The Truth About Cars 914 Article Options

[Ferg]

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http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/porsches-...po/#more-362120

[Ferg]

A flared-fender, balls-out variant, the 916, exists mostly in myth. Six were produced and only two hundred of those survive today.

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[tornik550]

Seems like the author of the article doesn't have a good understanding of 914's. One thing that I believe was left out is the 914's handling. Much more fun that a "real" porsche.

[VaccaRabite]

"The truth about cars" is a blog that is about cars, but that also seems to HATE cars. I have read very few articles from them that actually lauded the automobile.
But I suppose that it is safe to say that the 914 was a relative failure for Porsche, and VW did pretty much leave them holding the stick for it.

Zach

[EdwardBlume]

I love it when people are negative on lowly 914s. I don't want our cars to be validated by Porsche elite or revered by the general masses....

I enjoy my car immensely... and since YOU drive one, you know what I mean...

The 914 is a quirkly german engineered fun car which captured many generations of dreamers, racers, and drivers...

Keep it between us, but what more do you really need?

[Bleyseng]

"The truth about cars" is a blog that is about cars, but that also seems to HATE cars. I have read very few articles from them that actually lauded the automobile.
But I suppose that it is safe to say that the 914 was a relative failure for Porsche, and VW did pretty much leave them holding the stick for it.

Zach

Another myth, as selling 115,000 cars in 6 years was considered a success by Porsche especially in the tough early '70's where the Mark rose daily and the dollar dropped daily...The 914 went from $2999 in 70 to $7500 in 76.

[VaccaRabite]

Sure. But compared to, say, the 924 or 944 (ie - the other cheap-o NARPS), the 6 year production run is really short for a "successful" model.

And, yes, 115,000 is a lot of cars. But 20K a year is not, on the grander scheme of things. It is only barely viable - especially if it is poaching from the higher margin cars like the 911. If the 914 was considered a successful platform, Porsche would have continued to manufacture them and not moved to the 924 platform.

Zach

[Cupomeat]

Yes, that article says 3 things;
1. This is not a real car guy, NOR a car article
2. This was meant for entertainment and it succeeds
3. Misconceptions about the 914 will persists longer than I will be alive.

Also, the suggestion that a x1/9 is superior to a 914 in anyway is AMAZING. I reread it twice to see if he was trying to be funny there, but as there was no NYT or Commie reference, I assumed he was just misinformed.

entertaining, thanks for pointing it out.

[patssle]

Do ya'll really care what others think about the 914? If you're worried about status, go buy a modern 911 - then people will gawk at you.

I for one would rather keep the myth that the 914 is a nothing car - thus parts stay cheaper.

[Tom_T]

Sure. But compared to, say, the 924 or 944 (ie - the other cheap-o NARPS), the 6 year production run is really short for a "successful" model.

And, yes, 115,000 is a lot of cars. But 20K a year is not, on the grander scheme of things. It is only barely viable - especially if it is poaching from the higher margin cars like the 911. If the 914 was considered a successful platform, Porsche would have continued to manufacture them and not moved to the 924 platform.

Zach

Zach & All - the 914s accomplished a sales volume in 6 years - which took 15+ for the 356 series to make, & better than the comparable 911 sales - far better than 912's on an annual basis 60's-70's, and is actually respectable at +/-20k per year vs. Boxster sales today - if you look at Porsche's current/recent numbers (and even relative to the annual sales cheaper & lesser handling/performing Ghia which it was intended to replace).

The myth is that the 914 was somehow a less than successful design - is was a well engineered, excellent handling - better than 911/912/356 & even today's taildraggers, & decent selling sports car by any measure then or now from a niche car maker like Porsche.

It was more a victim of unfortunate circumstances - rising monetary exchange rates, runaway inflation, repeated oil crisis & end of Vietnam War related recessions, death of 1/2 of the handshake deal between Porsche's & VW's CEO's with a new VW CEO going in a different direction (raping Porsche for the 914-6 Karmann bodies & water cooled VW's & 924), & biggest of all IMHO - was a neutered & confusing VW-Porsche name - instead of just letting VW market it as a Porsche worldwide - as they'd been doing all along before that for the 911's & heavily VW-parted 912's & 356's.

[SirAndy]

the 914s accomplished a sales volume in 6 years - which took 15+ for the 356 series to make, & better than the comparable 911 sales - far better than 912's on an annual basis 60's-70's, and is actually respectable at +/-20k per year vs. Boxster sales today - if you look at Porsche's current/recent numbers

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[windforfun]

Yes, that article says 3 things;
1. This is not a real car guy, NOR a car article
2. This was meant for entertainment and it succeeds
3. Misconceptions about the 914 will persists longer than I will be alive.

Also, the suggestion that a x1/9 is superior to a 914 in anyway is AMAZING. I reread it twice to see if he was trying to be funny there, but as there was no NYT or Commie reference, I assumed he was just misinformed.

entertaining, thanks for pointing it out.

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The contemporary competition was garbage. The Fiats, Lancias, MGs, & Triumphs were pieces of junk. Some may have been faster, but they were still pieces of junk with bad fundamentals (poor material quality, small wheels, fixed rear axles, drum brakes, tractor engines, etc.). The comparison is a joke!!! Even the JH was a piece of crap.

[Nürburg Nomad]

Sure. But compared to, say, the 924 or 944 (ie - the other cheap-o NARPS), the 6 year production run is really short for a "successful" model.

And, yes, 115,000 is a lot of cars. But 20K a year is not, on the grander scheme of things. It is only barely viable - especially if it is poaching from the higher margin cars like the 911. If the 914 was considered a successful platform, Porsche would have continued to manufacture them and not moved to the 924 platform.

Zach

Zach & All - the 914s accomplished a sales volume in 6 years - which took 15+ for the 356 series to make, & better than the comparable 911 sales - far better than 912's on an annual basis 60's-70's, and is actually respectable at +/-20k per year vs. Boxster sales today - if you look at Porsche's current/recent numbers (and even relative to the annual sales cheaper & lesser handling/performing Ghia which it was intended to replace).

The myth is that the 914 was somehow a less than successful design - is was a well engineered, excellent handling - better than 911/912/356 & even today's taildraggers, & decent selling sports car by any measure then or now from a niche car maker like Porsche.

It was more a victim of unfortunate circumstances - rising monetary exchange rates, runaway inflation, repeated oil crisis & end of Vietnam War related recessions, death of 1/2 of the handshake deal between Porsche's & VW's CEO's with a new VW CEO going in a different direction (raping Porsche for the 914-6 Karmann bodies & water cooled VW's & 924), & biggest of all IMHO - was a neutered & confusing VW-Porsche name - instead of just letting VW market it as a Porsche worldwide - as they'd been doing all along before that for the 911's & heavily VW-parted 912's & 356's.

Quite well said! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[KELTY360]

Git a rope (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hanged.gif)

[rick 918-S]

I think this was a comedy skit loosely based on facts. IE: comparing a 4 place GM car by price and straight line preformance is either intended to be funny or a bad attempt at a the comedy skit "Who's on First".

If this was supposed to be an article based in fact the author should have compared the 914 to the two seat plastic pig made by GM. Then the author could have at least made a dollar for dollar MSRP and went on to comment that the plastic pig would out HP the 914 by 110hp. 1973 350 c.i.= 190hp. But every 70's vintage plastic pig that ever followed a 914 into the twisty did one of two things. They either learned what 914 tail lights look like at a distance or the limit of their G60 Polyglass tires as they left the road. That IS the pucker factor.

[orange914]

And, yes, 115,000 is a lot of cars. But 20K a year is not, on the grander scheme of things. It is only barely viable - especially if it is poaching from the higher margin cars like the 911. Zach

interesting point, the stay power AND actual useability(?) of the 914's, is what they are about. say the mustang, that sold 1 M in a year and a half, may have higher resale but from my experiance with them(since 77') the owners really don't enjoy them like a real narp porshe... this is where the REAL value is!

[914Sixer]

What a load of CRAP!!!!!!!! The guy is full of more stuff than the Christmas turkey.

[Tom_T]

Oops, somehow duped my comment above by accident.

... but while I'm here, that id author could use a little fact checking, as most of his so called facts & figures were wrong in that article!
..... for instance - 6 "real" 916s !!??
........ one stop at the info section on 914world could've saved him the embarrassment!

[Tom_T]

Sure. But compared to, say, the 924 or 944 (ie - the other cheap-o NARPS), the 6 year production run is really short for a "successful" model.

And, yes, 115,000 is a lot of cars. But 20K a year is not, on the grander scheme of things. It is only barely viable - especially if it is poaching from the higher margin cars like the 911. If the 914 was considered a successful platform, Porsche would have continued to manufacture them and not moved to the 924 platform.

Zach

Zach & All - I respectfully beg to differ, but I think Porsche would be gleeful to have a model selling at 20k a year added to their current line-up, as it would be better than ANY of their current models! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Look at the current sales numbers for Porsche at this article (link below), then compare it to those for the 914 in the info section on here. They're only at 22k to 27k for the past 2 years' periods for all models sold in the US/Canada by PCNA - assuming year-to-date nos. in the chart at the link below is 1/2 year - 6 mos. IIRC the PCNA share is 40-50% of worldwide sales today, so double them up again. And the Boxter/Cayman sales even worldwide are half of the 914's 71, 73 & 74 best years at over 20k!

Porsche really is not a high volume producer even now - 35-40 years later, even for all their high-faluting (sp?) plans over the years! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/porsche-r...nk=MW_news_stmp

FYI - Porsche moved off of the 914s because they lost the line at the Karmann Plant to other VW models IIRC - not because they were abandoning the aircooled 4-banger 914, & they kept aircooled 911s well into the 1990's anyway. Our 914s actually were a far more successful sports car than the Nader-esque Naysayers like to portray! If they'd continued with it after 76 MY & after the VW-Porsche JV broke up, then taken the 4's & maybe later re-intro'ed the 6's & further developed the cars as they did the 911/930 & "other NARPs", then it would've probably outsold the water-fronts (924/944/968/928) & still been around as survivors today in a "New NARP" IMHO waterboxer form! .... oh wait, they do have that - Boxter/Cayman!

BTW - their new Pres/CEO is talking a new entry level Porsche with lower mileage to meet CAFE standards with high volume sales - in addition to moving the 918 Hybrid to production. So they may actually do a "modern" 356 or 914 back-to-basics sports car sometime soon.
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[type47]

...
But I suppose that it is safe to say that the 914 was a relative failure for Porsche, and VW did pretty much leave them holding the shit-end of the stick for it.

fixed that for ya. Death knell from the start (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)