PORSCHE 914

Porsche rarely describes it this way, but the mid-engined Porsche 914 that was nearly a Volkswagen, and is the direct production predecessor of the enormously successful Boxster roadster turns 40 this year. Back in the mid-60s, VW was looking for a successor to its then dated Karmann Ghia sports coupe, while Porsche at the same time wanted a more affordable sports car beneath the 911.

Facing this challenge, the two companies in 1966 verbally agreed on a joint venture, with Porsche given the assignment to develop a low-cost mid-engined sports car intended to enter the market as a "Volkswagen" with four cylinders and as a "Porsche" with a six-cylinder boxer engine. However during the development process there was a change of VW management following the sudden death of CEO Heinrich Nordhoff in 1968 and his successor Kurt Lotz rescinded the contract and insisted on VW having exclusive sales rights for the car.

After a vigorous Board-room struggle that took the 914 project to the brink of failure, the two companies agreed in a compromise: the new car with its Targa roof would be called the VW-Porsche and would be marketed through a joint sales network. Prophetically, the VW-Porsche 914 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 11, 1969 and became the first series production mid-engined sports car built in Germany. But it created an image problem for Porsche in Europe with the press referring to it as the People's Porsche.

Originally sold with a 1.7-litre Volkswagen developed air-cooled engine running on carburetors and later upgraded to 1.8 litres, and finally 2.0 litres with Bosch fuel injection, the four-cylinder VW-Porsche 914 became a genuine success, accounting for 115,631 cars until production ceased in early 1976 and becoming the best selling sports car of its time. Most of the cars built were exported to the United States, where the 914 was marketed as a genuine, fully fledged Porsche without the VW prefix.

All 914 models in Australia are private imports and Shannons had a well presented right hand drive 1974 model fitted with the later 2.0-litre engine going under the hammer at its Autumn Classic Auction in Sydney. Fitted with rollover protection, making it attractive to those wanting to use it in Porsche Club motorsport events, the white 914 with its very tidy black vinyl and chequered cloth interior is a collectible part of Porsche's rich roadster history.