Friday 16th February 2018

Porsche 914/6 rally car on ice: Time For Tea?

Mid-engined Porsches not as challenging as rear-engined Porsches? Watch this!

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Below Zero Ice Driving should be familiar to PHers by now, what with Chris Harris's video a few years back and the increasing popularity of winter oversteer retreats. Beats sitting in a sauna, right?

Now, while its reputation is built on rally 911s, turns out Below Zero also has a six-cylinder Porsche 914 that it runs in Sweden. And it looks like an absolute hoot. Assuming you're good enough, that is...

It's not too complicated, this video, a three-minute clip that stays onboard throughout, but it's impossible to drag yourself away. Even after the fourth watch. The noise is great, the oversteer angles are huge and the speed is frankly a little scary. Props to whoever is at the wheel here, because it's one heck of a display. The ability is there to back up the red gloves, certainly...

 

[PJR01]

Utterly amazing!

[unsprung]

Thrills... aided by that torquey flat six. The seating position is more go kart than chair -- with your legs extended before you. These guys are sliding about with their heads only a short distance above ground. The sensation of speed will be palpable.

The 914 is a platform not unsuited to duty on punishing terrain. No radiator, no lines of coolant, and a total package that's easily less than 1000 kg.

Note the narrow wheels / tyres which are ideal for snow. Different to the larger rubber that one sees on higher-horsepower 914 resto mods of today.

I adore the 914. A targa top just begging to go in the boot. The scent of petrol and unburnt hydrocarbons. My PH profile includes my own 914 2.0-litre four-cylinder experience.

[kars]

Tyres! = all the magic
Road legal studded winter tyres are not even close..

[cosworth330]

I owned a red 4 cylinder 914 in 1987 when I was 17, I swapped my BMW E21 320 and about £200 for the 914. Only kept it for a few months as couldn’t get on with it, it was like a go cart though, handled very well but quite slow.

[Campfreddie]

Had a 914 in 1987 when i was 19. what i remember most was understeer lots of understeer. Trying to go right on a roundabout and turning almost full lock and near as damn it going straight on. Obviously going too quick.

[Agent XXX]

Sublime car control.

[Diesel Meister]

Damn.

[tomic]

That looks very much like the 914 from Supercar Megabuild on Nat Geo Channel. 3rd item on this link

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/video/tv/super...

[pitboard]

The first time I watched the RAC Rally (1969 or 70) the Porsche works team consisted of 914/6 s for marketing reasons. The drivers, including the godlike genius Waldegård, much preferred the 911S.

[unsprung]

In Colorado it's an annual tradition to hoon your 914 in the snow at Christmas. Apparently.