The Truth About Cars 914 Article Options

[Ferg]

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

[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

[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.