Despite this super-rare Porsche 356 being a German car built by an Italian, it was built in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ok. That’s a wild way to open a piece on a vintage Porsche, but this is no normal 356. The Italian coachbuilder, Aldo Borghi, built this 1965 Porsche 356 Borghi Abarth as a special project. This special Porsche 356 is the only one ever made. 

What is a Porsche 356 Borghi Abarth?

According to Silodrome, in 1965, a charred 1953 Porsche 356 was brought to Aldo Borghi’s coachbuilding shop in Buenos Aires. The parts of the story telling how the 356 caught fire are now lost to history. Somehow or another, the car burned. All that was salvageable was the floor pan, engine, transmission, and a handful of other parts. 

Borghi hand-shaped aluminum to build the Porsche’s new custom body. His influence on this car came from Rocco Motto Abarth racing cars. The new body was gorgeous, and the owner was further pleased because the new aluminum body was significantly lighter than the original steel body. 

Seven years later, the car’s owner wished to sell the car. Who was first in line to buy it but none other than Borghi? He bought the car back, racing and rallying it for decades in Argentina. 

Porsche 356 Borghi Abarth specs

This car was built to race. Saving a burned car requires a bit of doing. Borghi was clearly ready to do. He began to bolt bits together after hand-shaping every body panel from scratch. One notable difference was that the engine bay was now a bit larger than the original 356 due to its fastback rear end. Given its racing plans, the rear window was replaced with a stack of lovely luvers. This choice might seem impractical, and it would be if you needed to look behind you to win races. 

The 356 was not an overly quick car. The Porsche Super 90 engine only made 70 hp in its original form. It was later tuned to make 110 hp. While that isn’t crazy power, paired with a new lightweight aluminum body, the funky little Porsche 356 became a quick little sprite. 

The Porsche 356 Borghi Abarth rolled on steel wheels, drum brakes, and the independent front and rear suspension of the original 356. After spending years as a rally and race car, the car was tastefully restored. The interior was upholstered in black quilted leather and plaid cloth in that restoration. The car has a lovely woodgrain steering wheel. Every detail is done with the car and taste. The result is a restored custom race car built from one of the classiest cars ever built with only 3 miles on the odometer. 

The Porsche 356 Borghi Abarth is for sale

Belgium Car & Classic is selling the rare sports car. The auction will begin on June 5, 2023. While we don’t have a crystal ball to help predict the selling price, the smart money says this unicorn race car will sell for a healthy pile.