What Is It?, Silly Question Options

[Larmo63]

I am not new to classic cars, or Porsches in general. As a relative newcomer to the 914, I look at it, think about it, and try to come to terms with it as to what it is. By that, I mean is it more Volkswagen, or is it a Porsche? It may seem like a silly question, it has a multitude of P-car parts, but says VW on the glass. The deckled says Porsche, but the steering column is pure Volkswagen. The transmission and engine (in mine) is a Porsche design made by Volkswagen? It is a radical departure from the Karmann Ghia which it replaced. Weird. Split personality disorder?

[KELTY360]

A lot of irony surrounds the 914. The NARP thing is real and was perpetrated by the early 911 crowd who got it in their minds that to be a "real" Porsche it had to have a six cylinder engine. Even though sixes were put in 914s, the predominant image was that of an entry level (read cheap) sports car with a bus engine that did not rise to the exclusive stature of their 911s. I couldn't begin to count the number of times I heard, "it's just a Volkswagen", in reference to my new '73 1.7. I'd always just agree, thinking if this was the sports car that VW built that they'd done a pretty amazing job. It's also why, to this day, I don't think of myself as a Porsche owner so much as a 914 owner.

Years later, when I found this 914 community it was gratifying to see that the spirit of the redheaded step child had been embraced as a badge of defiance against pretense and exclusivity. I discovered a group of avid enthusiasts who saw through the ignorance because of the simple fact that these cars were an absolute blast to drive. It was true in 1973 and it's true in 2014.

The ironic thing is that the NARP heritage is the opposite of it's true character. We all know that the first Porsche was a mid-engined four cylinder creation based on a modified VW engine. Truth is that the 914 embodies the spirit and concept of Dr. Porsche's vision. It represents a throwback to the founding era of the car. Maybe in some eyes it will never be a 'real' Porsche....but it will always be a True Porsche.