The 914’s first year of production got the model off to a rocky start. It has mixed reviews by the press. The car, however, enjoyed fairly quick success on the track. Despite the tense beginning, production numbers were fairly healthy.

The initial VW-Porsche joint venture called for the production of 30,000 914 bodies per year. 7,500 would be delivered to Porsche, destined to become 914-6s. The remaining cars were to be four-cylinder versions.

In reality, 2,789 914-6s were built as 1970 models, while 914-4 production for the first year reflected 21,784 1.7 liter fours.

While these figures didn’t quite meet the expectations set in the initial plan, it was a very good start. In fact, 1970 would prove to be the larger production year for the 914.

In 1971 and 1972, 306 and 237 sixes were built, respectively. After 1972, the 914-6 was discontinued, with a total of 3,332 sixes having rolled off the assembly line. The cause for the end of production of the larger displacement model is a story in itself, and one that will have to wait for a future discussion.

Production of the four-cylinder model continued through 1976 with improvements to the performance, safety, and many details of the car. The first wave of major styling changes came in 1972, with the addition of a movable passenger seat, among other small adjustments. The 1970 – 1972 cars are also notable for their “tail-shift” transmission.

In 1973 the 2.0 liter models were introduced. The 1.7 liter engine was also phased out during the 1973 model year, replaced with a 1.8 liter powerplant. And the transmission was upgraded to the “side-shift transmission,” known for its extremely improved shifting characteristics. In total, 115,646 four-cylinder models were built. In reviewing the production figures it is important to remember that many 914s were built in the fall before their actual model year.

To be complete, eleven 916 models were built, one in 1971 and ten in 1972. Then there were the two eight-cylinder prototypes built in 1969, neither being sold to the public. The cars, with their famous wide headlight covers, were powered by 908 engines, that produced 300 horsepower. As great as the car/engine combination sounds, the cars never made production due to the belief that enough of them could not be sold in the U.S. to justify the considerable expense of getting them approved. In his book Porsche: Excellence Was Expected, Karl Ludvigsen points out that, even though the eight-cylinder 914 never made it to production, it “proved its point.” As future racing models would further demonstrate, the 914 chassis could handle considerable more power than the stock powerplant.

Before production of the mid-engine Porsche ended in 1976, about 1,000 Limited Edition models were also built, all for the 1974 model year. These cars, commonly referred to as the Bumblebee and Creamsicle, are included in the overall production figures generally cited for the 914-4s. They, however, deserve special attention, which we will save for a future article.