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Porsche 914 Safari Is a Life-Size Hot Wheels Car, Gets Dry Ice Cleaning

Introduced in 1969 and co-developed with Volkswagen, the Porsche 914 replaced the 912, the entry-level version of the 911. The 914 was made available in various configurations with flat-four and flat-six engines, but Porsche also built a couple of prototypes with race-spec flat-eight mills behind the seats.
Porsche 914 Safari 8 photos
Photo: I am detailing/YouTube
Porsche 914 SafariPorsche 914 SafariPorsche 914 SafariPorsche 914 SafariPorsche 914 SafariPorsche 914 Safari Hot Wheels model carPorsche 914 Safari Hot Wheels model car
Known as the 914/8, it's the rarest iteration of the tiny sports car, but I bet you didn't know someone built a safari-spec 914. Nope, I'm not talking about the Hot Wheels model car. This one's as real as they get and it was put together by Gunnar Racing, the outfit that's been racing Porsches for more than 20 years now.

This awesome and unique 914 was recently featured by YouTube's "I Am Detailing," where it was taken for a much-deserved cleaning. Yup, this Porsche is Baja-ready and it's hitting the dunes regularly. And those underpinnings need to be cleaned up to work as they should.

Most recently showcased to the public at the 2021 SEMA Show, where it debuted the Hot Wheels livery, this desert runner is obviously a fully customized rig with a 914 shell. The chassis has nothing in common with the original sports car, while the interior is packed with race-spec features, including bucket seats and a roll cage.

Surprisingly enough, the 914 Safari still draws juice from a carbureted flat-six engine, but it's safe to assume that it has received a handful of upgrades for increased performance ad reliability.

A 2.0-liter flat-six was one of four engines that Porsche offered in the production 914. Rated at 108 horsepower and 118 pound-feet (160 Nm) of torque, it was the most powerful choice. The other three mills were all of the flat-four variety, with the range-topping 2.0-liter version delivering 99 horsepower.

But that's enough history for today, go ahead and check out the 914 Safari get a dry ice cleaning in the video. You can also check out the raised 914 in action in the second video.

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Editor's note: The photo gallery also includes images of the Porsche 914 Safari diecast model car by Hot Wheels

About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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