The press called it a "people's Porsche", a Porsche more people could afford to buy. The collaboration between Volkswagen and Porsche was real, but Porsche feared that the model would destroy Porsche as a status brand.
A real collaboration
Everyone knows that there are close ties between Volkswagen and Porsche. At the end of the 60s, Porsche wanted a successor to its 912 model (4-cylinder Porsche) and Volkswagen wanted a successor to the Karmann Ghia models. The collaboration resulted in a model that was to be sold at both Volkswagen dealers and Porsche dealers - but under the same brand - VW-Porsche. It was intended that cars sold at Volkswagen should be equipped with the 4-cylinder VW engine that was in the 411 series. At Porsche, the model was to be sold with Porsche's 6-cylinder 2-litre. In the US, the 914 model was only sold by Porsche dealers for fear of damaging the Porsche brand. The model name in the USA therefore became Porsche 914, while in Europe it was VW-Porsche 914. Because the development took place in real collaboration between Volkswagen and Porsche. Production was added to the Karmann factory in Osnabrück.
Model history
VW-Porsche was produced as a model year from 1970 to 1976. After 50 years, you have to expect that the cars you are studying may have had their specifications changed along the way. Originally, the first cars with Volkswagen engines were supplied with Volkswagen steel rims and caps, as on the Karmann Ghia. Cars with larger engines got Fuchs rims. Of the exterior changes from year to year, the bumpers have been changed. For the first 2 years, they were glossy - possibly varnished, then black. The Porsche 914/6 was also made as a GT with, among other things, reinforced and lowered chassis, reinforced brakes and a trimmed version of the Porsche engine. On the outside, it got, among other things, new, wider fenders and its own bumpers.
Engines
The Porsche engine is a 2,0 liter air-cooled boxer engine derived from the engine used in classic 911 Ts in the late 60s. The engine produces 110 HP. The 4-cylinder options were taken from Volkswagen's 411 and 412 models. The first 1,7 litre, later 1,8 and 2-litre – all with electronic injection. Both 4- and 6-cylinder engines received the same gearbox from Porche – with two different variants with different gear ratios for the engine options.
Increased popularity
The VW-Porsche 914 is an undisputed sports car that has gained increased popularity. It is a car that many build from scratch, with new parts. Most are "reborn" as a Porsche/6 - possibly a GT replica. You will also get a very beautiful car if you renovate the car as a standard VW-spec car. These bring to mind Volkswagen's classic Karmann Ghia - Type 14 and the newer Type 34.
About the pictures
The orange car is a 914/6 photographed in 2016 before the start of a classic car night rally in Saint Cyprien, France. The red car, also a 6-cylinder car, was photographed at a Cars & Coffee meeting at Øvrevoll gallop outside Oslo. Both cars pictured appear to be fitted with GT fender flares and bumpers. The green car is pictured at Fornebu in connection with a meeting organized by the Norwegian Sports Car Club. The car in Delphi green with matt black hood and tailgate was photographed in St. Cyprien, 2023.
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