Ruby Red 1957 Porsche 356 Coupe Replica Looks Absolutely Fabulous

The reason the first-ever car to wear the Porsche badge is so popular boils down to the rather simple powertrain, consisting of an air-cooled boxer and a manual transmission. Replicars, however, aren't always low-quality creations.

Take this vehicle as a case in point, "loaded with options" such as the 1.8-liter alloy four-cylinder engine with a pair of downdraft carburetors and an electric fan that should help with cooling in stop-and-go traffic. Equipped with a four-speed gearbox with close ratios for a sportier shifting experience, the 356 is fitted with a swing-type axle, four-wheel independent suspension, and disc brakes instead of drums.

Period-correct wheels with high-speed radial rubber, a dual-exit exhaust system, factory-style gauges that include a 130-mph speedometer and 6,000-rpm tachometer, and European bumpers with cat-eye taillights are featured as well. The list of goodies continues with Ruby Red paintwork, a wood-rimmed Nardi steering wheel, air conditioning, power windows, and a modern head unit for your MP3s.

The seats beg for you to take the car on a Sunday morning drive on a glorious B-road thanks to Cashmere leather upholstery, the floor is beautified by Coco mats, and there's also rack-and-pinion power steering with a more modern design than the 356 used to have. Even the trunk has received a high-quality makeover, featuring a carpeted fuel tank as well as a second carpet that obscures the fire extinguisher.

With 15,400 miles on the clock (24,784 kilometers) and no rust whatsoever hiding under the skin, care to guess how much Flemings Ultimate Garage is asking for this replicar? $44,990 is how the cookie crumbles, which is peanuts compared to the current price point of the 1600 Super version of the 356 fixed-head coupe.

Hagerty, for example, says that the average value of the 356A in this flavor is $97,000 or thereabouts for a car in "good" condition. Level up to "concours" condition, and you're looking at $200,000 for the German sports car.