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Things You Didn't Know About Porsche 914

  • The 914 was manufactured following Volkswagen's need to boost its reputation by producing a vehicle sportier than the Beetle. However, the company did not have the know-how and the credibility to produce a sports car. Heinz Nordhoff, then head of VW, solved this by signing a deal with Ferry Porsche, which saw Porsche design and develop the sports car that used the VW Type 4 engine.

  • The Porsche 914 parts for the 1969 debut model were mainly Volkswagen's. This was done as a symbol of relationship between the two companies.

  • Heinz Nordhoff and Ferry Porsche agreed that the 914 can be marketed under both brands. The VW 914 would have a VW engine, while the Porsche 914 would have a Porsche engine. So the 914/4 model in the US only had the Porsche crest.

  • Two prototype 914s, dubbed as the 914/8, were built in 1969-one orange and another in silver. The silver, road-registered car was prepared as a gift to Ferry Porsche for his 60th birthday. However, Ferry was not very fond of the car which can now be found in the Porsche Museum. Compared to the orange 914/8, the silver prototype was much closer to the standard 914's specs.

  • Today, the number of surviving 914s is inconsistent across enthusiast organizations. These organizations are constantly gathering data, although one of them reported that there are still 42,000 Porsche 914s being used.

  • Although the 914 was pulled out of production 35 years ago, repair parts for the model are still available today. This is thanks to the efforts of small companies and enterprising enthusiasts who want to keep the 914 community alive.

  • The 914 gained recognition on the racetrack. It was considered to be a formidable vehicle in races and performed excellently in a lot of races (e.g. International GT, Virginia International Raceway, Monterey Historic Races). The success can probably be attributed to the fact that the 914 was engineered similar to the 911 but had a mid-engine configuration that removed tail-happy tendencies. This impressive racetrack record eventually forced the Sports Car Club of America to ban the 914/6 GT model from races.

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  • Porsche 914 Problems

    17 January 2013

    The 914 is Porsche's baby with Volkswagen and was introduced in 1969. The car is a mid-engine, two-seat vehicle intended to replace Porsche's entry-level 912. Although the 914 underwent a series of modifications to address the problems it had in the early stages, 914 owners cannot sit relaxed. To name a few, here are some of the common problems experienced by the drivers.


    Mixed components

    Even before getting to the specs, the 914 had issues with its components and accessories. The problem is basically because the 914 was engineered by Porsche but had VW components. Enthusiasts even refused to consider the vehicle as a full-fledged Porsche. According to them, the 914 had poor shift linkage, awkward styling, and cut-rate quality that reflect the low-cost components. This led to a cold welcome from the motoring press, as well as from the buyers.


    Loose battery

    A notable complaint against the early versions of 914s was the placement of the battery above the fuel lines. In this set-up, a failure of the battery case such as rust, which is very common for this part, could cause the battery to drop onto the fuel lines, which would then cause the car to burst into flames. In some cases, even a drop of acid from the battery is enough to have the 914 explode. A common counter measure before done by owners was replacing the car's fragile fuel lines with braided stainless lines.

    However, the problem soon led to a recall in 1970. The NHTSA found that the fuel line connections were improperly assembled, risking small quantities of fuel to escape. To address this, the company relocated the fuel pump and lines. Porsche transferred the fuel pump to a cooler location away from the engine, which also helped cut down the possibility of vapor lock.


    Poor engine

    Another issue people had with the earlier versions of the 914 was the engine. Apparently, VW and Porsche decided to use Volkswagen's air-cooled, flat four engines with a 1.7-liter and 80hp capability. With this specs, it was far from being a performance engine. Thus despite a lightweight body, a 0-to-60mph came only after 13 seconds.


    Shift lever placement

    The 914 has a five-speed transaxle with a dogleg first gear, much like the Porsche 911. It takes more effort to quickly go through the gears, possibly too much for the driver's comfort.

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