VW / Porsche 914 2.0

Perhaps it really did run in the family. In the mid-1960s, there was the then VW boss Heinrich Nordhoff, who was desperate to find a successor to the Karmann-Ghia models based on the Beetle, and Ferry Porsche, who had to replace the 356 and was not very happy with the sales figures of the 912. Nordhoff’s daughter, Elisabeth, was married to Ferry’s nephew, Ernst Piëch – so it is easy to imagine that the two high-ranking gentlemen also knew each other privately. And so Nordhoff and Porsche agreed that Porsche would participate in the development of the sporty VW model – and that both manufacturers would market the vehicle under their own names. “Win-win”, you might think. But then Heinrich Nordhoff died on 12 April 1968, shortly after the first prototype of the 914 had been presented (on 1 March 1968). Nordhoff’s successor, Kurt Lotz, who had no connection whatsoever with the Porsche and Piëch families, is said not to have recognised the “handshake”, but was of the opinion that Porsche should at least contribute to the tooling costs. But this was too expensive for the Stuttgart-based company. As a compromise, “VW-Porsche Vertriebs GmbH” was founded at the beginning of 1969, which soon moved from the Porsche premises in Stuttgart, where all development work had taken place, to Ludwigsburg.

The new model was then presented at the IAA in Frankfurt on 11 September 1969. First there was the VW-Porsche 914/4 with the 1.7-litre four-cylinder engine that also powered the Volkswagen 411E, with a not exactly steep 80 hp. This vehicle was built by Karmann in Osnabrück. Then there was also the Porsche 914/6, which was delivered with the 2-litre six-cylinder from the Porsche 911T and was produced in Stuttgart. Both had in common the nickname “Volks-Porsche” (which was still positive) or “VoPo” (which was rather unfriendly, reminding of the People’s Police of the former GDR). In North America, Porsche sold the 914 under the name Porsche, with all the insignia (although the four-cylinder variant is called Volkswagen on the nameplate). The intro was written by our friends at radical-mag.com

This 1976 VW / Porsche 914 2.0 was delivered in the rare colour of Vipergrün metallic to the USA. The current owner purchased it in California some years ago. Upon delivery, the Car was inspected to see the overall condition. The 914 was Rust free but the Sun from California burned down the structure of the colour.

So the decision was made to give the technical components an overhaul and to brighten up the paint it should receive a new paint job.

The Car was stripped down and on the outside of the Car, the colour was removed. He kept the original paint on the inside of the Car like the Trunk,l engine Compartment and the storage room for the roof. As the colour was removed the wholes for the side markers of the American version were closed as well to give the side a sleeker look.

The whole restoration was finished to a high standard with the aim to keep as much of the original components as well.

This is your Chance to be the next owner of the strongest version of the 914 with the 2.0l engine and the ultrarare colour of Vipergrün Metallic.