The Porsche 912 Register

Dismissed by some as not a true 911, the 912 offered 911 looks at an affordable price - and improved handling - and today remains a fun alternative to a classic 911. The Porsche 912 bridged the gap between the 356 and the 911 by combining the body of the 911 but utilizing the proven reliable 4 cylinder 102hp Porsche 356SC power plant. While the 912 has 30 less horsepower than its 6-cylinder counterpart, they share the same basic chassis, suspension, 4 wheel disk brakes, manual transmission, and build quality. When it comes to the 900 series cars many collectors are prone to look only for the 911 versions, however, one should keep in mind that ALL Porsche cars had 4 cylinder engines up until the 911 was introduced.

Extract from "The Complete Guide To The 912" published in Total 911 Magazine - May 2010 (words by Phil Raby)

"The 912 is an enigma if ever there was one. It looks like a 911 yet doesn't have the trademark 911 engine. It's not as fast as a 911 yet handles better than a contemporary 911. It outsold the 911 in the USA but was - and still is - a rarity in the UK. And, bizarrely, the 912 was sold from 1965 to 1969, and then made a surprise return for a year in 1976. It's a Porsche oddity but don't let that put you off - the 912 is a great little car that deserves your attention.

Introduced a year after the 911, in 1965, the 912 was designed to fill a gap left by the 356. You see, although the 911 was officially designed to replace the four-cylinder 356, it was a more expensive car and that meant Porsche would lose customers who wanted a cheaper, entry-level sportscar. For a while, it was able to satisfy those buyers by selling the 356 in parallel with the new 911 but the 356 was an old design and customers weren't impressed. The solution was something that you couldn't imagine happening today. Porsche's engineers took the 911 bodyshell and dropped in a four-cylinder, 1582cc engine from the last of the line 356s. For 1969, the final year of its production, the 912 was revised, along with the 911, with a 57mm longer wheelbase and slightly flared wheelarches.

In 1976, the world's fortunes had taken a turn for the worse. Fuel prices were on the up and, in the USA, speed limits were on the way down, with 55mph being the norm on freeways. Porsche reduced its North American range to just the 911S and Turbo, and production of the 914 had finished, so there was a gap in the market for an entry-level car. That would soon be the front-engined 924 which entered the USA in 1977. Rather than be without an entry-level car for a year, Porsche made the unprecedented decision to bring back the 912 but for the North American market only. This was now badged 912E and used the G-series impact bumper 911 body."

Sold to the public for street use, the Porsche 912 was also raced, including rally events. Factory Rally Kits were available that included anti-roll bars, racing brake pads, and a dead pedal rest. In 1967 the 912 played a part in Porsche rally history when independent driver Sobieslaw Zasada drove a 912 to win the European Rally Championship for series touring cars. Today many owners successfully campaign their 912s in many rallies worldwide.

Production dates: 1965-1969 and 1976
Preceded by: 356
Succeeded by: 914 (1969) and 924 (1976)
Variants: Coupe, Targa

1965 - swb 912 introduced
1967 - minor updates including 911 dash
1969 - lwb 912 introduced with wheelbase increased by 57mm
1969 - 912 production ends
1976 - 912E introduced
1976 - 912E production ends

912: 1965-1969

Engine

Capacity: 1582cc
Compression ratio: 9.3:1
Maximum power: 90bhp at 5800rpm
Maximum torque: 132Nm at 4000rpm

Suspension

Front: MacPherson struts with telescopic dampers and torsion bar springs
Rear: Trailing wishbones with telescopic dampers and transverse torsion bar
Wheels & tyres: Front: 15x4.5J with 165HR tyres. Rear: 15x4.5J with 165HR tyres

Brakes

Front: 235mm discs
Rear: 244mm discs

Dimensions

Length: 4163mm
Width: 1620mm
Weight: 935kg

Performance

0-60mph: 11.6 sec
Top speed: 117mph

912E: 1976

Engine

Capacity: 1971cc
Compression ratio: 7.6:1
Maximum power: 86bhp at 4900rpm
Maximum torque: 132Nm at 4000rpm

Suspension

Front: MacPherson struts with telescopic dampers and torsion bar springs
Rear: Trailing wishbones with telescopic dampers and transverse torsion bar
Wheels & tyres: Front: 15x5.5J with 165HR tyres. Rear: 15x5.5J with 165HR tyres

Brakes

Front: 282mm discs
Rear: 290mm discs

Dimensions

Length: 4292mm
Width: 1610mm
Weight: 1086kg

Performance

0-60mph: 13 sec
Top speed: 110mph

There has been much discussion recently on our forum about rising values. The 912 model is becoming increasingly rare and recent magazine reviews have recommended it as excellent value for money (Total 911, Classic & Sportscar, Classic Car Monthly - 2010). A standard 912 engine has around 20% less power than an early 911, but is aesthetically identical and has more predictable handling due to the lighter engine. Nowadays many of our 912s have rebuilt big-bore engines, so performance can be similar but the sister car commands far more than a 20% price premium, so maybe this will change. The rising prices are also partly attributable to exchange rates. Between January 2007 and January 2010 sterling has seen an 24% devaluation against the euro and 18% against the dollar. Hence it is no longer possible to import cars cheaply from America, and many cars for sale in the UK are purchased by buyers in the Eurozone. In addition classic car values in general have bucked the economic trend over the past few years. After disappointing returns and losses on many investments, people are attracted to classic car ownership and other alternative tangible assets, especially if they can offer both capital appreciation and an enjoyment factor. The general indication in the market is that current 912 values are as follows:

RESTORATION - £3000 - £6000

POOR - £6000 - £8000

AVERAGE - £8000 - £12000

EXCELLENT - £12000 - £20000

CONCOURS - £20000 - £25000

One of the common reactions us 912 owners are familiar with at car shows, is people saying they have never heard of our model. My usual response to this is to explain that the 912 is essentially the same as an early 911, but it was produced with a 4 cylinder engine. The model was required due to issues with both the handling and production costs of the early 911. The 912 was a far more successful than the swb 911 and outsold it at a ratio of three to one. The longer wheel base from 1969 and more efficient production techniques helped resolve the issues with the 911, so Porsche decided to concentrate on the 6 cylinder model and ceased production of the 912.

As you know, the 912 has the classic 901 body shape, exactly the same as the 911. Even an expert could not tell them apart without checking the engine and chassis number, to look at they are identical. Many 912s now host 6 cylinder engines, a common conversion. These cars commonly referred to as an ex-912, a 911/912, a 911-2 or in some cases a 911(don'tmentionthe2)! The 912E is simply an impact bumpered 911 with a 4 cylinder engine, produced in 1976 for one year only due to the American oil crisis.

This brings us onto the debate, of whether a 912 is a variant of 911. The cars which Porsche gave a designation number of 911 were only those known as the "early 911" (1963-1974) and the "impact bumper 911" (1974-1989). Since then we have had the 964, 993, 996 and 997. These 4 models were marketed as a 911, but do they have any more claim to those iconic three numbers than the 912?

When the 911 was released to replace the 356, three main themes to the car were that it maintained the streamlined "teardrop" body shape, it had a 6 cylinder engine, and this was air-cooled. I'd now like to examine these three attributes in detail for each model. The 964 and 993 maintain a facelifted version of the body shape with a similar interior, they have a 6 cylinder engine and are air-cooled, so can trace their DNA back to the first 901 prototype of 1963. The 996 and 997 have a recognisable body shape, but would not be confused with the original car on the road, they have an updated interior, their engine is 6 cylinder but water-cooled. The 912 and 912E of course have identical body, only a 4 cylinder engine but were air-cooled.

Hence I conclude that the 912 and 912E have just as much right to be part of the 911 family as the 996 and 997. With exception to the 6 cylinder engine, they meet all the criteria. Moreover, the 912 and 912E have the original 911 feel and character, in a way that later water cooled cars do not. Our cars are the classic Porsche shape, air-cooled, have significant racing history and are indeed more valuable now than many IB 911s and the earlier 996 cars. Journalists, take note, the following for the 912 is growing stronger by the year. Without doubt, the 912 holds a very special place in the 911 story.

Paul Sutters & Rick Horvath - 912 Register Secretaries