MYTHBUSTERS: Did Gugelot really design the 914? Options

[SirAndy]

"Did Gugelot design the 914 as claimed by some lately and printed in a few so called expert Publications?"


here's what DGVWPB (Das Grosse VW-Porsche Buch) has to say about this topic on page 23 (scan attached):

==========================
There's a lot of talk and Rumors

The History of the Design of the 914 has often been connected to the Designer Hans Gugelot.
The Source for the worldwide spread of this mis-information is, in retrospect, the Porsche "Bible",
Karl Ludvigsens book "Porsche - Geschichte und Technik der Renn- und Sportwagen".

Quote from his Book:
"How did a car have to look like that on one hand had to fit into the VW Model-Line and
at the same time had to have the signature touch of Ferry Porsche.
For marketing reasons the car had to be different from the current Porsche Model-Line.
There was no intention to simply copy an existing design ... to solve this without bias,
it was decided to outsource the design to the company Gugelot."

Inquiries with the Porsche Factory, personal talks with Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the head
of the Porsche Design Studios at the time as well as talks with employees of the Gugelot Company
did, however, not verify Ludvigsens theory. Gugelot was never commissioned with the Design of
the 914. Furthermore, Porsche did not use the Gugelot-Auto as the base or template of their own Design.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche:
"Gugelot never did anything to the Car! They had a car that had a few similarities with the 914,
that's all. The most one could do is to point out those similarities, but Gugelot had nothing to do with the Car.
It's always the same, there's a lot of talk and rumors, like when people say that my grandfather once worked for Renault ..."

Some Background:
In the early 60s, Gugelot together with the Bayer-Werke designed a plastic car that was based on a BMW.
Like the 914, this car separated itself from others through it's clear-cut lines. The car pictured in
Ludvigsens "Bible" and wrongly labeled the "Gugelot-Auto" was in fact a one-off prototype that never
made production. In addition, quite a few other Car designs of that area show similarities to the
Gugelot-Car and the 914, like the pictured Fiat 2300 with a Chassis Design by Pinifarina.

The Myth of Gugelots involvement in the Design of the 914 is especially wide-spread in the American
Literature. David Coleman for example claims that Gugelots "stark" design was influenced by Braun's
Toasters of the same Era ..."
==========================


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) Andy

PS: click on the thumb below for a full size version of the scan ...

[neo914-6]

Still trying to get that "true" Porsche connection, huh? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Where are the other four designs?

If the Gugelot's BMW proposal was done prior or part of the inhouse competition, I see features heavily predicating or "infuencing" the production design. For instance, the greenhouse shape, the signal light "pods", and the door lines. Hats off to whomever changed the front to mid engine it really helped the proportions. Of course this writer may not have done his homework as you're suggesting.

I really don't care about the whom, but the styling progression interests me...

[SirAndy]

Still trying to get that "true" Porsche connection, huh?

not really. i would be just as happy if gugelot or bois or pinifarina had designed the 914. no need for a "porsche" connection to like the 914.

BUT, i am *very* interested in the factual history, and it seems Michael von Klodt has done his homework.

i think that the fact that neither Ferdinand Alexander Porsche nor any of the former employees of Gugelot, nor anyone else who was actually involved in the process, can remember Gugelot having anything to do with the 914 design, well, that is fact enough for me ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

btw, your picture above is from Karl Ludvigsens book, which was wrongly labeled the "Gugelot-Auto" in the book.
if you look at the scan of the page from DGVWPB, in the top righthand corner is a picture of the real Gugelot Auto, which was actually produced and driven.

if you're really interested in the "styling progression" you *should* pay attention to the actual facts at hand and not just pick pieces that you would have liked to have played a role ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Andy

[neo914-6]

BUT, i am *very* interested in the factual history, and it seems Michael von Klodt has done his homework.

if you're really interested in the "styling progression" you *should* pay attention to the actual facts at hand and not just pick pieces that you would have liked to have played a role ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Andy

"seems" isn't conclusive to me or any court (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) . I found the Gugelot photo on a PCA site and only have internet material because I've found zero 914 information in the automotive industrial design or styling tradebooks that I'm aware of. Almost all of the articles refer to Gugelot and the VW & Porsche joint venture. Dam me and all the authors who didn't go to Germany to do their homework. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

IMHO Porsche gets the credit for completing the 914 design but it was an obvious departure from the Porsche design status que. I believe (as many have written) that an industrial design firm (Gugelot) had a hand because the 914 design is product oriented, not highly stylized and because the conceptual shape is not classic teardrop...

[SirAndy]

I believe (as many have written) that an industrial design firm (Gugelot) had a hand because the 914 design is product oriented, not highly stylized and because the conceptual shape is not classic teardrop...

well, you really should get DGVWPB and learn to read german. one of the next pages i'm going to translate actually outlines the whole design process and has personal quotes from Heinrich Klie, among others, as to how, when and where the design of the 914 came about.

you are correct in your assumption that the design was a departure from the classic porsche "teardrop" and as outlined in the book, that was very much on purpose.

you are, however, mistaken when it comes to your assumption of the involvement of the Gugelot design firm. in the book, Klie, Porsche and others cleary state that Gugelot had abosulutely nothing to do with the design and that his firm was most certainly never commissioned by Porsche to do any design work.

the truth is out there ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/alien_2.gif) Andy