there is a 914S

[JKH]

actual add on ebay ,

[davep]

It was an interesting marketing plan, while it lasted. I don't think any 914 2.0 ever came with any badges that proclaimed the model. It is possible a few did, but Porsche killed it pretty quickly.

[JKH]

this guy thinks he bought one 1976

[Pat Garvey]

this guy thinks he bought one 1976

I have a bunch of copies of the add for the "914S", which were released in late '72/early '73. As you can see in the ad, the "914S" is highly optioned, as were the very early 2 liter cars. A "914S" with black bumpers? Doesn't jive with the ad. It's all moot anyway, since it never existed. Sorta like the "grasshopper" LE, though there was ONE of those unofficially produced by a lurker of this site ( I actually like it!).

Nope, no "914S".

[mike cooley]

I might get some flack on this since I am over 70 and my memory is getting like the longs on a 914, getting full of holes.

When the S feature was introduced, it was a 914 that had the 2.0 engine as well as the wheels known as Fuch's choice over the steel wheels with the chrome covers.
1970, when I bought my 1st 914, the options I can recall were:
forward center console with the gauges, the vinyl pad over the center tray which alloted a 3rd seat to be used for a small person, the grey foot rest for the passenger side, the vinyl on the side panels. All these were options that were offered by the dealer as add on's.
AM or FM Blaupunkt was a radio option too. Additionally on the radio, cassette player was an added radio option choice over the 8 track player ,,,,I think.
The last 914S I owned, I sold to Perry K. I think he may still have it. I found it sitting in a bunch of old cars and trucks at a private farm. It was all original and had been bought originally in AR. See photo.

Mike Cooley

[Richard Casto]

My understanding is that the "914S" was a creation of Porsche NA (or a collection of dealers?) and was not a designation recognized by Porsche AG. The ability for dealers to build custom packages (combination of factory, dealer or third party upgrades) is the reason that these types of "option packages" are not recognized by organizations such as SCCA when it comes to things such as autocross classing.

I am too young to know the details, but I am guessing that there would have been little (short of pressure from above) to prevent any dealer from packaging options together and calling it whatever they wanted. I think the 914S name was just too close to something like a 911S and I suspect that Porsche wanted to be in control of the use and marketing of a nomenclature that they used. Imagine the uproar that would have happened at Porsche AG if instead of just bundling options together, they performed 911 engine swaps and called it the “Porsche 914 RS” or something like that! With their desire to keep the 911 at the top of the list performance wise, Porsche AG would have gone absolutely nuts!

Today these are just known as tuner cars such as the Farnbacher Loles Cayman based GTR which is clearly not a direct product from Porsche even if it uses Porsche items such as the 3.8 X-51 engine as the primary upgrade.

My 2 cents. :)

[davep]

Porsche carefully controls designations and performance levels. That is why the 914/6 got the 2.0 engine detuned even from the 69 911T. Don't forget, the standard 911 in 1970 was a 2.2, so Porsche carefully capped the performance potential of the 914/6 to make any 911 a better car. Also one more reason the 916 never went into series production. Futhermore, Porsche was not above artificially derating an engine. I think it was in 1969 with the T, E & S engines that the T engine was found to be too powerful as compared to the E and S engines at least as compared to price and street performance. So the factory engineers came up with a quick solution by making exhaust muffler gaskets with a reduced ID, thus choking the exhaust and reducing engine performance. Those in the know quickly replaced the 'T' muffler gaskets with the 'S' gaskets and gained about 10 to 20 HP.

The factory was NOT amused by the 914 'S' and forbid its use. We rarely saw a 1973 914 2.0 without both performance and comfort groups. That changed for 1974, and there were a few 1973 914 2.0 that were special ordered with, what amounted to, deleted options.

I reiterate that it is possible for some 914S to have been sold, but I have seen no proof of it. In fact, I would think that before Karmann produced even one it would have had to have had Porsche approval first. I believe the 914S was a USA marketing scheme, so they could have done the advertising without approval, but they could not get them produced without approval.

[mike cooley]

Richard is right.
It was an induction, by dealers in America, as the 1973 914S.
Add on's to the new 2.0 engined 914 that weren't attached as standard before is basically what a 914-S is beginning in 1973. Earlier the option was listed as the 914 appearance group which is basically how we see all 914's today.
I do want to add an after I cleaned it up photo of the one I posted earlier.

Wish I had kept it.
Mike

[davep]

So Mike, as I understand it the salesperson would have called it a 914S, but in fact it was just a well optioned 914 2.0.

Basically the marketing idea was to offer the 2.0 as only available with the options, and thus margin, maxed out with only a few performance options (Bilstein struts and LSD) still available. If you didn't want a 'loaded' car you had to special order, and wait for ages to get the car produced and delivered.

[mike cooley]

So Mike, as I understand it the salesperson would have called it a 914S, but in fact it was just a well optioned 914 2.0.

Basically the marketing idea was to offer the 2.0 as only available with the options, and thus margin, maxed out with only a few performance options (Bilstein struts and LSD) still available. If you didn't want a 'loaded' car you had to special order, and wait for ages to get the car produced and delivered.

As you wrote above" So Mike, as I understand it the salesperson would have called it a 914S, but in fact it was just a well optioned 914 2.0."
Yes. But use dealer instead of salesperson would likely be more accurate but no one should rely on what I say for 914 history.

I am looking at one of my old Autobooks 914 manuals. It, the issue I have, was published in 1973.
The cover title says:
PORSCHE 914 S Owners Workshop Manual (Autobook 713 by Kenneth Ball)

If I find anything more I need to add, I'll just edit this post.
Editing something I left out.
The Autobook 914S manual cover on far upper right states:
Porsche 914S 1969-72

They include "acknowledgement to Porsche Cars of Great Britian, Ltd. for their unstinted co-operation and also supplying data and illustrations."

Mike

[davep]

Wow, that is odd. No 2.0 until 1973. So was any 'well-optioned' 914 considered a 914S then I wonder. Or were they referring to the 914/6 as the 914S?

[mike cooley]

Wow, that is odd. No 2.0 until 1973. So was any 'well-optioned' 914 considered a 914S then I wonder. Or were they referring to the 914/6 as the 914S?

No. Not the 6. Description 1.1 on page 9 of the Autobooks manual" the engine installed in the Porsche 914 is an aircooled, flat-four unit.."..... and so on.

Historically, 1973 was the year that the 914/4 2.0 was introduced. That is the model I show in my photos in this thread. That is why it is considered the most sought after 914, the 1973 914S 2.0.
Most 914's seen are emulating that model when the mods start happening but in the last couple of years I see a newer trend started and that is everyone wanting to go with a 6 and flares. Faster is always more fun but those left as original 914/4's, the 1.7, 1.8, 2.0, without any mods, in my own opinion, will fetch MUCH more money than those modified 6's as time passes.
That's where Mr. Garvey comes in so follow his trend, not as a CW, which he isn't, but as a guide to keep it all in focus. Bigger isn't always better for all things.

Mike

[mike cooley]

I'm not one to become all spun up in some arguement on the internet, but I SHARE this...I bought this photo from a guy at the Monteray Historics,
(plus several others). The front plate on this car clearly reads 914 S, and its a Euro spec car and it has a chick on the roof.... Now all the experts have more thinking to do....

No argument, no expert, only "BTDT" many times.
I do like legs like those on top of that 914S, female. :) ":D " .
I also like any and all 914's that I have ever seen. 4, 6 and V8,
Mike

[davep]

This is most interesting, and I do love to learn something new every day.
My memory is poor nowadays, and basically what I do recall is that the 914S was a marketing scheme, to trade on the 911S model, but was shot down by Porsche management who didn't like the scheme.

It would appear then, from what has been discussed here, that it was as much a European scheme as a USA scheme. Thus it was probably hatched by the marketing people at VW-Porsche. It may also have been hatched much earlier than the introduction of the 914 2.0, and if so, what did it really mean?

BTW, I'm not a real expert, I'm just an ex-squirt. I only got addicted in 1975.

[Gustl]

I would have to re-read more of my sources, to tell you the facts - but just out of my brain and after a quick view over my sales brochures:

Porsche wanted to launch the 914 S as a 8-cyl model just like the Piech and Ferry Porsche cars. They didn't do it because it would have been to expensive.
In Europe they launched a 914 S in model year '72 - it's nothing other than a better equipped 914-4
In model year '73 there was the thing with the optional groups as we know

In the USA they showed up at MY'73 with a 914 S - but this is nothing else that the 914 2.0

look here:
http://members.rennlist.com/914_collectibles/zBro_73USA1-01.jpg
http://members.rennlist.com/914_collectibles/zBro_73USA1-04.jpg


sorry, I'm in a hurry now, but I'll come back to this topic within the next days ...

Gustl

[Gustl]

With reference to the well known book "Caught by Camera"

http://members.rennlist.com/914_collectibles/zBook_CBC.JPG

page 45:
Officially this model was called the 914S but the car is better known as the 914/8. Only two were produced - which makes this the fastest, rarest and most desirable 914 of all time.


In general the same info can be found in "Das Grosse VW-Porsche-Buch", page 84 - but only in German.


for sure I know that this is not what the topic "there is a 914S" is about


for more info on the better equipped standard 914, wich was called 914S you should browsw Jeff's 914 Marketing Brochures (http://members.rennlist.com/914_collectibles/Brochures.htm) pages and watch at the various pictures.