We really have to hand it to the German's, they know how to make cars. BMW, Audi's and Volkswagens, The list goes on. But we would be doing everyone a disservice if we didn't add Porsche to the top of that list. The original Porsche 356 was immaculate, it was beautiful. It was what some might say, the Mona Lisa on wheels. but its successor, the Porsche 356 A was even better. The hardest part here isn't finding the right word to describe the Porsche 356 A, but rather inventing one. Because even after exhausting the dictionary 10 times over, this scintillating machine still remains indescribable.

Porsche 356 A: Model history

Production of the 356 A began in late 1955 and lasted for just 4 years. During this time over 21,000 units were shipped out to the general public. It was also during this period that the Carrera -- Porsche's racing line of 356's -- was introduced along with a second revision, which occurred in 1957.

Porsche 356 A: Specifications

Aside from the attractive exterior, the Porsche 356 A was just as effective under the hood. The initial 1300 and revised 1300/2 models boasted a 1.3L four-cylinder engine (with the latter receiving the 'S' suffix to denote 'sport'). The Type 547, 692/0 and 692/1 models meanwhile had a more powerful 1.5L 4-cylinder engine, and were released in '55, early '58 and late '58 respectively (also known as Carrera 1500 GS/GT for the former and Carrera 1500 GT for the latter two). Meanwhile, the final three models: Type 616/1, 616/2 and 692/2 boasted 1.6L 4-cylinder engines (1600, 1600 S and Carrera 1600 GS respectively) .

Porsche 356 A Carrera: The racing variant

Before the Porsche 356 A, the Carrera engine was only available to the 550 Spyder racer. Not long after '55, the Speedster -- essential a Porsche 356 A outfitted with the aforementioned, high-performance engine -- was available on the consumer market. The speedster unfortunately did not fare well in comparison to other models of the Porsche 356 A, and sales sharply declined shortly after 1957.

Porsche 356 A: Gone, but surely not forgotten

The Porsche 356 A's life was one that some might say, was far too short-lived. But you can't take anything away from the machine. During that time it made waves due to its endearing aesthetic and for simply being an absolute joy to drive. The car might no longer be in production, but that hasn't stopped companies producing replicas to satisfy the ever-growing demand for one of the greatest-ever cars in human history.