In what year was the first Porsche 356 produced?

The first Porsche 356 was produced in 1948. It was built in Gmünd, Austria, by Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH, making the 356 Porsche's first production automobile.

The story began with the 356/1 prototype, a lightweight mid-engined roadster completed in 1948. The production 356/2 moved the engine behind the rear axle and used many mechanical components related to the Volkswagen Beetle. The first 356 was road-certified in Austria on June 8, 1948, and early bodies were handcrafted from aluminum.

Production remained small in Gmünd, with roughly 50 cars built there before Porsche moved production to Zuffenhausen, Germany, in 1950. That change is why some references distinguish the Austrian-built 1948–1949 cars from later German production. The 356 continued through several versions, including the 356 A, B, and C, until 1965. More than 76,000 examples were ultimately produced, and the model was succeeded by the Porsche 911.