Porsche built the 356, the 911's predecessor, from 1948 until 1965. As with any Porsche, the 356 evolved throughout its lifetime, but it always retained its bulbous shape, specifically the coupe. The classic 911 body style sort of lost this look, opting for straighter lines. But starting with the unloved 996 911, Porsche has been bringing back some of that round styling. If you compare a 356 with today's 911 you'll clearly see the design similarities. And we're cool with that.

It's nice knowing Porsche has a thing for remembering its past, whether it's the rear-engine setup, flat-six, or purist sports car handling. But the 356 is nowhere near a modern 911 in terms of output. In this latest episode of The Smoking Tire, Matt Farah hopped behind the wheel of a 1956 356A Coupe, which produces around 85 hp.

Yep. That's it. But it still drives like a Porsche. That precision in handling, braking, and power delivery is there. Ferdinand Porsche knew what he was doing more than 60 years ago. That rounded and slippery styling was very much done on purpose as well. And with the proper care and maintenance, these old Porsches can literally be on the road forever.