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1970 Porsche 914/6

The four-cylinder Porsche 356 had gained a loyal following, and company management feared they would alienate its faithful base with the introduction of its new six-cylinder 911 in 1964. So they offered a 912 companion model which shared its body and chassis with the 911 but was powered by the smaller and proven 356 engine. The eventual successor to the 912 was the 914, a joint collaboration created with Volkswagen, which was seeking a replacement for the aging Karmann-Ghia. Porsche did not have the money to design a sports car from scratch, but Volkswagen did. The two companies' bosses formed a Gentleman's agreement to jointly develop and market a new sports car. The plan was for four-cylinder cars to be badged as Volkswagen and sold by their dealers, while six-cylinder cars would be badged and sold by Porsche.

After the sudden passing of Volkswagen's chief, a new CEO named Kurt Lotz took his place, and he had no desire to continue the project or pay for any of Porsche's cars. In his view, the 914 was a Volkswagen product and Porsche had to pay if they wanted to be a part of the project. As a result, the price of the car escalated and it hit the market costing nearly as much as a base 911T. The uniqueness of the car, its design, and its brilliance saved it from obscurity. Offered in both four and six-cylinder form, the car was perfectly balanced and handled exceptionally well. The mid-engine chassis was lightweight and a true sports car down to its essence.

The Volkswagen-Porsche 914 was a Targa-top sports car assembled by Karmann of Osnabruck. First seen at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the 914 used the 1,679cc, four-cylinder, air-cooled motor of the Volkswagen 411. The 914/6 was powered by the Porsche 911T's 2.0-liter six. Both versions had an all-independent suspension created from a mixture of 911 and Volkswagen parts, four-wheel disc brakes, and a five-speed gearbox.

The Porsche 914/6 was badged as a Porsche in all markets and sold for over $2,500 more than the four-cylinder car, about $6,100 in the United States. Due to the price, they were difficult to sell and were quietly dropped in late 1972 after 3,351 examples had been sold. The 914/6 was effectively replaced by the 1,971cc, 95 horsepower four-cylinder '914 2.0' from the company's fuel-injected Type 4 unit. These versions also came with forged alloy wheels, an improved interior with additional instrumentation, and anti-roll bars in the front and back. Sales were strong and had it not shown signs of surpassing the flagship 911, production may have lasted longer than 1976.

Porsche's competitions department developed the 914/6 into a rally and GT-class winner, having homologated it for racing in March 1970. A small batch of GT cars were built in 1970 with the engines tuned to produce around 220 horsepower, and fiberglass panels and Plexiglass windows helped reduce the overall weight, and dramatically flared arches accommodated wider wheels. The factory also offered a GT kit that could be ordered with a regular 914/6 to be installed by designated Porsche dealers.

The racing cars were often individually tailored to a specific purpose, with nearly all 914/6 GTs having the ventilated 911 S brakes, front-mounted oil cooler, weight-saving components, and wide Fuchs alloy wheels with steel fender flares. Common competition upgrades included stiffened chassis, uprated suspension components, long-range fuel tanks, various gearing options, and race-prepared interiors. The various two-liter flat-six tuning options were offered, from a conservative 911 S spec to a full-blown Carrera 6 variant producing 210 hp at 8,000 RPM.

Among its accolades was a 6th place overall finish by Guy Chasseuil and Claude Ballot-Lena's Sonauto entry at the 1970 24 Hours of LeMans where it won the 2.0-liter Class, having started from 45th place on the grid and averaging 99.27 mph. In August 1970, the works 914/6 GTs captured a 1-2-3 finish in the 86-hour Marathon de la Route at the Nürburgring. In 1971, a factory-entered 914/6 GT scored a class win at the Monte Carlo Rally, while in America, Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg dominated the inaugural IMSA GT championship with their 914/6 GT.

by Dan Vaughan

Targa

The Lufthansa-sponsored 914-6 GT ran at the 1970 Nurburgring where it set the fastest lap in class and came in second in class. It continued to be campaigned in the early 1970s throughout Europe in ADAC races, including the 1971 3-hour LeMans race.

This 914-6 GT was one of the first of the eleven completed 914s for factory-sanctioned race modification, featuring the unique double gas tank system for the team of Dorner and Schwartz.

It was located in Germany by Kerry Morse and imported to the USA in 1986. It spent 15 years sitting in a chicken barn in central Massachusetts. A new owner purchased the car in 2001 and a complete restoration was begun to bring it back to its 1970 configuration. The restoration was completed and the car raced in April 2004 at Daytona International Speedway at the Rennsport Reunion II. The current owner acquired the car in 2010 from Canepa Design.

Prototype Coupe
Chassis number: 914 043 0691

The factory's skunkworks prototype GT for Max Moritz and then one of Ralph Meaney's Daytona 24 hours race cars, 2nd in GTU.

This was the first of approximately 12 original FIA Group 4 Porsche 914-6 GTs built at Zuffenhausen in 1970. It was equipped with Type 901/36 twin plug 6-cylinder engine #640 0295, steel wheel flares and painted light ivory. Delivered to Autohaus Max Mortiz GmbH where it was modified per factory instructions for racing with 908 front brakes and engine modifications increasing its horsepower to 220 DIN, painted Conda Green.

First race in the 1000 km Rennen Nurburgring on May 31, 1970, driven by Gerhard Quist and Dietrich Krumm The Porsche 914-6GT went on to win 9 of its next 12 ADAC series races, setting lap records at Hockenheim, Germany and Zolder, Belgium, and was described as 'Europe's Fastest GT' by the German Press.

The 914 043 0691 earned Porsche the 1970 international GT Trophy. That Trophy was later presented to Auto Haus Max Moritz, thus ending its European History.

Late in 1970 #914 043 0691 was sold to Ralph Meany Inc, in Mass. USA. This car was entered as #19 in the '24 Hours of Daytona' January 31, 1971. Driven by Steve Behr, John Buffum and Erwin Kremer finishing 2nd in GTU Class and 8th Overall. (Padro Rodriguez and Jackie Oliver won the race in a Porsche 917 K).

Ralph Meany entered another Porsche 914-6, #18 also painted Conda Green, which he drove with Bill Bean and Gary Wright. They finished 21st overall.

Both cars were entered at the '12 Hours of Sebring' race on March 20, 1971. #19, now raced as #29, was driven by Steve Behr, John Buffum, and Astronaut Charles (Pete) Courad Jr. they finished 29th overall. #18, entered as #28, was heavily damaged and was later run as the 1st windshield-less GTU car in IMSA.

During 1971, #19 raced at the 'Six Hours of Watkins Glen' July 24 and ran the inaugural IMSA event at Virginia International Raceway finishing 2nd in GTU, 3rd overall. After several SCCA races in the northeast, it won the B/P Championship. (The Porsche 914-6 GT was later banned by the SCCA because of its prowess.)

Its last professional appearance was on September 19, 1971, at the 'Newly Created' Summit Point Raceway.

914 043 0691 is one of the few cars (let alone Porsches) that has both significant European and USA race history.

Targa
Chassis number: 914-043-0653

This car, The Kremer Porsche serial #914-043-0653 is one of 38 factory-built documented 914/6/GT competition cars. In 1971, the Kremer team campaigned the car in FIA Group 4 with Willi Kauhsen and Friedhelm Theissen scoring several wins. over the next 30 years, this car resided in California in the possession of Harold Van Keszycki and Llew Kinst. The last few years, the car has appeared in the Monterey Historic Races and other HMSA events. The current owner acquired the car in 2004 after a 33-year search for a real documented factory-built 914/6/GT competition car.

Targa

This is an original example of the 914-6, with very few remaining unaltered. There were 3,333 manufactured between 1969 and 1972, and approximately 2,100 were exported to the United States.

The car was purchased by the present owner in 1997, and mileage at that time was 65,000 miles. It has been driven across the US on two occasions, to participate in Porsche Club events and was driven at speed at the Circuit Mont Tremblant and Road America.

The engine is 1991 cc's, producing 110 horsepower at 5800 RPM's. It has twin Weber Down-Draft carburetors and a Porsche 901 5-speed gearbox. The top speed is approximately 125 MPH.

Targa
Chassis number: 432591

This 60,000 mile original 914/6, from the first year of 914 production, features 14-inch Fuchs alloy wheels, a 2.0-liter flat-six engine, and a 5-speed transmission. The 914/6 appeared at the same time as the four-cylinder version of the car but was a poor seller in comparison, with slightly more than 3000 sold; overall roughly 118,000 914 were sold worldwide. Entanglements with VW caused the car to be priced too close to the base 911 model to present a sufficient value to buyers. This example has fog lamps, the radio delete option, and its owner/mechanic has retained all of its books and records.

Targa
Chassis number: 9140431543

A factory-ordered car, this 914/6 competition coupe was raced in the early 1970s. The 194/6 was created as a privateer race car that was homologated based on a combination of a high-output six-cylinder engine installed in the midship engine bays of the lightweight 914. A variety of equipment selections were available for the car, but all should have large fender flares and fiberglass hoods, trunks, and doors, Plexiglass side and rear windows, and interiors stripped of items such as door handles and other trim pieces. This 914/6 is equipped with a 2.5-liter engine that was used for racing in the IMSA series.

Targa

There should always be a place for a sense of humor, particularly when it comes to the serious business of motorsport. This car represents that sense. Originally built as one of five 'Sportmatic' 914/6s produced by the factory, it was acquired by famed California body builder Dick Troutman during the early 1970s after an accident and rebuilt by him as a pickup truck. Troutman later sold it to Gunnar Racing's Kevin Jeannette a decade later. The South Florida resident restored it over a 20 year period as a 2.5-liter, five-speed 914/6 GT racing service truck. To appease Jeannette's humorous side he decorated the car as a factory entered 'high speed' on track repair and parts truck for the official Porsche Factory 914/6 GTs running in the 1970 86-Hour Marathon de la Route at the Nurburgring.

Daytona Coupe
Chassis number: 914 043 1017

This car is factory-built GT Porsche #1017. It is famous for its First in Class win at the 1971 24 Hours of Daytona and coming in 7th overall. The car was sponsored by Sunoco of Canada and was driven by owner Jacques Duval along with George Nicholas and Bob Baily. Baily had never driven a 914-6 before the race. The car went on to finish 5th in class at Sebring the same year. Although the shape might look familiar, 914-6 GTs are very rare as only about 25 were built. The Porsche factory racing department was frantically busy with the 917 program. Porsche ordered 914-6s to be pulled directly off the assembly line and sent to Porsche dealerships all over Europe to be built into race cars. This car and the Le Mans winner were built side-by-side at Sunauto in France. The cars were tricked out with special racing gear including fiberglass hood and trunk lids, fiberglass bumpers, front and rear brass oil lines, oil coolers, reinforced shock towers and racing bucket seats. The cars were raced all over and the GTs are credited with helping win enough points to bring home the GT Makes Championship for Porsche in 1970 and 1971. Porsche #1017 has never been restored and looks today as it appeared at Daytona in 1971.

Targa

Had it been any other year, the Le Mans competition debut of the 914/6 GT would have been better noticed. Sixth overall and first in GT was a superb maiden effort on the Sarthe circuit, especially for a 2-liter car. Just 3,350 six-cylinder variations of the 914 were built. The power train was all Porsche. They were further upgraded with 911S brakes (908 brakes for long-distance racing), extra chassis stiffening, steel fender flares, front oil cooler, fiberglass bumpers and deck lids.

This car was one of three Porsche 914/6 GTs entered in the Marathon de la Route at the Nurburgring in August 1970 where sprint speed is unnecessary for an 86 hour car punishing event. Three-and-a-half days of racing later, of the 64 starters in the Marathon, only 23 remained on the circuit. Ahead of the rest of the field by a wide margin were the three 914/6 GTs. They lined up to cross the finish line in a blaze of glory. How 'punished' were they? One taillight bulb was broke, a couple of window cranks were loose, two fuses had blown, one tire had gone flat - in an aggregate 18,000+ racing miles.

Targa
Chassis number: 9140431868

The Porsche 914 was a joint development project between Porsche and Volkswagen and was intended as a replacement for both the 912 and Karmann Ghia. The Targa-topped roadster was introduced in 1969 and came with a five-speed gearbox and an all-independent suspension. Most of the 115,000 Porsche 914s built from 1969 to 1976 came equipped with a four-cylinder engine, while approximately 3,300 914/6 models built by Porsche were fitted with the 2.0-liter flat six-cylinder engine from the 911 T, developing 110 horsepower.

This particular 914/6 example is finished in Signal Orange over a black leatherette interior and is equipped with Fuchs wheels, chrome bumpers, passenger-side footrest, and front fog lamps. It is in original condition with the exception of a high-quality repaint in its original hue. Around 2007 it was added to Tommy Trabue's collection and received a service in September of 2019.

by Dan Vaughan

Targa
Chassis number: 9140430032
Engine number: 6400023

The Porsche 914/6 was envisioned as a budget-friendly alternative to the 911, and between 1969 through 1972, a total of 3,350 examples were built. The standard trim proved an inadequate competitor, however, the GT conversion kit gave privateers the competitive edge they desired. The GT kit added 911 S brakes, an additional front oil cooler, wider wheels, steel fender flares, several body panels rendered in fiberglass, extra chassis reinforcement, a plexiglass rear window, a lightweight interior, and a padded leather steering wheel. A 2.0-liter Carrera 6 engine boosted output to 212 horsepower and was backed by a five-speed dogleg transmission of the contemporary 911 S, which was modified with the input shaft, exchangeable second gear, and limited-slip differential from the Porsche 904.

At the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1970, a 914/6 GT placed 6th overall and won the 2.0-liter GT class. This accomplishment was made even more impressive considering its 45th place start off the grid.

This particular example chassis 32, the first of 16 factory-prepared 914/6 examples produced in 1970. After completion at Porsche's Werk 1 facility in Zuffenhausen, the car was delivered new to Swiss resident Gustav 'Gusti' Schlup, vice president of the vibrant Ecurie Biennoise racing team.

It is believed that this example is the first of the 16 customer examples built, however, its delivery date was delayed due to the evolving list of requirements added by its owner. Among the list of options were a 110-liter fuel tank, additional dash-mounted gauges for fuel and transmission oil temperature, and thicker anti-roll bars.

The car was delivered to Schlup via distributor AMAG in early May of 1970. The car raced in thirteen races across Europe during the 1970 and 1971 seasons, including endurance events at Hockenheim, Spa, Charade, Norisring, and Mugello. Accolades achieved by the Porsche include a 2nd place finish at the Payerne Airport race on May 16th of 1971.

Ecurie Biennoise sold the car to the Swiss-registered racing outfit of Formula 1 driver Jo Bonnier in December of 1971 and soon entered the care of its next Swiss custodian, Jean Baptiste Canonica. The car participated in the 1972 2.0-liter European GT Championship with the support of Porsche Club Romand. It raced through November with notable entries at Hockenheim, Monza, Jarama, Estoril, Zolder, Zandvoort, and the Nürburgring. Among the accolades earned was a 3rd-place class finish on September 3rd at the annual Nürburgring 500 KM Eifel Cup.

after the 1972 season, the car was sent to Marcel Willemin in Geneva for an exhibition piece in his dealership. While there, the car was observed by the current owner, who purchased the car from Canonica via Willemin in September 1980. It soon received a restoration with the body being stripped to bare metal and repairing minor damage suffered during its racing career. The exterior was refinished in Guards Red, and the 2.0-liter Carrera 6 engine was removed and placed into dry storage. A 2.7-liter 911/83 unit from a Carrera RS was installed in its place. The 2.0-liter engine has since been completely rebuilt to factory specifications and the chassis was refinished in its period-correct Tangerine exterior and Ecurie Biennoise livery.

Over the past four decades, the car has been used sparingly. The car currently has an integrated roll cage, original lightweight Scheel seats, detachable fiberglass panels twin-plug ignition 2.0-liter engine, and 914/6 GT aluminum brake calipers.

by Dan Vaughan

Targa
Chassis number: 9140431910
Engine number: 6405208

This Porsche 914/6 was completed in May of 1970 and finished in Ivory over a black leatherette interior. It was a U.S.-market car and came equipped with fog lights. It is believed that it was purchased in Novato, California in March of 1985 for the price of $8,500. From at least April 30th of 1985 to early 2010, the car resided in Sun Valley, Nevada. It was then purchased by a Porsche collector from Victoria, British Columbia.

by Dan Vaughan

The Porsche 914 was introduced in September of 1969 as a collaborative effort between Porsche and Volkswagen to produce a sporty car. The car they came up with was a mid-engined vehicle with seating for two and featured a Targa top. A 4-cylinder boxer engine provided the power. Volkswagen needed a vehicle to replace the aging Karmann-Ghia while Porsche was looking for another option to add to their line up. The VW bodied vehicles were known as 914/4S while the Porsche variants were known as 914/6s. However, all 914S's sold in North America were considered Porsches.

The car sits very low and the suspension is stiff making it a great competition car rather than a touring car. The headlights hide in the hood and pop-up when needed. The Targa top can be stored in the trunk.

The horizontally opposed flat-four engine is mid-mounted and came in three different sizes, 1.7, 1.8, or 2 liters. The 1.7-liter engine produced 80 horsepower, the 1.8 produced 79, and the 2.0-liter engine produced 95. A five-speed manual gearbox was standard equipment on all models.

The 914/6 was short-lived with only 3360 examples produced between 1970 and 1972. All featured the 2.0-liter flat-six engine. It was raced using different engine configurations. This included the 'T' specification, which was basically a stock 911 engine. Another popular configuration was to use a converted Carrera 6 engine.

In 1970 Porsche entered a 914/6 GT in the grueling 24-hours of Le Mans race. It finished 6th overall and won its class. A remarkable accomplishment. This was only one chapter in the vehicle's extensive racing career which continues even to this day.

by Dan Vaughan

Just happening to be the cheapest modern Porsche one could buy, the Porsche 914 debuted with a low price point to attract buyers. When first introduced at the Frankfurt Automobile Show in September of 1969, the Porsche 914 was a return to Porsche's roots. The 914 was a much more affordable Volkswagen-based sports vehicle that was conceived to bring the pride and pleasure of owning a Porsche to a wider audience than before.

Near the end of the 1960's, both Porsche and Volkswagen were searching for new models. Porsche needed a new model to replace their entry-level 912 and Volkswagen was seeking a new range-topping sports coupe that could replace the aging Karmann Ghia. To fulfill their contract, Volkswagen needed to contract out one final project and the mid-engined 914 Porsche was this project. The head of this project was Ferdinand Piëch, a designer in charge of research and development at Porsche. The 914 with seating for two, featured a Targa top, and was sold collaboratively by Porsche and Volkswagen from 1969 through 1976.

The 914 was originally intended to be sold with a flat four-cylinder engine as a Volkswagen and carrying the flat six-cylinder engine as a Porsche, Porsche was able to convince Volkswagen to sell both versions as Porsches in North America. The Porsche 914 sat very low and had a stiff suspension which made it a great competition vehicle instead of a touring car. The Targa top can be stored in the trunk, and the headlights hide in the hood and could be popped-up when needed.

The first 914 Prototype was introduced on March 1st, 1968. Unfortunately, the death of Heinz Hordhoff, the chairman of Volkswagen complicated the development as his successor Kurt Lotz chose not to be tied within the verbal agreement between Porsche and Volkswagen. Lotz believed that Porsche had no claim at all to the model, and Volkswagen claimed all, especially when Porsche would not share in tooling expenses.

All of this resulted in the price of the chassis rising considerably and the 914/6 costing only slightly less than the 911T, Porsche's next lowest-priced vehicle. Sales were dramatically affected, and the 914/6 did not sell well. The less expensive 914-4 became Porsche's top seller during its run and managed to outsell the 911 very easily, with a total of 118,000 vehicles sold worldwide.

Taking the idea from the 1969 911T, the 914/6 variant featured a carbureted 110 hp 2.0 L flat-6 engine, while Volkswagen versions originally came with an 80 hp fuel-injected 1.7 L flat-4 engine that was based on the Volkswagen's air-cooled engine. The 914's engine was placed in the middle, in front of a version of the 1969 911's '901' gearbox, so it was set up for mid-engine operation. The rolling chassis was manufactured by Karmann at his own plant, and then either sent them to Porsche for fitment of the Porsche suspension and flat-six engine, or they were kept in-house for Volkswagen hardware. The brakes and suspension used in 914/6 models were very similar to the Porsche 911.

A joint venture between Volkswagen and Porsche in the beginning, export to the U.S. was taken care of by Volkswagen of America, where both versions were sold and badged as Porsches. The four-cylinder vehicles were sold as Volkswagen- Porsches in Europe, at Volkswagen dealerships.

From 1970 through 1972 the 914 models featured both front and rear bumpers that were flat across and were available in either painted metal or chrome. For 1973 the vehicle received new bumpers stops, and for the following year, bumper stops were also added to the rear of the vehicle. The bumpers were heavy and rubber covered from 1975 through 1976.

Unfortunately, the 914/6 variants were discontinued in 1972 due to rising costs and very slow sales. A total of 3,360 units were produced during its cycle. In 1973 a brand new 95 hp 2.0L, fuel-injected version of the Volkswagen's Type 4 engine replaced the 914/6. The following year, the 1.7 L engine was replaced by a 76 hp 1.8 L. To aid with emissions control, the new Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection system was added to American units. Production for the 914 ended in 1976 and the 2.0 L flat-4 engine continued to be used in the 912E, which was the entry-level model until the 924 was introduced.

For 1970, the Porsche 914 was named Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year. Finishing sixth overall at the '70 24 Hours of Le Mans, a 914/6 GT piloted by Claude Ballot-Lena and Guy Chasseuil won the GTS class.

Several special edition models of the Porsche 914 were created over the years. Nearly 500 models of the Creamsicle 914 were created; a light ivory-based color scheme concept, basically a carryover from the '73 911 Carrera RS series car design precedent. 500 Bumblebee models were produced. The Bumblebee featured a black exterior with yellow decals, bumpers, skirts, and wheels.

by Jessican Donaldson