Classic Velocity

At the dawn of the 1970s, as the Porsche 914 was in production in both 4 and 6 cylinder variations, Ferdinand Piech ordered the development of a 914/8. Yes, as if the well-balanced lightweight chassis of the 914 was not enough in 4 and 6 cylinder configurations, a flat 8 cylinder car was commissioned to see if it would be viable for production. Piech, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, was responsible for the 914 platform at the time, but was also responsible for Porsche’s racing program which was very successful, and which was on the eve of an outright win at Le Mans.

Just 2 of the 8 cylinder cars were built. The first was predominantly a test mule, used to prove the concept. It used the 3 liter racing engine from the Porsche 908. At 300+ hp, it must have been a challenge to drive. The second was a 60th birthday present for Ferry Porsche. The cars featured modified wheel arches, a front mounted oil cooler, and dual headlights to differentiate them from the regular 914s. Reportedly, Ferry was not impressed by the car, and it never made it to production. Instead one sits in the Porsche museum.