Porsche 912

Porsche 912

Manufacturer	Porsche
Production	1965 – 1969 1976 (as the 912E)
Predecessor	Porsche 356
Successor	Porsche 914
Class	Sports car
Body style	Coupé
Layout	RR layout
Engine	1582 cc flat-4 1972 cc flat-4
Wheelbase	2,255 mm (88.8 in)[1]
Length	4,135 mm (162.8 in)
Width	1,600 mm (63 in)
Height	1,320 mm (52 in)
Curb weight	965 kg (2,130 lb)

1968 Porsche 912 Targa, used by the Dutch police

The Porsche 912 is a sports car that was manufactured by Porsche of Germany between 1965 and 1969 as their entry-level model. The 912 is a nimble-handling compact performance four-seat vehicle, delivering 90 SAE horsepower at 5800 rpm.^[2] It is capable of up to 30 miles per US gallon (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg_-imp) fuel economy. This combination is possible because of a high-efficiency petrol engine, low weight, and low drag. A variant of the Type 911, one of the most famous and successful sports cars of all time, the Type 912 initially outsold the 911, boosting the manufacturer's total production until success of the 911 was assured.

History

Concerned that the considerable price increase of a Type 911 with "flat" six-cylinder powerplant over the Type 356 would cost the company sales and narrow brand appeal, Porsche executives decided to introduce a new four-cylinder entry-level model. Like the 911 (original internal factory designation "901"), the four-cylinder 912 was originally known at Zuffenhausen by a number with a zero in the middle, but the "902" designation was never used publicly.^[3] Before 911 production commenced in 1964, the Porsche Vehicle Research Department set aside chassis numbers 13386 through 13397 for research testing of the Type 356 replacement. Porsche research vehicle Serial Number 13394, the oldest 902 known to exist, combines a 911 chassis / bodyshell with a four-cylinder Type 616 engine from the 356. Compared to the 911, the resulting production Type 912 vehicle demonstrated superior weight distribution, handling, and range. To bring 912 pricing close to the 356, Porsche also deleted some features standard on the 911.

As production of the 356 model concluded in 1965, on April 5, 1965 Porsche officially began production of the 912 coupe.^[4] Styling, performance, quality construction, reliability, and price made the 912 a very attractive buy to both new and old customers, and it substantially outsold the 911 during the first few years of production. Porsche produced nearly 30,000 912 coupe units and about 2500 912 Targa body style units (Porsche's patented variation of a cabriolet) during a five-year manufacturing run. Production of the Targa, complete with removable roof and heavy transparent plastic rear windows openable with a zipper (later called 'Version I' by Porsche and the 'soft-window Targa' by enthusiasts), commenced in December 1966 as a 1967 model. In January 1968, Porsche also made available a Targa 'Version II' option ('hard window Targa') with fixed glass rear window, transforming the Targa into a coupe with removable roof. ^[5]

912s were also used as police (polizei) cars in Europe. In April 1967, the Porsche factory's Christophorus Magazine noted: "On 21 December 1966, Porsche celebrated a particularly proud anniversary. The 100,000th Porsche, a 912 Targa outfitted for the police, was delivered."

After updating the 911 line-up to include both a more powerful 911S and a less expensive 911T, Porsche executives began to feel that the 912 had become redundant, that the 911 platform was sufficiently diverse and that pricing had largely come into line with market expectations. Owing to this and the desire to introduce a new model, 1969 was the last year of 912 production. Porsche had constructed more than 32,000 of the Type 912 from April 1965 to July 1969. For the 1970 model year the 914 superseded the 912 as Porsche's entry-level model; a Porsche-Volkswagen joint effort vehicle which Porsche had thought would be less expensive for them to manufacture and sell than the 912. In practice, a deterioration in relationships between Porsche and Volkswagen - who had designed and planned to manufacture the 914 - severely curtailed the intended cost reduction, and 914 production was discontinued in early 1976.

After a six-year absence, the 912 was re-introduced to North America as the 1976 model year 912E (internal factory designation 923) which shared the "G-Series" bodywork with the 911S. The "Prototyp" Museum collection in Hamburg, Germany includes a 912E preseries vehicle constructed utilizing a 911 Chassis No. 911 520 1617 and four-cylinder VW-Porsche 90HP 2.0L Type 4 similar to the late-model 2.0L 914/4.^[2] Once in production, the 912E was powered by an 86bhp 2.0 L Volkswagen air-cooled engine, refined with a new Bosch L-Jetronic (Air Flow Controlled) fuel injection system. The 912E occupied the entry-level position left vacant by the discontinuation of the 914, while the new 924 – another Porsche-Volkswagen joint effort vehicle and the 914's official replacement – was being finalized and put into production. During the production run of May 1975 to July 1976, Porsche manufactured nearly 2,100 of the 912E, targeted to the United States market.

Motorsport

Sold to the public for street use, the Porsche 912 has also proven successful as a race car, from production years to current vintage events. In 1967 the 912 contributed to Porsche factory rally history when independent driver Sobiesław Zasada drove a factory-loaned 912, race No. 47 and plate 6177 KR, to capture the European Rally Championship for Group 1 series touring cars^[6]. As a vintage rally car, on January 29, 2012 Hayden Burvill, Alastair Caldwell, and their #35 1968 Porsche 912 finished first in class, and 7th overall in the 2012 London to Cape Town World Cup Rally; a 14 country, three continent, 14,000 kilometre, 26 driving-days event.^[7]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Porsche 912

• 912 Registry Site: 912 Heritage
• 912 Registry Site: 912 Registry Membership
• 912 Register UK
• Unofficial 1966 912 Fan Site
• Official Texas 912 Enthusiast Club
• Porsche Club GB 912 Register UK
• Porsche Club of America 912 & 912E Register