1970-76 Porsche 914-4

by Jim Schrager

It was love at first sight for 100,000 buyers.

It was either love or hate at first sight when the 914 was introduced in 1970. Three decades later, the situation is pretty much the same. To appreciate the 914, you have to understand its design brief: to recreate the 356 Speedster. That is, produce a simple, reliable, tossable, two-seat sports car with an immediately identifiable appearance. The biggest challenge was to produce this thoroughly modern roadster at about the same price as the final Speedsters: $3,495. To achieve this goal, the 914 borrowed its four-cylinder boxer engine from the VW parts bin (the engine also appeared in the VW 411), and, because the Porsche factory was busy building higher margin 911s, 914 bodies were built and assembled by Karmann (the 914/6 was completed in the Porsche factory). The standard five-speed transmission and many interior appointments were taken straight from the 911 of the era, providing at least a visual nod to the family tree. In Europe, the 914 was badged as...