1971 VW-Porsche 914 and 914/6
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With relatively few changes the VW-Porsche rolled into its second model year in the singularly loud colours of the period including, for instance, lemon yellow and signal orange. The beloved 914/4 S-package now cost 745 DM and came with chrome bumpers, a black imitation leather Targa bar, chrome door sills and wheel arches, a headlight flasher combined with halogen headlights and two-tone horn. A new addition was the leather steering wheel. Optional accessories included 5.5 inch wheels with 165 tyres, safety belts and, as previously, the original extra cushions to turn the car into a three seater.
Fitted as standard were a clothes hook on the passenger side and a windscreen washer system whose reservoir, like the VW Beetle, was powered via a hose by the compressed air from the spare wheel. Otherwise the edges of the recess for the number plate in the rear bumper were somewhat more rounded. And a cosmetic mirror was fitted to the sunshield that year to save passengers from constantly having to twist round the interior mirror to refresh their lipstick.
From May onwards the M471 package was available for the 914/6, which transformed the appearance of the car into that of a racing GT. The package included wing extensions, six-inch wheels, fibreglass sills and a front spoiler. As before, the high price was a point of contention because the 914 was competing with vehicles of a higher class, which detracted from its appeal ”despite the flawless road holding, the excellent build quality, the high level of comfort and its uniqueness”, as the British Car magazine noted with regret.
Technical Specifications
Engine: VW-Porsche 914
four-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, central camshaft
VW-Porsche 914/6
six-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, one upper camshaft each side
Power: VW-Porsche 914, 80 HP (59 kW) at 4900/min
VW-Porsche 914/6, 110 HP (81 kW) at 5800/min
Displacement: VW-Porsche 914, 1679 ccm
VW-Porsche 914/6, 1991 ccm
Fuel system: VW-Porsche 914
electronic petrol injection, tank capacity 62 litres
VW-Porsche 914/6
two Weber downdraft carburettors, tank capacity 62 litres
Transmission: five speed gearbox
Chassis: self-supporting bodywork with front independent suspension on transverse links and damper struts, longitudinal torsion bars, rear independent suspension on lateral links and coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers
Dimensions and weight: VW-Porsche 914
wheel base: 2,450 mm
length: 3,985 mm
width: 1,650 mm
height: 1,230 mm
weight: 950 kg
VW-Porsche 914/6
wheel base: 2,450 mm
length: 3,985 mm
width: 1,650 mm
height: 1,240 mm
weight: 980 kg
Performance: VW-Porsche 914
177 km/h
VW-Porsche 914/6
201 km/h
