The relatively attainable mid-engined Porsche 914 (underneath the skin a joint venture with Volkswagen in every way) still stands out as something of an orphan in Porsche’s model history.
Like every Porsche variant, however, the 914 has its rabid fans. Periodically, these fans — egged on by classic car magazine scribes and sentimentalists — raise the notion of an all-new 914 successor.
The idea of a cheap(ish) entry-level Porsche has appeal ... well, for anyone who isn’t a 911 GT3 owner carefully watching residual values, anyway. The original car, produced between 1969 and 1976, didn’t represent budget motoring even then. But it was simple and engaging.
The topic of a “new” 914 was raised again when Porsche’s chief designer, Michael Mauer, expressed interest in such an entry-level model. The thing about this latest glimmer of hope is that the comments were made in an interview in Porsche Klassik magazine: the carmaker’s publication.
Is this Zuffenhausen testing the water with the public?
With the mid-engined 718 Boxster and Cayman twins already on the scene, the big difference that Porsche could deliver with a reimagined 914 would be to electrify its powertrain, using Taycan architecture in miniature.
Affordability would be relative, of course. An entry-level Porsche — especially an electric one — would no doubt still set buyers back the thick end of $100,000. But with the revolutionary Taycan now having landed in New Zealand, the appetite for Porsche’s take on electric mobility will only grow.
What will the Taycan cost Kiwi early-adopters? Well, the figure Tesla can offer a Model 3 Performance for would be a good starting point.