As a small company involved in automotive design and product development, the success and notoriety of WEVO is built on intelligent product testing. WEVO has continuously increased its test regimens and expectations as experience across different driving environments has also expanded.

Apart from classic Porsche road driving, WEVO has experience in autocross, road racing (historic circuit racing), endurance racing, rallying and marathon rallying. Almost any way you can use your 356, we have first-hand experience or a parallel understanding of that driving environment and the demands it can place on your car.

Porsche cars are remarkably durable and that sets a very high standard for any aftermarket solution intended to enhance your 356. WEVO’s Porsche 356 5-speed transmission product has to meet or exceed the original 4-speed transmissions in every way.

What WEVO tested for the Porsche 356 5-speed transmission

Testing for this project is relatively simple in practice. The entire gear train assembly is lifted directly from another Porsche model. So Porsche themselves have already completed the testing of those parts for us. Your confidence in those Porsche parts is inherent with your understanding of the durability of the 901 series transmission from the early 911 and 914 models.

The swing-axle differential assembly in the 356 5-speed is a bespoke WEVO design, which required full testing. Part of that testing has included x-ray of the raw steel castings. Where possible we have used genuine VW parts, as these are subject to OE supplier standards and the testing that is required to meet that standard. The VW parts allow for easy assembly and remain widely available: unlike similar parts sourced from Porsche.

The packaging of the 901 gears into a new housing did not lead to any complication but it required full testing. Numerous other small parts that are bespoke WEVO components within the kit all needed individual and compatibility testing. The whole assembly as a unit requires testing for manufacturing tolerances, material conditions and user feel.

WEVO Porsche 356 5-speed road test programme

The first of our Porsche 356 5-speed test units was completed in November of 2013 and testing commenced the following month.  By the end of September 2014, that test unit had completed over 10,000 miles across sixteen different US states. Twenty different 356 enthusiasts contributed to accumulating that mileage and offered their experienced feedback. While our test vehicle was resident elsewhere, WEVO was perfecting the geometry of a new gear shifter, engineered specifically for the 356 5-speed transmission.

Ongoing Testing and 356 Competition Programme

Testing is never conclusive. While we have learned enough to be confident and satisfied, now that we have commenced delivering the 356 5-speed to customers, WEVO testing will continue with 356 5-speed transmissions going into cars facing challenges like the gruelling 10,000-mile Peking to Paris marathon rally, high-speed road rallies and vintage racing/historic motorsport events.

The testing will not end and WEVO, just like Porsche will continuously develop our products as we find cause and reason. As the 356 5-speed was thoroughly tested by WEVO before you put into your car, you can be completely confident that it will meet the expectations intrinsic with Porsche OE quality.