Back in the early 1960s, when Porsche was developing the 911 as a larger, more powerful and more luxurious replacement for the 356, a few high-ranking executives from Stuttgart got stung by the “what if they won't like it?” virus.
Afraid that the substantial price increase of the 911 over the 356 would alienate some Porsche customers and restrict the brand's appeal to the masses, they decided to introduce a cheaper version of the flat-six 911.
Originally called as the 902, just like the 911 was to be named the 901, the 912 is the first and so far only four-cylinder 911 model in history. The model was, therefore, an odd mix between the 911 bodyshell and a 1.6-liter flat-four that derived from the one used by the Porsche 356, which was, in turn, developed from the original Volkswagen Beetle's powerplant.
The model's production started in 1965, one year after the 911 and immediately after the 356 said its proper goodbyes to both the public and the production line.
Surprisingly, the 912 initially outsold its more powerful older brother, with a lot of people praising its better handling, fuel economy, and weight distribution.
It went out of production in 1969, mainly because Porsche needed the plant facilities to the start building the 914-6, a sportier version of the 914 it had developed with Volkswagen, not to mention that the U.S. was introducing a lot more stringent rules on exhaust emissions.
That said, the model returned for a short production run between 1975 and 1976, renamed as the 912E and being powered by a 2.0-liter flat-four that was based entirely on a Volkswagen engine once again.
Since the 912 was first built as a 1966 model year, it celebrates half a century in 2016, so the nice folks at Delius Klasing Publishing are releasing a book about the model. An exhaustive history of the 912 and a lot of period and current photos of the car can be found in it, so it'll probably be a must-buy for any 912 and/or Porsche fan in general.
Originally called as the 902, just like the 911 was to be named the 901, the 912 is the first and so far only four-cylinder 911 model in history. The model was, therefore, an odd mix between the 911 bodyshell and a 1.6-liter flat-four that derived from the one used by the Porsche 356, which was, in turn, developed from the original Volkswagen Beetle's powerplant.
The model's production started in 1965, one year after the 911 and immediately after the 356 said its proper goodbyes to both the public and the production line.
Surprisingly, the 912 initially outsold its more powerful older brother, with a lot of people praising its better handling, fuel economy, and weight distribution.
It went out of production in 1969, mainly because Porsche needed the plant facilities to the start building the 914-6, a sportier version of the 914 it had developed with Volkswagen, not to mention that the U.S. was introducing a lot more stringent rules on exhaust emissions.
That said, the model returned for a short production run between 1975 and 1976, renamed as the 912E and being powered by a 2.0-liter flat-four that was based entirely on a Volkswagen engine once again.
Since the 912 was first built as a 1966 model year, it celebrates half a century in 2016, so the nice folks at Delius Klasing Publishing are releasing a book about the model. An exhaustive history of the 912 and a lot of period and current photos of the car can be found in it, so it'll probably be a must-buy for any 912 and/or Porsche fan in general.