This car has been lurking around over the past few years in various states of completion, but this is the first I have seen it done. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h4tyqq8ip9I#fauxfullscreen

In a word - fabulous

Came out much cooler than I thought it was heading. Rod is a talented creative guy.

When will we see a Polo 914?

I usually like his cars but this one screams - UGLY.

no....

Seems he has hit the limit on the 356 chassis.
Interesting idea...BUTT ugly...

Sorry

I kind of like the rear view but the front is awful.

I agree and honestly I'm a little sick of seeing so many pics of it on Instagram. to the point I'm not following him anymore.

Hard to say anything else really.

I really understand the ugly comments - purely from an esthetic point of view. But I like it from a tribute/continuation/boy racer point of view.

Can’t argue the build quality though.

Amazing build, I'm guessing it's built for Momo (all the momo bits on it), crazy details and work gone into it.

But like other's say, a 356 doesn't look right as an IMSA-like silhouette car.

BTW no reason to do a POLO engine in a 914, since it's not hanging off the rear end of the car...and they are $$$$$, like 1.5-2x the price of a /6 build

It's a massive project that's for sure. There are some design elements that don't sit right with me but it certainly has appeal. It's easy to sit back and critique it, harder to actually build something.

The engine is a masterpiece, contrary to popular belief it is not just a chopped 6. Many, many, hours of R&D have gone into it. I caught a small glimpse of it when talking to the engineer behind it who never gets any notoriety. It's a marvelous piece of engineering.

It sounded like this was a new 964 type casting, not a Polo. It’s a very cool engine but I’m not sure it makes sense other than a way to spend really big money. Sure a 4 is lighter and smaller than a six but then your going to hang twin turbos off the back so I’m sure most if not all the weight and size was added back in. It’s not hard to do 375 hp on a 964/993 engine so getting it in a TT4 is cool but ....

I think someone did a silver 914 with almost the same front end. It was fugly.

Not my taste at all.

I like it. I don't know why you guys are calling it ugly. Ugly is the old AMC Gremlin.

My understanding (though that comes from magazine articles) was that the original versions were chopped 911 engines. In particular, the crankcase and cam towers were cut; the heads are individual already, and the cam and crankshaft of course were made for them. (Cast? Forged?)

Once they had proved the concept, they moved on to having the cases cast. Not sure about the cam towers, but if you're doing a casting for the crankcase already...

Though as I said, this is from magazine articles so it may be less than perfectly correct.

--DD

Oops.

For me it's the other way around. I could live with the front, but the back is way over done. I fail to see much 356 in there though.

Yes, they said in the video the first engines that other people did were chopped but this was a new casting. I get it, it's a showpiece and creating something controversial actually gets it more press than something cool but under the radar. Like a previous poster said, it's all ready all over the internet where a super nice 356 restoration won't get much eyeballs.
But even if I don't think it's pretty, I think it's a hell of a build.

Had the opportunity to see it first hand at Rod's shop prior to completion. Here are some photos of it late in the build process before paint. The build quality is exceptional, Period!

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Dean Polopolus the developer (aka the Polo ) of the engine not only gets no mention, but there is a copy of his engine being mfg. The copy-engine is very hard to discern from the Polo. So...not knowing more about that bit of reverse engineering; the valve covers (seen in early pictures of the build) on this 356 are stamped EMORY.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder (keyholder ?), in this case the Momo folks got every dime spent on their custom build that they wanted.

I always liked the baby turbo 356 they did several years ago. An outlaw with style!

My understanding is that there is the Polo motor and then there is this version developed by Emory and Rothsport. Rod mentions a short version of the evolution in the video. Not sure why you would go to all the trouble to develope your own when the Polo is already out there, but I am sure they had their reasons

He mentions at one point that this motor is for their exclusive use, not for public consumption. I guess it is another way to distinguish the Emory brand. I

His (or sponsor) money and his car. Do want you want.

Absolutely no appeal to me. But, that doesn't matter because I'm not his target audience anyway

Yes, I've noticed more and more that some aren't referred to as Polos anymore, bummer someone is making copies...but that's the way it goes.

I wonder if the Emory one is based on that guy that was going to start casting his own 3.6 (964/993 style) cases

I had the pleasure of seeing an early Polo under a 356 track car being converted back to street duty, on a lift at my friend's shop (also my 356 guy and 2.7 engine builder) and it was super cool!
The details in the early Polos were very much like the old 356 guys I hang out with...just make it work well and drive the piss out of it. cut valve covers etc.
The same guys that show up to our bi-monthly brunches at various strip malls in speedsters, convertible Ds, a Carerra 2, and their other non 356 stuff.

Every time I go to his shop there is a treat to see. Glad I got to see an early Polo from underneath!