Porsche 914
Exotic · Porsche
Porsche 914: The Mid-Engined VW-Porsche Collaboration
The 914 was an affordable mid-engined targa-top sports car developed jointly by Porsche and Volkswagen, offering balanced handling at an accessible price.
Launched in 1969, the 914 was born from a partnership between Porsche and Volkswagen to create an entry-level sports car. It featured a mid-engine layout rare at its price point, a removable targa roof, and crisp, angular styling that was a sharp departure from the curvaceous 911.
Most 914s used a flat-four engine sourced from Volkswagen, but Porsche also offered the 914/6 with a flat-six from the 911, transforming the car's performance and desirability. The mid-engine balance gave the 914 excellent handling that enthusiasts praised even when straight-line speed was modest.
Initially sold under a VW-Porsche badge in Europe and as a Porsche in the US, the 914 sometimes struggled with image perception among purists. Time has been kind to it, however, and the 914, especially the six-cylinder version, is now appreciated as an affordable, fun, and historically interesting Porsche.
Frequently asked questions about Porsche 914
More on the Porsche 914
A targa top is a roof panel over the front seats that comes off while a fixed roll bar and the rear window stay put. Porsche launched it on the 911 in 1965 to answer US safety worries, named it after a Sicilian race, and still holds the trademark.
Where the engine sits sets the hood length, the cabin position, and the balance, and you can read it from across a car park. Front engine gives the long hood people read as expensive, mid engine drops the nose and collects mass at the rear, and rear engine gives the 911 its unmistakable falling tail.