By Steve Martin, Publisher of Fourteener Motoring, republished with permission from the April 2015 issue of Fourteener Motoring Magazine.

For as long as there have been cars there have been rivalries. You see it on the racetracks, on the streets, and even in your neighborhood. People love what they love. Porsche, Mercedes, BMW. Everybody has a favorite, and they are more than happy to tell you about it. Sometimes it’s been fun loving. Sometimes it has gotten ugly.

Few cars, and the owners that love them, have taken more heat over the years than the 914. “It’s not a real Porsche.” “It’s a VW.” We have heard it all. My dad even still jokes around about my “little cars with the engine in the middle.” While it wears on all of us at times, we are accustomed to it. Indeed, the 914’s history has made for an interesting journey for the 914 enthusiast. It has also provided a certain kinship with other 914 owners. For example, 914 owners probably know exactly where their jack stands are at all times, often because they are holding the 914 up in the garage. If you’re a 914 owner you live with strange terms like hell hole, long, and tuna can. You probably have the common 914 vendors on speed-dial, and know that if you don’t have a parts car, you’ll likely need one eventually.

But, 914 owners share something more than the two-seater from Stuttgart. I have owned a lot of cars over the years. A Boxster, 911s, a 912, and I even have to admit, a 924. None of them, however, have taken the same place in my life as my 914s. Owning a 914 is almost a lifestyle choice. We are all a part of a community with many common experiences.

It is for this community that Fourteener Motoring is published. We all have the 914 in common. But, more than that, we all share the experience of being a “teener.” With that in mind, I hope this magazine can offer a glimpse into the stories behind the cars. Hopefully, it will share the journeys of the owners. For most of us, it’s not the cars that matter most. What is important is the experiences we have had, and the people we have met along the road.