternative to the previous use of red. Above this, cartoon-style unicorns adorn the area in front of the rear wheels, a unique design detail crafted specifically for this concept by Porsche designers, alongside the dynamic “Speedster” logo. In place of traditional mirrors, the car utilizes cameras situated further forward on the fenders, designed in a new, aerodynamically optimized, wing-like form.
Certain exterior design details echo its sister concept car: the front’s four-point light signet showcases a round design reminiscent of the Porsche 356. The tail lights are set behind a patterned series of points machined into the bodywork, and the vertical grille pattern in the rear mirrors the original Porsche model line. Integrated into this grille design is the third brake light.
The car’s broad track lends a robust impression while boosting driving stability. The 20-inch wheels, crafted from magnesium and equipped with carbon fibre hubcaps and central locks, recall a legendary Porsche wheel design from the 356 A and 356 B models with drum brakes, notable for their large bolt circle of 205 millimeters.
Minimalist interior
The interior is reduced to the essential and fully tailored to the driver. The low-slung seat position is quintessentially sporty. The CFRP seat shell is integrated in the monocoque. The driver sits on Racetex-covered pads and held firmly in place by six-point seat belt with a Miami Blue belt strap. The instrument cluster sits atop the steering column as a transparent surface. The racing steering wheel exemplifies lightness, while the impact absorber appears as if suspended. The individual controls, meanwhile, revisit the accent colour Miami Blue from the exterior.
The entire dashboard is in a carbon-weave finish. As an alternative to a conventional glove compartment, Miami Blue straps in the upper right section can be used to secure accessories. Simple fabric straps replace conventional door handles. This detail from the racing milieu saves weight.
Porsche icons at the Festival of Speed
The Vision 357 is the Porsche highlight at Goodwood, but it is far from the only rarity from the sports car manufacturer that will be on hand for the event. Porsche will be bringing more than 15 new and classic models to West Sussex. A special Porsche parade will ascend the famous hill twice daily at the Festival of Speed. The illustrious field will be led by the 356 No. 1 Roadster. It will be followed by the 928 “Trigema” race version from 1983, a Cayenne Transsyberia, a 959, a 911 Turbo S (type 993) and a very special 911 Carrera S (991). This one-off model was the one-millionth 911 manufactured since the advent of the iconic sports car in 1963.
Porsche will also be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Goodwood. After all, the brand holds the record of 19 overall victories. Porsche will also be showing three class champs and three overall winners, among others, in Goodwood. This includes the 718 W-RS Spyder (winner of the 2.0-litre class in 1961), the 935 Martini (class winner in 1976) and the 911 RSR in the “Pig” design (winner of the GTE Pro class in 2018). The trio of overall winners includes the 936/81 Spyder, the 911 GT1 ’98 and the 919 Hybrid from 2017.
After their premieres at the festivities marking “75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars”, the 718 Spyder RS and the Mission X will be presented to the wider public for the first time at Goodwood. The development of the purist roadster, the 718 Spyder RS, was dedicated to maximum driving pleasure on winding country roads. The Mission X concept car is the spectacular reinterpretation of a hypercar, with Le Mans-style doors that open up and forward, and a high-performance, efficient electric powertrain.
In addition to other current models from the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer, Goodwood visitors will also have the opportunity to see a Porsche “Junior 108” diesel tractor. After all, commissions for customer developments were an integral part of the company portfolio in the days when the Porsche 356 was in production. Between 1949 and July 1963, some 120,000 tractors were built under license with the Porsche name.
UK’s version of the Monaco GP
The British Sunday Times once described the legendary hill climb at the Festival of Speed as a “cross between the Monaco Grand Prix and the Royal Ascot”. A demanding course lined by hay bales, the 1.86 km course is a challenge for driver and car alike. The circuit runs through the grounds of Goodwood House, the estate of Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 11th Duke of Richmond. The avid motorsport enthusiast established the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 1993. Some 180,000 motorsport fans attend the event for historic and modern racing cars at the site in West Sussex in southern England each year. To mark the 75th anniversary of the Porsche brand, a sculpture by artist Gerry Judah will be the centerpiece of the Festival of Speed.
Original post courtesy Porsche Newsroom
