1973 was a pivotal year for the Porsche 914: Porsche introduced a larger, more powerful 2.0-liter engine even as the base 1.7-liter lost horsepower to emissions rules, and a 914 became Formula 1’s first-ever dedicated safety car at a chaotic, rain-soaked Canadian Grand Prix. Here’s the story behind both milestones.
Porche and VW formed an alliance to develop, manufacture and market the  “914” roadster.  This mid-engine mounted two seater was produced from 1969 through ’76. The original marketing plan of the VW/Porche 914 for  N. American markets was to  sell the identical vehicle as a VW with a flat four engine and as a Porsche 914 with the higher powered flat six. The plan was dropped due to a fear that the American market would be affected in a negative way, so both engine designs were released here branded as a Porche .
vehicle shown 2.0L Opposed 4 engine 4-Speed Manual
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A car built to settle a disagreement between two automakers ended up doing something no vehicle had ever done before: pace a Formula 1 grid under caution. This 1973 example, powered by the newly enlarged 2.0-liter flat-four making 100 PS, arrived the same year the 914 became the sport’s very first dedicated safety car, deployed after a chaotic, rain-soaked Canadian Grand Prix. Porsche and Volkswagen had originally wanted this exact car sold as two completely different vehicles under two different badges. What made them abandon that plan, and how did a joint-venture roadster end up on an F1 grid?
Formula 1’s First-Ever Safety Car
At the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix, a race plagued by treacherous rain and a string of on-track incidents, officials needed a way to neutralize the field safely, and the car they chose for the job was a Porsche 914, marking the first time Formula 1 had ever deployed a dedicated safety car. It is a distinction the 914 holds to this day, decades before the safety car became a standard part of every Grand Prix weekend.
The Engine Upgrade That Defined the Model Year
1973 brought a genuinely significant powertrain update: alongside the existing 1.7-liter flat-four, which actually lost power that year, dropping to 76 horsepower for 49-state cars and even less in California under tightening emissions rules, Porsche introduced a new 2.0-liter, 100-PS flat-four derived from the same architecture. That larger engine could push the 914 from 0-60 mph in roughly 10.3 seconds on the way to a 119 mph top speed, modest by today’s standards, but enough to make the 2.0-liter the 914 to have that year.
Nearly 30,000 Built in a Single Year
Despite its complicated origin as a compromise between two automakers with different plans for it, the 914 sold well throughout the early 1970s, and Porsche built 28,403 examples in 1973 alone at a new price of roughly $4,500 to $5,000, proof that buyers had fully embraced the mid-engine roadster regardless of the badge debate that almost kept it from existing in its familiar form.
A Joint Venture Neither Company Fully Owned
The 914 was born from a partnership between Porsche and Volkswagen, sharing chassis and mid-engine architecture in a way that let both companies split development costs on a car they badged and sold somewhat differently in their home markets. That dual parentage is also why purists spent years arguing over whether the 914 counted as a “real” Porsche at all.
The Six-Cylinder Version That Didn’t Last
For its first few years, Porsche also sold a six-cylinder 914/6 alongside the four-cylinder cars, using a detuned version of the 911’s flat-six. Rising costs relative to slow sales led Porsche to drop the six-cylinder option after 1972, meaning a 1973 example like this one arrived in the first model year built exclusively around the four-cylinder engine.
A Removable Roof Before It Was Common
The 914 offered a lightweight, removable targa-style roof panel that stowed in the front trunk, a feature that let owners enjoy open-air driving without giving up structural rigidity the way a full convertible would. It was a relatively novel setup for an affordable sports car in the early 1970s.
From Underdog to Appreciating Classic
For decades, the 914 was dismissed by Porsche purists as the brand’s least desirable model, largely because of its Volkswagen ties and comparatively affordable price when new. That reputation has shifted substantially in recent years, with clean, unmodified examples drawing renewed appreciation and rising values as collectors reassess what the model actually offered for the money.
Rivals in the Affordable Sports Car Class
The 914 competed against cars like the Fiat X1/9, Triumph TR6, and Datsun 240Z, all vying for buyers who wanted genuine sports-car handling without a Porsche 911 price tag. Its mid-engine layout set it apart from most of that competition, giving it a more balanced feel than the front-engine rivals it was cross-shopped against.
What Owners Watch For
914 ownership today revolves around a handful of well-known trouble spots, particularly rust in the battery tray area and floor pans, both of which are actively monitored by a dedicated owners’ club community. Because the model spent so long undervalued, many surviving cars benefited from patient, budget-conscious restoration work rather than the rushed flips more common on flashier classics.
A Balance Point Rivals Couldn’t Match
The 914’s mid-engine layout placed the engine’s weight closer to the center of the car than the front-engine sports cars it competed against, giving it a more neutral, balanced feel through corners. That handling characteristic became one of the model’s most consistently praised traits in period road tests, even from reviewers who otherwise questioned its Volkswagen ties.
Bodies Built by a Coachbuilder, Not Porsche Itself
914 bodies were produced by an outside coachbuilder rather than at a traditional Porsche assembly line, an arrangement that reflected the shared nature of the Porsche-Volkswagen partnership behind the car. That outsourced production was another detail purists pointed to when arguing the 914 didn’t feel like a true in-house Porsche.
A Roof That Stows Out of Sight
The removable targa roof panel could be stored in the 914’s front trunk when not in use, keeping the car’s lines clean and avoiding the bulky roof-storage compromises some competitors’ convertible tops required. It let owners switch between open and closed driving in moments without hunting for somewhere to stash the panel.
Club Support Fuels the Revival
A dedicated network of 914-focused clubs and online communities has played a significant role in the model’s reappraisal, sharing restoration knowledge and sourcing hard-to-find parts for a car that spent years as an afterthought in Porsche’s lineup. That grassroots enthusiasm is a big part of why clean, original examples are increasingly hard to find at reasonable prices.
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