Porsche 356C 1600C (616/15) Cabriolet by Reutter
Car producer :  |
Porsche |
---|---|
Model: |
356C 1600C (616/15) Cabriolet by Reutter |
Year: |
1963-1965 |
Type: |
Cabriolet |
By the time the 356B arrived in September 1959, Porsche's first sports car had gained a one-piece rounded windscreen and 15"-diameter wheels, the newcomer's introduction bringing with it further styling revisions and an engine now standardized at 1,600cc. Outwardly very similar to the final 356Bs, the ultimate 356C model arrived in 1963 sporting four wheel disc brakes - first seen on the 2-liter Carrera 2 - among numerous detail improvements, notably a new ZF steering gear and a compensating spring at the rear to calm the swing axle rear suspension. Engines available - both of 1.6 liters - were the 75bhp 'C' and 95bhp 'SC', the latter replacing the Super 90.
The last revision of the 356 was the 356C introduced for the 1964 model year. It featured disc brakes all round, as well as an option for the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche had ever produced, the 95 hp (71 kW) "SC". 356 production peaked at 14,151 cars in 1964, the year that its successor, the new 911, was introduced to the US market (it was introduced slightly earlier in Europe). The company continued to sell the 356C in North America through 1965 as demand for the model remained quite strong in the early days of the heavier and more "civilized" 911. The last ten 356's (cabriolets) were assembled for the Dutch police force in March 1966 as 1965 models