Porsche 914/8 (1969)
Porsche only built 2 914/8s. The first was a development mule that Piëch used to prove the concept of a 914/8. The second was built for Ferry Porsche as a birthday present. Both are very unique 914s still owned by Porsche and regularly shown at the museum in Stuttgart. They had a 300 HP 3.0L 908 engine and a 916 transmission, and was never registered for the street. This was a test bed and a prototype, with many unique features that did not end up on the production 914s.
Towards the end of the 1960s the long-standing association between Porsche and Volkswagen led to the creation of the VW Porsche 914 – a sporty but attractively priced car. Alongside the four-cylinder VW version, a six-cylinder version of the agile mid-engine vehicle was built for Porsche. Ferry Porsche was presented with one of two race versions to be fitted with an eight-cylinder engine on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
Chassis 914111 was Piëch’s test mule for a possible future flat 8 variant. It had a 300 HP 3.0L 908 engine and a 916 transmission, and was never registered for the street. This was a test bed and a prototype, with many unique features that did not end up on the production 914s.
The VW van engine in Porsche’s mid-engined 914 didn’t inspire enthusiasts like other Porsche models. It’s humble roots divided the Porsche faithful who couldn’t agree on the 914’s purpose. Some saw it as a cheap distraction while others viewed it as a worthy addition to the lineup. Among the Porsche community, nobody saw the 914’s potential like Ferdinand Piëch.
Ferdinand was director of Porsche’s very successful racing division. He wanted to show the potential of racing engines for road car applications. The unloved 914 was the perfect testbed for his very successful Flat-8 racing engine. The resulting prototype built in 1969 was known as the 914-8, Porsches first mid-engined supercar.
Only two of these prototype 914-8 supercars were ever built making them some of the rarest Porsches ever built. The first model was built for Ferdinand Piëch himself who used the full-fledged Flat-8 racing engine producing 350 horsepower. The second was built for Ferry Porsche as a 60th birthday gift. Ferry’s 914-8 had a detuned engine producing a more manageable 300 horsepower.
Powered by a 350 horsepower Flat-8 racing engine, the 2,100 lb 914-8 was a frightening machine. Today 350 horsepower is impressive in a Ford Focus but in 1969 it was sensational. The 914-8 took race track performance to the street. Something we’ve grown to expect from today’s supercars but a fairly new concept in 1969.
Besides the exhaust note, there are subtle differences between the 914-8 and normal 914s. To start, the popup headlights housed dual headlights rather than single bulbs. Further exterior treatment added round side view mirrors and a gas tank that can only be accessed if the trunk was opened.
