Porsche 914
The Porsche 914 was created from a collaboration between Volkswagen and Porsche. The of an air-cooled boxer engine driven model was developed by autumn 1969 to 1976 built nearly 120,000 times. He was the first mass-produced mid-engined car in the world.
Most 914 presented Karmann in Osnabrück as VW - Porsche (914 /4) ago. This had a 1.7-liter four-cylinder boxer engine from VW with 59 kW (80 hp) behind the seats. The model Porsche 914 (914 /6) had the 81 kW (110 hp) 2.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine of the Porsche 911 T and was produced at Porsche in Stuttgart.
Main features of the 914 are the design as a two-seater mid -engined sports car with a targa roof, which can be stowed in the rear trunk. By located left of the driver's seat handbrake a narrow Notsitzfläche is present in the center, which officially made the car a three-seater.
History of development
In the second half of the 1960s, VW was looking for a sporty model as the successor of based on the beetles and thus considered to be technically obsolete Karmann Ghia. Porsche lacked an inexpensive entry-level model, since 1965, was set 356 and the 912 - a stripped down 911 payable with the 66 kW (90 hp) four-cylinder 356C - compared to the sports cars of the competitors could not say.
Ferry Porsche and closely linked to the Porsche family Volkswagen boss Heinrich Nordhoff (whose daughter Elizabeth was married to Ferry's nephew Ernst Piëch ) agreed with a handshake that Porsche participated with his sports car know-how in the development of a common model, was to be distributed separately as VW variant and as a Porsche vehicle. VW would make a high heel for low production costs; Porsche should be remunerated on the achievable thereby low unit costs for development work. The production of the bodies should be made by Karmann.
It looked like a perfect win -win business. When the first 914 prototype was presented on March 1, 1968, Nordhoff was seriously ill. He died on 12 April 1968. His successor at VW, Kurt Lotz, was not verbändelt with the Porsche dynasty and the verbal agreement to have between Nordhoff and Ferry Porsche not recognized. He is said to have been the view, VW have all rights to the body, which is why Porsche would get sometimes, against participation in the tooling costs. The price and marketing concept of the 914 was thus already failed before series production.
As a compromise, VW and Porsche founded early in 1969 for marketing and sales of the 914, the "VW - Porsche GmbH " ( VG for short ), who moved soon from Stuttgart Porsche - site to nearby Ludwigsburg. This is the reason why the works cars are 914 quarters mostly seen in the pictures with the code " LB".
Name, image and marketing
In Europe, the car was then sold by the VG as " VW - Porsche ". This led to derision as "People's Porsche " (also: " People's Porsche " ) or as a " VoPo ", although the marketing director of VG, Fritz Huschke von Hanstein, had urged at the press screening, this shortcut of the GDR People's Police not to be used for the 914er.
For this image and the unclear positioning between VW and Porsche came next initial processing defects and susceptibility to rust the typical consequences of entry-level models: They are maintained by their owners often little, but all the more tuned.
In North America, the 914 due to the local Audi-/Porsche-Vertriebsnetzes sold as genuine Porsche and provided with appropriate logos and crests.
Distribution network and brand names can not obscure the fact that even in the U.S. models, the four-cylinder in the nameplate ( and in the case of a rhyme ports in the vehicle registration document ) carry Volkswagen factory as manufacturer name but. The VG was not the manufacturer of the vehicles. This is true for the four-cylinder 914. Manufacturer of the six-cylinder models was Porsche and this is also in the vehicle registration document. The Karmann delivered from Osnabrück body shell was completed at Porsche in Stuttgart.
The Federal Motor Vehicle Office shall maintain all models of Porsche 914 under the manufacturer's code number ( HSN) 0600, which is associated with VW. The only exception to this is the Porsche 914 /6, the 0583 / 309 transmits the code number is listed so under a Porsche HSN.
Models
In the Model 1970 and 1972 914 /4 with the 59 kW (80 hp) 1.7-liter injection engine ( D- Jetronic) of the VW was offered 411 e, the h to 940 kg heavy car to 177 km / accelerated. 1970 was the starting price 12,250 DM, which corresponds to taking into account inflation currently 21,100 euros. The 914/6 with the 81 kW (110 hp) six-cylinder boxer engine of the Porsche 911 T and a top speed of 201 km / h cost 19,980 DM ( today's value: 34.500 € ).
Since the comparable Targa model of the Porsche 911 T with more power (125 hp), only about 16 percent more cost ( 23,199 DM corresponds to 40,000 euros today ), decided in the first model year only 2,657 buyers for 914 /6; in subsequent years, broke with 432 (1971) and 229 (1972) copies, the sales numbers completely, and the 914/6 was not offered from mid- 1972 ( model year 1973).
For the 914/6 could be ordered as optional equipment fender flares made of steel ( M471 ), which gave the car the appearance of the so-called 914/6 GT. Another extra was the " Sportomatic " called semi-automatic 4 -speed transmission from the Porsche 911, for which only very few buyers decided.
For the model year 1973 most changes in the history of 914: Among other things, criticized as very notchy gear was slightly improved and the rigid passenger seat replaced by a variable. The 914/6 was set and in turn added VW its program through the enlarged to also 2.0 liters four-cylinder, which now made 74 kW (100 hp) with D -Jetronic. He almost reached the performance of 7 kW (10 PS) more powerful, but around 40 kg heavier car with a six-cylinder engine.
With the disappearance of the 914/6 accounted for the four-cylinder also the name 914/4; now he was simply called 914 1.7 or 914 2.0.
For the model year 1974, the entry level got an enlarged 1.8 liter engine. In Europe made this with two Solex carburettors 63 kW (85 PS), in the United States with catalyst and L- Jetronic only 56 kW ( 76 hp). Previously, some export versions of 914 1.7 to only 53 kW (72 PS) had been throttled due to new emission regulations. With the introduction of the 1.8 -liter engine, the facelift of the motor supplier VW was taken. For the model VW 412 S, the 1.8 -liter engine was originally developed and there replaced also the 1.7 -liter engine.
For model year 1975, the previous bumpers were replaced by pressed steel rubber-coated safety bumper. The bumpers of the U.S. versions were attached by means of damping elements to the body and to engage in an impact of up to 8 km / h under reversible compression of the damper elements. For the rest of the world, the bumpers were attached directly to the body. The U.S. versions were given for the states of California and Maryland in addition already introduced in the 1974 model year buffer horns. The 914 had now shaped auxiliary lights.
In the 1976 model year only 4,075 copies were produced, all of which were intended for the U.S. market.
The U.S. models had - depending on the year and the state - catalysts warning systems for the creation of the strap and reinforced bumpers and side impact protection in the doors. All North American versions in common is that they are on the front Standlicht-/Blinkerkombination had a monochrome orange instead of white and yellow glass and the front equipped with side reflectors. Due to the marketing as "real " Porsche they had initially a golden, later a chrome " PORSCHE " lettering on the grid of the engine cover and a Porsche crest on the steering wheel. A Porsche logo on the front hood was no equipment of the U.S. models from the factory, but was later partly assembled by Porsche dealers and before delivery to the customer.
Conversions and special models
Relatively common four-cylinder models were converted by the conversion of the engine, brakes and wheel hubs to the technique of 914/6. Such modifications can be identified by the VIN number and name of the manufacturer: Four-cylinder models ( including their conversions) come from the manufacturer Volkswagen and carry chassis numbers starting with the digits " 47" ( internal type number at VW ) and the Modelljahrendziffer (start of the model year is the month of August of the previous year ) start (eg " 475 ... " for vehicles from 8 / 74-7 / 75); The built Porsche 914/6 have chassis numbers that begin with 914.
Due to the modular systems of VW and Porsche the 914 is easy to change. VW Tuning other the scene of the type 4 engines is mainly interesting. Porsche side, the air-cooled boxer engines up to 3.2 liters of displacement, braking system, the later 911 models and tie rods of the Porsche 930 can be installed without major problems.
In Germany, among others, the reconstruction by Lenner - body kit was popular, which (without the turn signal " bumps " ie ) included both flares and flat fenders front a big spoiler wing on the rear trunk.
Porsche 914/6 R
In racing, especially the modified by the so -called " sports kit " Porsche 914/6 R was used. Because of its approval in the GT class of the FIA sat for him the name Porsche 914/6 GT by.
There were about 32 in the factory Porsche 914/6 GT produced, were added about 400 official GT kits from Porsche. Since the GT chassis numbers from current production, had an exact identification is very difficult. In addition to fender flares, body reinforcements and an additional front oil cooler, especially the 2.0 - liter engine with dual ignition is worth mentioning, which was incorporated into the racing version of the 914/6 GT.
In contrast to the rally events of 914/6 GT was quite successful in racing.
Porsche 916
The Porsche 916 was a potent variant of the Porsche 914 /6, which was built in 1971 a total of eleven times. In addition to a prototype with a body from the current 914/6-Produktion ( chassis number 914 1430195 ) a pre-series of ten chassis numbers was used on 914 2330011. All eleven models were individually and with different - built indoor facilities - mostly sporty - elegant. In addition to the fender flares that were known from 914/6 GT, a fixed steel roof and various reinforcements were welded for greater torsional stiffness.
As an engine of 2.4 liter six-cylinder engine of the Porsche 911 S was for the first three models used the the 1000 kg heavy vehicle with its 140 kW (190 hp ) in 7 seconds to 100 km / h and up to 233 km / h brought. The other models possessed the 2.7-liter engine of the 911 Carrera with 154 kW (210 hp). Of the eleven produced Porsche 916, the Porsche and Piëch families allegedly had reserved the same five models, the others were sold to very good customer of the house.
Porsche 914/8
The Porsche 914/8 finally had the eight-cylinder engine of the Porsche 3 ( an air-cooled 3.0 - liter boxer engine ) and was only built 908 / twice: The first copy (vehicle 914 111 ) was a 220 kW ( 300 hp) test vehicle for Ferdinand Piëch. This red 914/8 falls on mainly by the wide folding headlights, harboring dual headlights. The other 914/8 was a gift to Ferry Porsche on his sixtieth birthday (vehicle 914 006 ). This 192 kW ( 260 hp) version was silver, had a street legal (SR 3000) and saw the production model very similar.
Technical data for the series versions
The Porsche 914 was produced from 1969 to 1976 in the following versions:
* Measurement of " auto motor und sport" ( Reviews in Issue 22/1969 and 8/ 1970)
Technical data of the Sport-/Straßenversionen
For customers where the series versions were too subtle, Porsche offered sportier, partially approved for public road transport vehicles.