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JeffBowlsby
This sent to me from an LE owner:

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2020/histor...-914-19743.html
Cal
Great article....thanks for posting!
Thunderchief
Very cool!
KELTY360
Fascinating.
914forme
Love this line "An entry-level Porsche not in terms of the price, but the sense of reduction. "

I would love to see a basic minimal model in the lower price range, not going to happen. Minute Porsche labels it as special, lightweight, limited, etc... everything gets minimal but the $$$$$$$$$$$$$
Superhawk996
Thank you for reposting. Cool!
DickSteinkamp
"A modern 550"

Love it!
jagalyn
Great article. Amazing... that's a lot of new information about the 914 I haven't read before.
Tdskip
Thanks Jeff
VegasRacer
Fabulous article. Thanks for sharing. smilie_flagge6.gif
It is so nice to read something that is more than a puff piece or designed to cause controversy. I learned something, plus I now love my 914 even more than I did before.
Big Len
Enjoyable read.
bbrock
As noted at the bottom of the article, the full interview was included in the Delius-Klasing book “50 Jahre Porsche 914” [50 Years of the Porsche 914]. There is a LOT more interesting info like this packed in that book and I highly recommend it.
Literati914
The 550 spyder may have been they're original inspiration but the car has more of a 908 or 910 vibe in some ways. Actually the 904 is closer.. I mean I've always assumed they had basically tamed down the 904 for the basic 914 design - they're very similar imho.
I'd actually love for the 914 to have a little more 550 influence at the top of the rear fenders (kinda like the rounded top of the front fenders, but in the back), jmho. Very cool article though, thanks for posting!


falcor75
Thank you for posting this !
krazykonrad
Really interesting article. I'm glad there seems to be some acknowledgement of the classic less-is-more philosophy still there at Porsche.
eric9144
Cool article, how bout that scale model though!!! drooley.gif Even has roof latches in the close up they show beerchug.gif
pete000
Great stuff !
Mitox
Great article, thanks
JeffBowlsby
What should excite us all is that Porsches’ current Head of Design is passionately interested in the intrinsic qualities of the 914.

This could bode very well for us in future P-car offerings.
type47fan
QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jan 28 2020, 06:23 PM) *

What should excite us all is that Porsches’ current Head of Design is passionately interested in the intrinsic qualities of the 914.

This could bode very well for us in future P-car offerings.


Also obvious, is that Porsche's current Head of Design considers the 914 to be "a real Porsche"!

Click to view attachment
falcor75
QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jan 29 2020, 03:23 AM) *

What should excite us all is that Porsches’ current Head of Design is passionately interested in the intrinsic qualities of the 914.

This could bode very well for us in future P-car offerings.


My conspirational brain says that they are just trying to elevate the 914 badge for a future relaunch of the EV that showed up a week or so ago. stirthepot.gif
bbrock
I think this abbreviated version of the article makes Mauer seem more of a dedicated fan than comes across in the full text of the interview. Here is an excerpt from the full interview in the book:

Lewandowski: How would you assess the design of the 914 from a personal perspective?
Mauer: "I still find the car quite bizarre, but my impression has changed during the course of this conversation. I never really thougt too hard about the 914 until now. As a result of the last hour's discussion and the fact that I have understood the times in which the car originated, I come back to my original point - the thing is incredibly modern, particularly with regard to the initial models. It's incredibly impressive to see how the results are way ahead of anything else at the time. This wasn't really on my radar until now. The car has almost no floor plan, but this central element is extremely consistent. To have the courage to design such a big surface without a single bead or extraneous element is genuinely awesome. I really like the rear of the car. From a modern perspective, the process in getting to this result is quite fascinating. I still have some difficulties with the car, but for me what counts is what was achieved at the time..."

It's pretty clear the interview is the result of a man seriously considerig the 914 for the first time. Whether those impressions of a future role for a "pure" Porsche will stick is anyone's guess. I hope so.

As for him thinking this is a "real Porsche," it's not just him. What I really love about the book that contains this full interview is that it completely revolutionized my view of the 914's place in Porsche history. I already knew that the "Porsche in name only" is total BS as anyone who has wrenched on these cars does. I also thought the NARP label was undeserved but assumed that VW had a significant influence on engineering and design. The archival information presented in the book clearly shows that is far from the truth. This car was pure Porsche. The original concept was pure Porsche as was the design. The only input I can see that VW had was to quibble over swapping in VW parts to save cost whenever they were plug and play without compromising design. Even the selection of the Type IV engine made perfect sense from a purely Porsche design standard.

The only thing NARP about these cars was the sometimes awkward partnership in manufacturing and marketing. I didn't realize this partnership is the whole reason VW-Porsche-Audi delerships were created in the US. As a result of reading the book, I've come to believe "Volkswagen in name only" is a more accurate description of the 914. That's not from any snobbery of VW either. I've never had any issue with the VW heritage of these cars. It's a proud heritage. But the facts revealed in this book show the design of the 914 is pure Porsche.
76-914
A good read. Thx for posting this. It's a confirmation of what we already felt for these great little cars. One only needs to drive one to be convinced. beerchug.gif
SirAndy
QUOTE(type47fan @ Jan 28 2020, 10:11 PM) *
QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jan 28 2020, 06:23 PM) *
What should excite us all is that Porsches’ current Head of Design is passionately interested in the intrinsic qualities of the 914.
This could bode very well for us in future P-car offerings.

Also obvious, is that Porsche's current Head of Design considers the 914 to be "a real Porsche"!

Also obvious, he doesn't actually like the design of the 914 ...
shades.gif
Ansbacher
QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jan 28 2020, 09:23 PM) *

What should excite us all is that Porsches’ current Head of Design is passionately interested in the intrinsic qualities of the 914.

This could bode very well for us in future P-car offerings.


The future of P-Cars, sad to say, is all-electric, robot-factory made, bottom line mandated, overly complicated automobiles. Porsche ditched its traditional roots ca. 1997 and will never return to them.

Ansbacher
bbrock
QUOTE(SirAndy @ Jan 29 2020, 10:44 AM) *

QUOTE(type47fan @ Jan 28 2020, 10:11 PM) *
QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jan 28 2020, 06:23 PM) *
What should excite us all is that Porsches’ current Head of Design is passionately interested in the intrinsic qualities of the 914.
This could bode very well for us in future P-car offerings.

Also obvious, is that Porsche's current Head of Design considers the 914 to be "a real Porsche"!

Also obvious, he doesn't actually like the design of the 914 ...
shades.gif


I think its funny that he singled out the rear of the car as the one thing he really liked. IMO, the rear has always been the weakest styling on the car.
Mark Henry
QUOTE(SirAndy @ Jan 29 2020, 12:44 PM) *


Also obvious, he doesn't actually like the design of the 914 ...
shades.gif

Plus he only knew the basics, like he just scanned the trove of material Porsche has. IMO the historians here know way more about the 914.

But it's good to see Porsche officially recognizing that they designed the 914 and that Ferry had a fair bit of involvement in the project.

QUOTE(bbrock @ Jan 29 2020, 03:29 PM) *

QUOTE(SirAndy @ Jan 29 2020, 10:44 AM) *

QUOTE(type47fan @ Jan 28 2020, 10:11 PM) *
QUOTE(JeffBowlsby @ Jan 28 2020, 06:23 PM) *
What should excite us all is that Porsches’ current Head of Design is passionately interested in the intrinsic qualities of the 914.
This could bode very well for us in future P-car offerings.

Also obvious, is that Porsche's current Head of Design considers the 914 to be "a real Porsche"!

Also obvious, he doesn't actually like the design of the 914 ...
shades.gif


I think its funny that he singled out the rear of the car as the one thing he really liked. IMO, the rear has always been the weakest styling on the car.


I like my fat bottom girls laugh.gif
gereed75
I’m with Brett. I had always thought the design was somehow shared with VW. Not the case according to this - designed by Porsche. vW where parts were available, assembly and marketing. More like NARV.
RARE 6
Perhaps NARP switches to “Now A Real Porsche”
Tbrown4x4
I want everybody to forget we exist again. I didn't select my car because it was or wasn't a Porsche. I bought it because it was unique and fun to drive.
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