Skip to main content

Drool Over the Raddest All-Wheel-Drive Porsche 356 Outlaw Ever Built

If you’re a fan of classic Porsches and you don’t know Rod Emory of Emory Motorsports, I’d love to know which rock you’ve been living under. For those that don’t know, the man and his shop pay meticulous attention to detail on all things Porsche 356. His Outlaw creations originally saw him banned from most Porsche clubs, but over the years, through his amazing body of work, Emory has become the go-to when you want a perfect and lightly resto-modded 356. That said, Emory’s latest build, dubbed the AllRad, is easily the coolest one he’s ever completed.

emory motorsports porsche 356 allrad
Emory Motorsports

The AllRad is a glorious union of both old and new with a healthy dose of “what if.” Emory and his team of hammer-wielding craftsmen took it upon themselves to mate the classic and timeless body lines of Porsche’s 356 and the technology behind a more modern Porsche 911’s all-wheel-drive system.

Everything, however, is custom and everything is uniquely Emory. The driveline uses the all-wheel-drive transaxle transmission from a 964-generation 911 and joins it to a Rothsport Racing-built “Outlaw-4” flat-4 cylinder engine. The design of the engine is based on the 964’s 3.6-liter, flat-6 engine, but then reverse engineered to produce a four-cylinder iteration that develops 200 horsepower. More than enough to have all the fun in the world, especially when the car weighs next to nothing tipping the scales at just 2,100 lbs.

Given the all-wheel-drive system’s incorporation, as well as the recent popularity of Safari-style 911 builds, Rod and his team spared no detail and graced the AllRad with a manually controlled, rally-style, differential bias control. This lets the driver switch the power delivery between front and back or side to side for pin-point control when the road ends and Monte-Carlo’s infamous gravel stages come into view. Emory’s crew of black-magic Porsche-files also gave the AllRad the brakes from a 964-generation 911 as well. Shod on the custom Emory-special wheels are a set of Pirelli Ice Zeros ready to tackle all sorts of off-road adventures.

It took four years for Emory and his team to finish the AllRad. Four years of laser scans, hand-beating the AllRad’s metal body and mating all the disparate components together to form the cohesive and drop-dead gorgeous beauty you see before you. That said, now that all the work and sweat has been done and wicked away, given the right amount of cash, I’m sure Emory would be more than happy to continue the series and give you the 356 of your dreams. For me, I’d like mine in body-in-white white, a slightly taller ride height, maybe a few more horsepower, and some trick bucket seats for a full rally-takeover. If anyone wants to loan me a couple hundred grand, I’d be very appreciative.

Editors' Recommendations

Jonathon Klein
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jonathon is a former contributor to The Manual. Please reach out to The Manual editorial staff with any questions or comments…
Buyer beware: The least reliable cars you can buy in 2024
Know the car reliability ratings of these bad buys
Front end angle of 2021 Ford F-150 parked on a dirt trail in front of a red barn and trees.

According to statistics, car sales grew by about 75.3 million globally in 2023, up from the estimated 67.3 million units sold in 2022. Evidently, buying a car is a big purchase, like buying a home, that many people want to achieve during their lifetime. 

Unfortunately, much like houses, cars have become increasingly more expensive in recent years. This is why people want to ensure they are buying a reliable car that isn't going to break down on them a few months to years down the line. The bottom line is drivers want reliability now more than ever. 

Read more
How many teams are there in Formula 1 in 2024?
!0 teams and 20 drivers compete for the World Championship,
Aston Martin Formula 1 race car driving directly toward the camera.

F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix winner's stage Nate Swanner / DTMG

In the current FIA Formula 1 season, ten teams each field two drivers to vie for the highest Grand Prix World Championship points among all competitors. The 2024 F1 schedule has 24 Grand Prix racing events, including six that include a shorter F1 Sprint race.
Why F1 teams matter in the sport

Read more
What engines do Formula 1 cars use?
F1 engines will be carbon neutral starting in 2026
Lewis Hamilton (44) driving for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team during The Australian Formula One Grand Prix Race on April 02, 2023, at The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Albert Park, Australia.

F1 race cars routinely exceed 200 miles per hour during Grand Prix races, which begs the question, "What engines do Formula 1 cars use?" If you expect to hear that F1 race cars use exotic V16 or V12 engines, you may be surprised to learn that they don't even run with V8s. All F1 race cars have a power unit comprising a 1.6-liter V6 hybrid internal combustion engine (ICE) with two on-board electrical energy recovery units. Like almost everything in Formula 1, the engines teams can use in their race cars are strictly defined by the FIA F1 Rules and Regulations.
Why Formula 1 car engines matter

Formula 1 is considered the pinnacle of elite motorsports, which puts the organization in a powerful position to influence other competitive automotive groups. Also, in 2019, F1 committed to being carbon-net-zero by 2030. F1 race cars currently have hybrid gas and electric power units, but starting in 2026, all F1 cars will run on biofuel, a renewable energy source with significantly lower carbon emissions than petroleum-based fuels.
What engines do Formula 1 cars use today?

Read more