There are still those who see the Porsche 914 model as a “funny little car” compared to the immortal 911. Granted, in its day, professional rally drivers were not keen on the 914 – they were nervous driving it at the limit.
Yet the records show that 914s were driven to at least 41 class wins, and at least 71 positions on the other two steps of the podium in regional, national, and international rallies.
Racing on the circuits of Europe, 914s came home first in their class, and even took overall victory many times. In the USA’s IMSA GTU championship, nationals and internationals, it was the same story, and that’s not counting the multitude of SCCA regional races. The 914 first raced in 1970 – as for the last, who knows? Even today, Porsche 914s are still used in the USA’s SCCA GT classes.
Porsche – The Racing 914s is a study in pictures, statistics, factory information, and interviews, that will show the Porsche 914 in a whole new light. This richly illustrated book is released as a limited edition of only 1500 copies, making it a must-have for Porsche 914 enthusiasts in particular and racing enthusiasts in general.
The author, Roy Smith, has a keen eye for detail, developed during a 40-year career in sales and marketing. Having written for club magazines during the 1960s and interviewed notables of the time, when Roy retired from business in 2003, he decided to turn his attention to writing about motorsports. He now has six previous works to his name, as well as continuing to contribute specialist articles for websites and magazines worldwide. As with Roy’s previous titles, his aim with this book is to provide a good read to new driving enthusiasts and hardened petrolheads alike. 
BULLET POINTS ABOUT THE BOOK
• The first comprehensive study of the 914 Porsche in competition.
• Covers the complete development of the factory GT cars.
• Demonstrates the development of the 914 privateer cars.
• Includes many constructor and driver details from interviews.
• Brings new information, new images, and many surprises from behind the scenes.
• Shows the true, little-known performance of the 914.
• Reveals the sheer volume of podium positions achieved by the 914.
• Raises the awareness of a forgotten model that was thought to be out-of-step with Porsche thinking.
• Explores the myths, bad vibes, politics, and what might have been, had the car been properly developed.
• Shows how the American racers truly made the 914 perform – well enough to be a championship winner!
Check out two more new books for petrolheads – RX-7, Mazda’s Rotary Engine Sports Car and To Boldly Go.
