With brands trying to bridge their history and the future of the automobile, there have been a few cases of entirely new cars with modern drive trains wearing classic badges. With this in mind, Autoweek has made the argument that it's time for Porsche and the Volkswagen Auto Group to revive one of its most popular, if a bit storied ventures, the Porsche 914. This time, however, the car should be an entry level electric.
The Original Porsche Volkswagen
The original 914 was a joint venture between Volkswagen and Porsche. The chassis, a mid-engined two seater, was originally drawn up by Karmann as a replacement for the Karmann Ghia. The car was powered by a Type IV engine shared by the second generation Bus but with Porsche fuel injection. Porsche also provided the suspension and braking system.
Acceptance, Rejection, Acceptance
At the time the 914 was Porsche's biggest seller with dynamic handling and an affordable sticker price. Over time the car would lose favor, not even being allowed in the Porsche Owners Club until the 90s. As prices of 911s have skyrocketed more people have turned to the 914 and found an appreciation for its unique driving dynamics.
New Tech, New Opportunities
Just like with the Ford Mach-E Mustang and rumors of the revival of Hummer as an electric brand Rob Sass, described as a friend of Autoweek, has proposed that there is a need for an affordable performance electric and Porsche and Volkswagen are uniquely positioned to provide it. If Porsche could borrow from VW's ID platform and add Porsche dynamics to it, a new breed of Porsche owner could be catered to with the Porsche badge making the electric mark up not as shocking.
Source: PCA
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