First Porsche 4 seater by Beutler based on Porsche 356
At the 1957 Geneva Auto Salon, the Swiss firm of Beutler introduced quite a novelty : a four-passenger coupe based on the Porsche Model 356A . The all aluminum bodywork was all Porsche design at the front end. Fritz and Ernst Beutler designed the side and rear shapes of the car. The engine that powered the Porsche Super 90 was the powertrain of the 4 seater Porsche, including the gearbox and brakes. The car however didn’t really look like true Porsche and it not known how many cars were actually built and survived the times
Later the Beutler brothers were tasked by Porsche with designing a 4 seater body based on the Porsche 356B. Stipulations were placed on the design mainly that it had to be recognizably Porsche. The vehicle used Porche 356B brake lights, door handles, bumpers, and hood handle. 2 prototypes were built in November of 1959. Ferry Porsche approved the design. Financial disagreements between the Beutler brothers and Ferry Porsche were the main reason only 5 Beutler-Porsches 356B’s were constructed, one of them a Cabriolet that nowadays resides in the Stanley Gold collection.
Even though many Porsche entusiasts don’t even know about the Beutler Porsche, it is the very first true 4 seater of Porsche. Historically the Beutler Porsche is a very significant car and can be seen as a full blood predecessor of the Porsche Panamera.
| Beutler – Porsche 2+2 (1958-62) | ||
| Porsche No | Beutler No | Date |
| 12335 13011 13030 13031 13069 13114 13175 |
1175 1182 1192 1193 1201 1213 1214 |
Dez. 1958 May 1959 Nov. 1959 ” May 1960 Nov. 1960 Nov. 1961 |
