Porsche 914

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Porsche 914 Manufacturer Porsche Also called VW-Porsche 914 Production 1969–1976 118,978 produced[1] 914/4: 115,646 914/6: 3,332 Predecessor Porsche 912 Successor Porsche 924 Class Sports car Body style(s) Targa Coupe Layout Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive Engine(s) 1.7 L, 1.8 L, 2.0 L flat-4 2.0 L flat-6 Wheelbase 2450 mm (96.5 in) Length 3985 mm (156.9 in) Width 1650 mm (65 in) Height 1230 mm (48.4 in) Curb weight 940 kg (2072 lb)−995 kg (2194 lb)

The Porsche 914 was a mid-engined sports car built and sold collaboratively by Volkswagen and Porsche from 1969 through 1976.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Development 1.2 Design Evolution 1.2.1 Chart of 914 Development 1.3 Follow On Prototypes 2 Technical Information 2.1 Chassis Numbers 2.2 Distinguishing Marks 2.3 State of the 914 Fleet Today 3 Limited Editions 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Development

By the late 1960s, both Volkswagen and Porsche were in need of new models; Porsche was looking for a replacement for their entry-level 912, and Volkswagen wanted a new range-topping sports coupe to replace the Karmann Ghia. At the time, the majority of Volkswagen's developmental work was handled by Porsche, part of a setup that dated back to Porsche's founding; Volkswagen needed to contract out one last project to Porsche to fulfill the contract, and decided to make this that project. Ferdinand Piëch, who was in charge of research and development at Porsche, was put in charge of the 914 project.

Originally intending to sell the vehicle with a flat four-cylinder engine as a Volkswagen and with a flat six-cylinder engine as a Porsche, Porsche decided during development that having Volkswagen and Porsche models sharing the same body would be risky for business in the American market, and convinced Volkswagen to allow them to sell both versions as Porsches in North America.

It appeared to be a perfect win-win situation. On March 1st, 1968 the first 914 prototype was presented. However, development became complicated after the death of Volkswagen's chairman, Heinz Nordhoff, on April 12th, 1968. His successor, Kurt Lotz, was not connected with the Porsche dynasty and the verbal agreement between Volkswagen and Porsche fell apart.

In Lotz's opinion, Volkswagen had all rights to the model, and no incentive to share it with Porsche if they would not share in tooling expenses. With this decision, the price and marketing concept for the 914 had failed before series production had even begun. As a result, the price of the chassis went up considerably, and the 914/6 ended up costing only a bit less than the 911T, Porsche's next lowest price car. This had a serious effect on sales, and the 914/6 sold quite poorly. In contrast, the much less expensive 914-4 became Porsche's top seller during its model run, outselling the 911 by a wide margin, with over 118,000 units sold worldwide.

[edit] Design Evolution

Volkswagen versions originally came with an 80 hp (60 kW) fuel-injected 1.7 L flat-4 engine based on the Volkswagen air cooled engine. Porsche's 914/6 variant came with a carbureted 110 hp (82 kW) 2.0 L flat-6 engine, taken from the 1969 911T. The engine was placed amidships, in front of a version of the 1969 911's "901" gearbox set up for mid-engine operation. Karmann manufactured the rolling chassis at their own plant, then either sent them to Porsche for fitment of the Porsche suspension and flat-six engine or kept them in house for Volkswagen hardware. 914/6 models used a similar suspension and brakes to the 911, giving the car handling and braking superiority over the 4-cylinder Volkswagen models in addition to higher power output. A Volkswagen-Porsche joint venture, Volkswagen of America, handled export to the U.S., where both versions were badged and sold as Porsches. In Europe, the four-cylinder cars were sold as Volkswagen-Porsches, at Volkswagen dealerships. This "tainted" the car in the opinion of many automotive critics of that era, and a little of that attitude persists to this day.

Slow sales and rising costs prompted Porsche to discontinue the 914/6 variant in 1972 after producing 3,351 of them; its place in the lineup was filled by a variant powered by a new 95 hp (71 kW) 2.0 L, fuel-injected version of Volkswagen's Type 4 engine in 1973. For 1974, the 1.7 L engine was replaced by a 76 hp (57 kW) 1.8 L, and the new Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection system was added to American units to help with emissions control. 914 production ended in 1976. The 2.0 L flat-4 engine continued to be used in the 912E, which provided an entry-level model until the 924 was introduced.

The 914 was Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year for 1970^[2] and a 914/6 piloted by Frenchmen Claude Ballot-Lena and Guy Chasseuil won the GTS class and finished sixth overall at the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans^[3].

[edit] Chart of 914 Development

Porsche 914 road vehicle history of 1969 to 1976
Model	Power	1960s										1970s
		0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
914
914/4	59 kW/80 PS
914/6	81 kW/110 PS
914 1.7	59 kW/80 PS
914 1.8	56 kW/76 PS (USA); 63 kW/85 PS (RoW)
914 2.0	70 kW/95 PS (USA); 74 kW/100 PS (RoW)
914 2.0 (only in US)	65 kW/88 PS

[edit] Follow On Prototypes

Planned for the early 1970s, a version known as the Porsche 916 was cancelled after only eleven prototypes. The 916 was to have either the 2.4 engine from the 911S, or the 2.7 from the Carrera. They were also to have a fixed steel roof, wider wheels and flared fenders as styled from the 914-6 GT cars^[4]. Ventilated disc brakes were fitted to all four wheels, and also a "mid-engined" version of the then-new 915 transmission, giving a conventional shift pattern with 1 to 4 in an H and fifth out on a limb. One 916 was built to US specs and on delivery to the USA was fitted with air conditioning by the dealer (Brumos). One fact that may make 914/6 purists wince is that at least one of the 916's proves, on close examination, to have been built using a 4-cylinder VW-engined 914 as a base. Porsche obviously had a "waste not, want not" attitude to their prototypes that was also evident with the 914/8's (see below). The car passed from its original owner Peter Gregg to his best friend's father William Hall until finally coming to what many say is the best 914 collection in the world in Marietta Georgia.^{[citation needed]}

Two prototype 914s, dubbed 914/8, were built during 1969. The orange 914/8 was the first constructed, at the instigation of Ferdinand Piëch (then head of the Racing Dept), to prove the concept. Powered by the full-blown, 310 hp (222 kW) 8-cylinder 908 engine it was based on a surplus 914 handbuilt development prototype bodyshell (chassis no. 914111), hence the many differences from the standard vehicle (eg, the quad headlights). The second, silver, road-registered car, powered by a carburetted and detuned 908 race engine making 260 hp (194 kW) was then prepared as a gift to Ferry Porsche on his 60th birthday. Also based on a spare prototype shell (chassis no. 914006), it was much closer to the standard car in detail. By all accounts Ferry didn't like the car very much and it sits in the Porsche Museum. Neither car saw a racetrack except for the purposes of testing. The 914/8 was not considered for production as a regular model. Another factory prototype, a 914/6 (chassis no. 914114) surfaced in the US in 2001. Together with a surviving prototype Sportomatic 914/6 (chassis no. 914120), reputedly in Southern Germany, they form a unique and fascinating piece of Porsche history.

[edit] Technical Information

[edit] Chassis Numbers

Porsche 914 chassis numbers from 1970 to 1976
Year	914/4	914/6	916
1970	4702900001 – 4702913312	9140430001 – 9140432668
1971	4712900001 – 4712916231	9141430001 – 9141430443
1972	4722900001 – 4722921580	9142430001 – 9142430240	9142330011 – 9142330022
1973	4732900001 – 4732927660
1974	4742900001 – 4742921370
1975	4752900001 – 4752911368
1976	4762900001 – 4762904100

[edit] Distinguishing Marks

There are different ways to tell which year a particular 914 model was made. The most distinguishable trait are the bumpers. Between 1970 and 1972, both front and rear bumpers were flat across and available in either chrome or painted metal. In 1973, bumper stops were added to the front of the car. And in 1974, bumper stops were also added to the rear of the car. In 1975 and 1976, the big black bumper years, the bumpers were rubber covered and heavy. Some people like the smooth look of the later bumpers, but most prefer the lighter weight chrome ones. Many people have backdated their bumpers, so this is not always a tell all, but certainly a good starting point for identity.

Another way to distinguish 914's is by the plastic piece that goes around the headlight. White ones are from the first 914s to mid-production of 73. After that, it was a black plastic. Another feature to distinguish the 914 by year is if it has a movable passenger seat, it is 72 and later, while the 71 and earlier had a fixed passenger seat.

[edit] State of the 914 Fleet Today

Estimates of the number of surviving 914s vary wildly. Because of the cost and availability of repair parts compared to the inexpensive cost of a new chassis, many cars with serious but repairable damage were salvaged over the years. In fact many cars were cut up over the years with the purpose of saving other cars. The increasing scarcity of clean cars is driving up the value of the model.

While the 914 has been out of production for over 30 years, many repair parts are still available. In large part this is due to small companies which specialize in 914 parts, as well as many active car clubs. While a few parts are considered scarce and expensive, (such as US-spec rear turn signal lenses and D-Jetronic Manifold Pressure Sensors), most are available from a variety of mail-order sources while still others are tooled and manufactured. Due to its nimble handling and the low cost of a basic 914, the "poor man's" Porsche of the 1970s has become the poor man's weekend racing car on amateur racing circuits.

Many enthusiasts see the 914 as a blank canvas upon which to create their own automotive dreams. Owners have modified the original four cylinder motors to upwards of 170 hp (127 kW). Many owners instead choose to swap different engines into the 914's sizeable engine bay. These swaps range from Volkswagen turbodiesels, to 911 engines (following in the foosteps of the much sought after 914/6) or Corvair air-cooled sixes, to a small-block Chevy V8. Recently, swaps of Subaru engines have gained popularity among the non-Porsche purists. The 914 is also the base for an electric vehicle conversion kit.

Body modifications are another popular way to personalize a 914. Some of these are simple, such as bolting on fiberglass bumpers that aid the 914 into morphing into a look of the 916 prototype. Some are more extensive, such as installing steel or fiberglass fender flares a la the super-rare 914/6 GT. Some involve completely changing the appearance of the car, often to resemble some other mid-engine car, such as the Porsche 904 or the Ferrari Testarossa. A fiberglass kit was offered in the 1990s dubbed the 9014 was designed as a way to save a derelict 914 too expensive to repair by conventional methods. The 9014's design was inspired by the famous Porsche 904 yet heavily modified to fit the 914 chassis. Over 100 kits were sold before the market changed, and increased 914 values made many more 914s practical to restore. Several suppliers still offer the kit to this day

[edit] Limited Editions

Over its years of existence, the 914 had a few special edition units produced. The appeal of these cars was their looks. The use of extreme color contrasts and decals set them apart from stock cars.

The Creamsicle - A cream color exterior with red decal, skirt, bumpers, and wheels. The corresponding paint number is U2V9. Phoenix Red is actually a reddish-orange color. This Light Ivory-based color scheme concept is a carry-over from the 1973 911 Carrera RS series car design precedent. These are very rare cars!

The Bumblebee - Black exterior with yellow decal, skirts, bumpers, and wheels. This was a(L041) body / Sunflower Yellow (L13K) accent The corresponding paint number is U1V9. Black body paint color was always an additional cost special option on standard 914 Porsche cars, but was included as a standard component on the black 914 LE cars. It is worth noting that all but one photo of the 914 Porsche Can Am prototype cars are Bumblebee cars. The Black based 914 LE color scheme is unique to the 914 LE cars and has no precedent with the Can Am race cars or the 1973 911 Carrera RS series cars. The majority of 914 Limited Editions are Bumblebees, which also seem to be the most sought-after 914 LE color scheme.

It is estimated that about 1000 of these unit were produced, about 50% Bumblebee and 50% Creamsicle.

There is also one other limited edition car, whose existence is still debated.

Grasshopper - Light Ivory (L80E) body / Green accent This color scheme is controversial at best. In spite of the reported sightings, no actual car or even a photo has been located in this color scheme. Aftermarket green stripes were available from Porsche-Audi Dealers, and it may be that 914 cars in this color scheme were simply made by the dealers or owners. This Light Ivory-based color scheme concept may be a carry-over from the 1973 911 Carrera RS series car design precedent, but so far, factory records do not support that it was ever manufactured. After much research including contact with Porsche Archives (PAG) in Germany, Factory records verify that the color scheme was never produced, at least within the known VIN range of the other 914 LE cars. Until authenticated proof of the car surfaces, all evidence to date supports that the car is only a myth. An authentic Grasshopper 914 LE may surface, but until that time, we can only assume that it never existed.

A letter concerning the existence of the car was sent to Porsche, the reply was that no such limited car existed. ^[5]

[edit] See also

Porsche 914-6 GT -- a race car variant

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Porsche 914 at the Open Directory Project

v • d • e Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG road car timeline, 1960–present
Type	1960s										1970s										1980s										1990s										2000s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Entry Level Sportscar						912											924																				Boxster (986)								Boxster (987)
	356									914													944										968														Cayman (987c)
911 Series					911											911 (930)														911 (964)					911 (993)					911 (996)						911 (997)
GT																			928
Supercar																											959										911 GT1								Carrera GT
SUV																																											Cayenne
Concept cars	356/1 · 114 · 695 · 901 · 989 · Panamericana · Panamera · Roxster
Motorsport	Porsche in motorsport · Porsche Supercup · 64 · 360 · 550 · 718 · 787 · 804 · 904 · 906 · 907 · 908 · 909 · 910 · 914-6 GT · 917 · 934 · 935 · 936 · 953 · 956 · 961 · 962 · GT1 · GT2 · GT3 · WSC-95 · LMP · RS Spyder
People	Ferdinand Porsche · Ferry Porsche · Ferdinand Alexander Porsche · Ferdinand Piëch · Wendelin Wiedeking
Tractors	Junior · Super
Other	Official Website · Porsche Design Group · Volkswagen Group · List of Porsche engines · Tiptronic · VarioCam