Porsche launched the 914 in late 1968, another attempt to produce an economy sports car.

The Porsche 914 was the fruit of increased cooperation with Volkswagen, and it was certainly different in appearance than any of the other models released to date by the Stuttgart sports coupe specialist, with bodies created by Karmann.

The 914’s striking bodyshell was what separated the model from the usual Porsche (or Volkswagen), displaying a somewhat square profile with raised front fender tips and an extended deck.

Based around its mid-mounted engine meant that the 914 could be strictly a two-seater, dominated by the model’s removable “Targa” removable roof section panel, a semi-convertible car body style developed by Porsche for the 911.

Large sail panels held the roof bar and formed the base for the removable fibreglass top, which could be stored in the trunk.

Other firsts on the 914 were a full-width roll bar, placed behind the seats as well as pop-up headlights on the bonnet.

The Porsche 914 came with a choice of several powertrains although the most popular was the four-cylinder 1971cc version coupled with a five-speed gearbox that came as standard in the 914.

Porsche's two-pedal Sportomatic semi-auto could be specified as an option.

One of the most exciting derivatives of the 914 concept available was the 914/6, released in 1960, which used the air-cooled flat-six engine from the base 911.

The six-cylinder version, called 914/6, arrived later the 1970 model year with wider tires on light alloy wheels, vented-type front brakes as well as complete instrumentation, as fitted in the 911 series.

Far from being a favourite of the purists and disregarded by sports car fans, the 914 is probably the most forgettable car to come out of the Porsche stable of the late Sixties and early Seventies.

Despite the Porsche purist's disdain, the 914 succeeded in selling more than one hundred thousand models, most of them in the West Coast of the United States.