Time warp from June 1970, 914 Options

[unpolire]

Yesterday I obtained a life-long collection of automotive publications from a true enthusiast, who has not only owned cars that you can only dream of, but has met many of the people who helped form the car hobby, like the publishers, John and Elaine Bond, who started Road & Track magazine afterwards! In opening one box, I found a June 1970 issue of Road & Track with an article I had never seen or heard of: Fiat 124, MGB, TR-6, and Porsche 914 Comparison Test! They drove each car 1,250 miles for the comparison. If no one has already done so, I will happily get this 6-page article scanned into an archive, etc., so others can read it. What I love is their final remark on the 914, as it perfectly sums up the 914, even today (non-2L models): "In two words, the Porsche 914 is Futuristic but Unresolved. It has the ingredients of a fine sports car, but at present is not sophisticated enough for its high price. A handsomer nose, better shift linkage and minor suspension development would do the job."

[sixerdon]

Anyone looking for a drop top foreign sports car in 1970 were reading the "big 3" auto publications. Motor Trend (import car car of the year) and Car & Driver each published an article of the 914 in their June issues. There was plenty of reading to do followed by a test drive at a local P+A dealership which were still sprouting up around the country with brand new state of the art facilities. Much was anticipated in 914 sales, but the future of the 914 was to be short lived when compared to the other makes in the R&T article. The 914 just cost too much for most enthusiasts looking for an entry level sports car and the R&T article points that out.
One interesting observation in the article was that the 914 had a "......still unexplained engine failure.....which quit without warning while cruising at 70 mph on the desert....." Go figure....

Don

[Mr.242]

I would love to have some color scanned copies. With the cover too.....

I need to have some documentation for my car when I make an info board for it at car shows. I would appreciate it. Not sure if I would use it, but it certainly has a cool nostalgia sound to it.

thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)