Porsche 356 Zagato

Storez continued to race the Spyder, achieving a notable class win in the 1955 Mille Miglia. His talent was recognized by Porsche, leading the way to share a works Spyder with Richard von Frankenberg in the Reims 12-hour race for 1.5-liter cars, where the pair won outright.

Turning his sights to the GT racing scene in 1958, Storez purchased a new 356 A Carrera GS Speedster and personally delivered it to Milanese coachbuilders Carrozzeria Zagato. Under Zagato’s supervision, the Speedster was fitted with a more aerodynamic body that paid homage to the 1953 550 RS and 1957 718 RSK while hinting at future Zagato designs. Crafted from lightweight aluminum, the reimagined Spyder featured faired and shielded headlamps, curved windshield, rear-hinged doors, and longitudinal fins on the rear fenders for additional stability. Delivered to Porsche’s factory in Zuffenhausen during the summer of 1958, the Zagato Speedster received mechanical fettling and was painted white with red tail fins, recalling the flashes of color that marked the tails of the early Spyders.

Storez pressed his new Zagato Speedster into use almost immediately. Although he failed to finish the 1958 Tour de France, Storez demonstrated the car’s potential by finishing 2nd to Olivier Gendebien’s more powerful Ferrari 250 GT at the Reims circuit stage of the Tour de France. On February 7, 1959, Storez returned to the Reims track for the Rallye des Routes du Nord.

Tragically, while performing well in the race, Storez braked hard on a downhill stretch, leaving the roadway, and rolling several times. He was transported to the hospital but did not survive his injuries. The wrecked Zagato Speedster was never seen again.

In 2012, noted American collector and racer Herb Wetanson approached Zagato’s Atelier Classic program about building a Porsche Zagato Speedster identical to Storez’s. With the aim of reviving special one-off models, Zagato agreed, calling this re-creation “Sanction Lost” instead of the more typical “Sanction II,” as the original car had not been found.

Zagato used the latest photometric 3D-mapping technology to scan photographs of the original speedster, allowing the company to re-create the design digitally. However, an extensive search of Zagato’s archives uncovered an advanced sketch from September 1959. This sketch depicts an elegant, yet unbuilt Porsche 356-based coupe that showcased many of the same distinctive hallmarks as the Storez Speedster. With Porsche’s official consent, Zagato subsequently committed to building a limited edition of nine speedsters and nine coupes.

Commissioned by a prominent Italian collector, this Porsche 356 Carrera Zagato Coupe was built from a 1961 Porsche 356 B just as Zagato intended when the design was originally penned. After the launch of the Sanction Lost program, this car was sent to Zagato in 2015. Using the same traditional techniques as were employed in the period, the original Porsche body was replaced with a coachbuilt coupe body by Zagato.

Matching the livery of Storez’s Speedster, the car was finished in Bianco Gardenia (Gardenia White) with red-painted tail fins. The 356’s underpinnings were restored while an Ernst Fuhrmann-designed, 1.6-liter, four-cam Carrera engine was sourced and fitted. The interior was upholstered with red leather front “Speedster” seats, black leather “kinder” rear seats, and black carpeting.

This very special Porsche is one of nine examples built to commemorate Storez’s lost car and is one of only two coupes equipped with the exotic, high-performance Carrera engine. Supplied with photographs, archival material, and Zagato documentation, this Porsche 356 Carrera Zagato Coupe offers a chance to join the exclusive world of bespoke Porsche ownership.
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