Back in 1969, Porsche made history by being the first German car manufacturer to market a production mid-engined sports car. The car in question was the little-known 914, but Porsche design chief Michael Mauer said it was a groundbreaking moment for the brand.
Mauer’s attachment to the 914 has intensified to the point where he’s immersing himself in the history of the two-seater sports car. In an interview published on Porsche’s newsroom (and in the book “50 Jahre Porsche 914”), Mauer said the 914 wasn’t even on his radar before, but the more he works with the 914, the more he’s inclined to fight for a reduced, puristic approach when it comes to styling cars.
When asked if there was a future for the 914, the designer simply said “we have this discussion all the time. It’s all about the entry-level Porsche.” He added: “an entry-level Porsche not in terms of the price, but the sense of reduction. A car with almost no electrics, everything mechanical, puristic. I find the idea exciting.”
In the same breath, he mentioned that the new entry-level model could target groups of people who drive cars like the Audi TT RS and Volkswagen Golf R32. It should be a very simple, unpretentious car, like a modern Porsche 550 (a mid-engined race car in the mid-60s) in the broadest sense.
Passion projects like these occur on many levels in the auto industry, but most don’t get the green light because sports cars aren’t as profitable. Mauer said the sales division may see things differently, but argues that a much cheaper entry-level Porsche “would be the right thing to do.” He feels that the time has come for a puristic, reduced, “back to our roots” type of car, which would be typically Porsche.
Right now, it’s uncertain if there are concrete plans to lower the entry point to the world of Porsche sports cars with a new “back to basics” model. These new rumours surely appeal to enthusiasts, but R&D costs may be thwarting. There is, however, a possible way around it.
A few months ago, Autoindustriya asked Toyota chief engineer Tetsuya Tada whether he plans to collaborate with another automaker to revive the iconic MR2 (the only one of the “three brothers” besides the Supra and 86 to get a successor), and he surprisingly said Porsche.
This is just speculation on our part, but it would be possible for Toyota to team up with Porsche to develop a new midship sports car. Tada did say that the Boxster was used as a benchmark when developing the Supra, so if both parties are keen on jointly creating something that appeals to enthusiasts, who’s to say no? What do you think?
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A MR2 with Porsche parts? I’m in.
And yet some guy was pooh-poohing X70 doesn’t come with Volvo gearbox that is used in XC40. I wonder who that person is.
This Posh car envisioned will be a beast to handle with just mechanical steering.
Lightweight mid engined cars like the 914 and Fiat X1/9 have amazing steering feel BECAUSE there is no power assist.
Wow, If the Supra got BMW engine, what the possibility of an MR2 with Porsche engine?
An MR2 would be slotted below the 86, the pricing should be lower too, perhaps?
That would make it more interesting than the A90 Supra.
Dream on!!
I will definitely buy and pretty sure it’s worth keeping it
A car with almost no electrics, everything mechanical, puristic? So basically Michael Mauer is saying that he wants his own version of the Lotus Elise…
By logic, the mechanical car, without electronics should be sold much cheaper, right?
But then, how can a Porsche be sold at low price….
But if they finely tuned the engine and the chassis while also using lightweight materials, it would cost more. Remember the Alfa Romeo 4C? That thing didn’t even have a power steering
914/4 was already a joint development with Volkswagen (it had a 80hp boxer from the VW 411). But I doubt that a new 914 will ever be developed, the market is too small.
That boxer in the VW 411 and 914 is just a variant of the old VW Beetle engine but with fuel injection. The VW Beetle was actually designed by Porsche. Even the first production porsche, the 356 uses the VW Beetle engine and plenty of VW Beetle components.
Obviously the engineering and design departments are oblivious to the definition of “heritage” – a rebadged Subaru into a GT86… a Z4 into a Supra and now a Porsche.
But they are not entirely to be blamed since the departments are ruled by accountants.
hahaha….rightly so, Joe.
…like the New Supra is entire designed by a dedicated group of Accountants and sleeping Engineers.
86 rebadge from Subaru
Supra rebadge from BMW
MR2 rebadge from Porsche?
Malu besar bossku Japan!
Or a Miata into a Fiat 124?
Yes! Yes! Yes! MR2 was a great car. Nothing like it.
Yes, now please! Where can I sign?