Porsche 356 Pre-A
Sold prices, market value and cars for sale
As of October 21, 2026, Shifty has recorded 14 public sales of the Porsche 356 Pre-A. The records run from March 2024 to August 2026. In the past 12 months, 3 sold at a median of $195,000. The Shifty Estimate for the Coupe is $204,800.
Versions
About the Porsche 356 Pre-A
- Built
- 1948 to 1955
- Versions
- 1
- Body styles
- Coupe
- Engine
- Flat-4, 1.1L
- Power
- 40 hp
- Top speed
- 87 mph
- Designer
- Ferdinand Porsche
The Porsche 356 Pre-A was built from 1948 to 1955.
The Coupe, the most traded version: The 356 Coupe launched Porsche into automotive legend, establishing the template that would define sports cars for decades. Ferdinand Porsche's son Ferry created this aluminum-bodied beauty using modified Volkswagen mechanicals, proving that brilliant engineering could triumph over brute force. Early cars featured the distinctive split windscreen and hand-formed bodywork by Reutter, making each example subtly unique. The air-cooled flat-four evolved from 40 to 70 horsepower across the production run, paired with that unmistakable Porsche exhaust note. Only about 7,600 coupes were built during this period, with pre-A cars being exceptionally rare. Today, these early 356s represent the purest expression of Porsche's philosophy—lightweight, balanced, and engineered for the joy of driving. Collectors prize original examples, especially those with matching numbers and period-correct details. Values have steadily climbed as enthusiasts recognize the 356's foundational importance to both Porsche and sports car history.
The market
Recent sales
Common questions
How much does a Porsche 356 Pre-A cost?
In the past 12 months, 3 sold at a median of $195,000. Half of the 14 most recent sales landed between $142,298 and $218,400. The Shifty Estimate is $204,800.
What is a Porsche 356 Pre-A worth today?
The Shifty Estimate for the Coupe is $204,800. It describes a well-kept example.
What is the most expensive Porsche 356 Pre-A ever sold?
The highest sale on file is $235,200, for a 1952 Porsche 356 Coupe at Gooding & Company. It sold on Mar 6, 2025.
How many Porsche 356 Pre-A examples have sold?
Shifty has recorded 14 public sales since March 2024. 3 came in the past 12 months. The most recent sold for $195,000 on Aug 11, 2026.
Where do Porsche 356 Pre-A examples sell?
Of the last 14 sales with a known venue, 4 were at Bring a Trailer. The rest: Broad Arrow (4), Gooding & Company (3), Collecting Cars (2) and Bonhams (1).
How many miles do Porsche 356 Pre-A examples have when they sell?
Across the last 5 sales with a recorded odometer, the median was 50,000 miles. The lowest showed 600 miles and the highest 70,384 miles.
Where do Shifty's Porsche 356 Pre-A prices come from?
Every figure here comes from recorded public sales and live listings of the Porsche 356 Pre-A. Each sale is filed by version and year. Shifty leaves out cars without a clean title, mismatched cars and implausible prices. The Shifty Estimate weights the most recent sales most heavily. These figures were read on October 21, 2026.