Anyone who's even remotely into cars will at some point in their lives admire some sort of classic Porsche. These German sports cars hold a special place in the hearts of gearheads across the world and are some of the most collectible cars in existance.

The German manufacturer might be looking towards the future with models like the all-electric Porsche Taycan, but there's still a large and loyal following for classic cars such as the Porsche 356. The 356 is a favorite for resto-modders, and Australian company Radial Motion's example is certainly one of the more interesting we've seen thanks to a very special engine.

Radial Motion started a project back in 2017 to develop radial aircraft engines but soon discovered that they could be used for automotive applications as well. Soon after, this radial-powered Porsche 356 came to life, and things have never been the same since.

"It was designed as an airplane engine, but early on we realized that with a few minor changes it could fit into a car. That made testing prototypes a lot easier and safer, and also turned out to be a lot of fun," said Nick Mebberson, director of Radial Motion.

The company will initially offer two engine options for aircraft or automotive use: a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter, and a slightly more powerful 2.1-liter, with forced induction versions in the works. Power output from these engines is around the 200 horsepower mark, making it a fun replacement in the lightweight 356.

The 356 Outlaw pictured features an oil-cooled version of the Radial Motion engine which is significantly lighter (it only weighs around 180 lbs) than the original air-cooled motor, and much more powerful. The best part is that the radial engine still retains some of the original flat-four engine's sound.

These powerplants use a four-stroke system with twin-spark ignition and have a dry-sump oil system. Compression ratios range from 8.5:1 to 11:1. Radial Motion has already done similar engine swaps in a classic VW Beetle Convertible and a VW Kombi van and is already working on 6,9, and 12-cylinder versions. V2, V4, and V6 engine layouts are also planned for the future.