1970 PORSCHE 914

Pavilion Gardens | Buxton, Derbyshire 20000 - 25000 Registration No: TAW 234H Chassis No: 4712907849 MOT: Exempt • Significantly improved during current ownership • Finished from new in special order (two-year only) Metallic Gold paintwork • Highly original example that was supplied new to California • Supplied new with Porsche Certificate of Conformity By the late 1960s, Porsche was looking for a replacement for its 912, while Volkswagen needed a substitute for the outgoing Karmann Ghia. The companies agreed on a collaborative solution and the 914 was born in 1969. A mid-engined chassis was penned and manufactured by Karmann Ghia. Versions to be sold by Volkswagen (914/4) were initially equipped with a 1.7-litre version of the company's air-cooled flat-four unit and other VW hardware, while examples destined for Porsche showrooms (914/6) were sent to Stuttgart and fitted with the same 2.0-litre flat six engine as used in the 911T. Both cars utilised the 911's '901' gearbox suitably modified for the mid-engined configuration. It was felt double-branding would be risky in America, so both versions carried the Porsche badge there. Though the quicker and better handling of the two cars, the 914/6 suffered from slow sales and was discontinued in 1972 after a production run of some 3,350 cars. The resulting gap in the line-up was filled by a second Volkswagen engined model powered by a 95bhp 2.0-litre version of the company's fuel-injected Type 4 unit. 914/4 production ceased in 1976 after in excess of 115,646 examples had been made, making it Porsche's best-selling model of the time. More information to follow shortly.