What 'Best 356' Really Means: A Deep Dive into Porsche's Iconic Engine_betfair saque tempo

When you hear "best 356" among car enthusiastsbetfair saque tempo， it's rarely about a ranking of Porsche 356 models. Nine times out of ten。it refers to the ultimate iteration of Porsche's air-cooled flat-four engine—the Type 616/36， often called the best 356 engine. I first stumbled on this while restoring a 1964 356 C. The previous owner kept saying， "You've got the best 356，" and I thought he meant the car. He meant the engine.The 356's engine evolved over nearly two decades， from a 1.1-liter 40-horsepower unit to a 2.0-liter powerhouse in the 356 Carrera 2. But the sweet spot， according to many mechanics I've talked to， is the 1.6-liter pushrod engine from the late B and C models. It's not the fastest， but it's the most balanced. The best 356 engine， in their view。is the one that starts every time， pulls cleanly from low revs， and doesn't leak oil like a sieve. That's the 616/36. I've driven a 356 C with this engine for 20，000 miles. It's not about peak power—it's about the torque curve. Flat， usable， forgiving.Let's get specific. The 616/36 made 75 horsepower in the 356 C， or 95 in the SC trim. That doesn't sound like much today. But in a car that weighs under 2。000 pounds， it's plenty. The engine's secret is its simplicity: single Solex carburetors， a robust crankshaft， and cylinder heads that breathe well enough for spirited driving. I remember a trip through the Appalachians in my friend's 356 SC. The engine never missed a beat， even at 4，500 RPM for hours. That's what "best 356" means—reliability under stress. Not a dyno queen.Of course， the best 356 engine isn't without quirks. The pushrod tubes can leak if the seals dry out. The carburetors need periodic syncing. And don't get me started on the oil filter location—it's a knuckle-buster. But these are minor compared to the joy of a well-tuned flat-four. I've owned a 912 with a similar engine， and it felt less special. The 356's engine sits behind you。

and you hear every intake honk and cooling fan whir. It's mechanical empathy. You learn to shift by ear， not by tach. That's a lost art.Some purists argue the best 356 engine is the four-cam Carrera unit. It's exotic， complex， and expensive. But for daily usability， the pushrod wins. I've seen too many Carrera engines sitting in shops， waiting for parts that cost more than the car. The best 356。then， is the one you can actually drive. A 1965 356 C with a fresh 616/36， stock except for a Pertronix ignition and a sport exhaust. That's my pick. It won't win a concours， but it will start on a cold morning and put a grin on your face. And that's the real test.

So next time someone says "best 356。" ask them to clarify. Are they talking about the car， the engine， or a specific year?For me， it's the 1.6-liter pushrod from 1963–1965. It's not the most powerful or the rarest. It's the one that makes the 356 feel alive without demanding a second mortgage. That's a best worth having. And if you find one， buy it. You won't regret it.