The Original Cayman: Porsche 914/6 - One Take

The Porsche 914/6 was sold from 1970-1972, and had a strange life. A collaboration between VW and Porsche, many didn't see it as a "real" Porsche, because of VW parts sharing, a design departure from the 911, and the weak 4-cylinder engine (It was sold with 2 engine options: a 1.7-liter flat-four VW engine with 80 hp or a 2.0-liter 110HP flat-six, which came from the 911 T). But what people missed is a mid-engined car that weighed about 2000lbs, a good recipe indeed. This one has the better motor and has had a full restoration.

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[lukesturbo]

Cool review, it's good to see a 914 on a prominent channel but saying you feel like you're driving in front of a bus is disrespectful to this lineage. This is one of the most well balanced cars of its era & a 914/6 is about as rare as it gets. Respect

[QuickF]

Zack, the dog-leg first gear is for the track. You really only do the 1-2 shift in the pits. 2-3 and 4-5 are much more important. In a traditional transmission, 2-3 you go up to the side then up. Same with 4-5. However in a dog-leg the 2-3 and 4-5 are just straight up (or down for a downshift). Quicker, less chance of messing up. 2-3 you see in and out of slow and hairpin turns, 4-5 you see in and out of moderate to fast turns. The 3-4 shift will still be the slow zig zag but when you're on a straight it's less important. So basically you have three shifts in a 5 speed transmission on the track that you use the most. In a regular gearbox, it will be two zig zags and one straight shift. On the dog-leg it will be two straights and one zig zag. And that, folks, is the most long winded and unnecessary explanation of a shift pattern in the history of shift pattern explanations.

Signed,

Technical Millennial

[MrUltraworld]

I love these cars. So light, fun to drive.

[limulus]

I had a Lotus Europa which was from the same era, so I've always appreciated the 914. If you think the 914 is small and light get in a Europa...if you can (I probably could not get into mine now). Mine was 39-in tall at the roof, which was the level of my belt and it weighed less than 1, 500 lbs. It was set up for racing and had a modified engine making a whopping 130HP.

[boylefranks]

I've had a thing for these cars since I was a kid. Great video.

[kootsmike]

Dogleg first is a racing box. On the racetrack, you would pretty much never use first, so they put it out of the way and made it difficult to accidentally downshift to first. So, they were doing it RIGHT!

[WBush-ucpe]

15:43 "What is this red one - is this eject?" :-)))
Another Klapman klassic!

[ubernoob]

Basically the boxster/cayman before the boxster/cayman

[Twobarpsi]

For the neophytes, dogleg first gear is an advantage on road courses. On most road courses, you never use first gear other than from the start. Therefore, it makes the downshift from 3rd gear to 2nd gear quicker and faster. Thanks heard it here first.

[PFR]

Had a 2.0 4-cylinder 914S (factory sway bars, 3 gauge center console, and such) for 18 years. Daily driver and auto-crossed it. Came to love first and reverse spring-loaded off to the side. Leaves the track gears front and center. Helps though to double-clutch. If anyone still even does that.

[scotturich]

I used to have a 73 2.0l Olympic blue love these cars....all the models have jumped in price quite a bit in the last 2 years....Got to love the targa

[groundforce]

He said " what is this one? EJECT!" Love it, keep them

[russn]

I have a '70 914-6 that looks like that one, and a Cayman S 987.2. I think they feel similar on initial turn-in. Obviously the weight and power of the Cayman makes the corner apex and exit feel quite different.

[Krasshirsch]

Matt has done something with his hair ...

[letsride]

I believe the dog leg pattern, 1st gear left and up, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in H pattern was from racing transmissions thought, where 1st was used only to start out, on track was primary 2nd to 3rd and 4th to 5th in that H pattern

[KevinCooney-kr]

Just an FYI guys, they didn't put wider tires on from the factory because there weren't any

[lexburen]

the shift pattern to 1st, is because its hard to accidentally go from 4 to 1st for example. its a safety feature

[ik]

Does it have solid chain tensioners? That was an absolute must for the 2.0/6!

[Ficon]

Porsche purists: if it's not an air-cooled flat 6 it's not a real Porsche. 914/6 comes along. Porsche purists: it's not a real Porsche.

[pedrokim]

Nice build!
What brand is the stereo?