Fancy parking a Porsche in the garage, but think you can’t afford one?
A rare but very affordable Porsche 914 is up for grabs at Shannons Melbourne auction this Monday night.
Once the unloved orphan of the Porsche family, the 914 has become increasingly popular among enthusiasts in recent years.
This one could be yours for as little as $26,000.
Originally from Ohio, this black-on-black 1970 example spent time in South Australia where some initial mechanical work was done.
It retains its original left-hand drive and is in solid condition throughout, with a good roof, deep black, non-metallic paint, a well-trimmed interior that’s surprisingly spacious and, in this case in good condition, and very complete, without any tricky bits missing.
Finishing it off are great period, factory sports alloy wheels, with painted black centres.
Currently on Victorian club plates, the 914 will be offered for sale unregistered.
Originally announced in 1969 as an affordable sibling to the 911, the 914 was a sales hit – particularly in America, where the fashionable Targa styling and mid-engined layout captured the imagination of a generation of sports car enthusiasts.
Although the 914 handled brilliantly, some criticism was levelled at the relatively mundane performance afforded by the 1.7-litre (and later 2.0) Volkswagen sourced four-cylinder engines.
Zuffenhausen answered by dropping in the flat-six from the 911T to create the 914/6 in 1970.
However, the resulting price increase – the new model cost the same as a 911 and around 50 percent more than a Jaguar E-Type – resulted in poor sales and the 914/6 was killed off after just three years in production.
Just 3318 914/6s were built compared with 115,597 four-cylinder models.
Although it suffered a stigma at the time because was jointly-developed by both Porsche and VW, to be sold by the latter as a four-cylinder and the former as a six-cylinder, enthusiasts have warmed to the Porsche 914 over the past 20 years or so.
It’s now seen as something a bit different from the ubiquitous 911 and all the more sought-after as a result.
Can’t make it to Melbourne. No problem, they accept phone and online bids too.
CHECKOUT: Rare Porsche goes for big bucks