Editing Porsche 912 (section)

===912 (1965–1969)===
[[File: 1966 Porsche 912 (2721231058).jpg|thumb|1966 Porsche 912 Coupé|left]]In the early 1960s, Porsche planned to discontinue the [[Porsche 356|Type 356]], which would leave the newly introduced [[Porsche 911 (classic)|Type 911]], with its more powerful six-cylinder powerplant, as the company's sole product. Concerned that the considerable price increase of the 911 over the 356 would cost the company sales and narrow its brand appeal, in 1963 Porsche executives decided to introduce a new four-cylinder entry-level model based on the 911. Like that vehicle with its internal factory designation of "901", the four-cylinder 912 was originally known at the company by a number with a zero in the middle, but the "902" designation was never used publicly.<ref name= "Porsche - Excellence Was Expected" >{{cite book |last= Ludvigsen |first=Karl |author-link=Karl Ludvigsen |title= Porsche - Excellence Was Expected, page 413 |year=1977 |publisher= Princeton Publishing Inc. |location=New Jersey, USA }}</ref>  ("912" as a project number was used after 1968 to indicate the 12 cylinder flat opposed engine developed for [[Porsche 917]] racing car.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In 1963, Porsche assigned Dan Schwartz, later Chief Departmental Manager for Development, Mechanics, a project to oversee design and construction of a new horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine for the 902, utilizing components from the new 901 six-cylinder engine, that would produce higher performance than the [[overhead valve]] 356SC engine while being less costly and complex than the [[overhead cam]] 356 Carrera 2 engine. Another option explored by Claus von Rücker was to increase displacement of the 356 Type 616 engine to 1.8-liters, add [[Kugelfischer]] fuel injection, and modify both valve and cooling systems. Considering performance, cost, and scheduling, Porsche discontinued both of these design projects, and instead developed a third option, to tailor the 1.6-liter Type 616 engine to the 902.<ref name= "Klassieke Porsche 911 & 912 Club Nederland Magazine, June 2013" >{{cite book |title= Klassieke Porsche 911 & 912 Club Nederland Magazine, June 2013 (Jaargang 21, Nr. 2, page 14) |year=2013 }}</ref><ref name= "Porsche 901: The Roots of a Legend" >{{cite book |last=Lewandowski |first=Jurgen |title= Porsche 901: The Roots of a Legend |year=2010 |publisher=Delius Klasing Verlag GMbH |location=Germany }}</ref>
[[File:Porsche 912 Interior.jpg|thumb|Interior]]
Before 911 production commenced in 1964, the Porsche Vehicle Research Department had set aside chassis numbers 13328, 13329, 13330, 13352, and 13386 through 13397 for research testing of the 902; research vehicle Serial Number 13394 is the oldest 902 known to exist today.  In production form, the Type 912 combined a 911 [[chassis]] / bodyshell with the 1.6L, four-[[Cylinder (engine)|cylinder]], push-rod Type 616/36 engine, based upon the Type 616/16 engine used in the Type 356SC of 1964–1965.  With a lower compression ratio and new Solex carburetors, the Type 616/36 engine produced five less horsepower than the 616/16, but delivered about the same maximum torque at 3,500 rpm versus 4,200 rpm for the 616/16.  Compared to the 911, the resulting production Type 912 vehicle demonstrated superior weight distribution, handling, and range.  To bring 912 pricing close to the 356, Porsche also removed some features standard on the 911. As production of the 356 concluded in 1965, on April 5, 1965, Porsche officially began production of the 912 coupé.<ref name= "Porsche Service Bulletin, Subject: Introduction of Vehicle Type 912">{{cite book |title= Porsche Service Bulletin, Subject: Introduction of Vehicle Type 912|date=April 27, 1965 |publisher= Porsche AG |location=Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany }}</ref>   Styling, performance, quality construction, reliability, and price made the 912 a very attractive buy to both new and old customers, and it substantially outsold the 911 during the first few years of production.  Porsche produced nearly 30,000 912 coupé units and about 2500 912 Targa body style units (Porsche's patented variation of a cabriolet) during a five-year manufacturing run.

[[File: Porsche 912 Targa red.jpg|thumb|left|Porsche 912 Targa]]
[[File: PolitieTarga.JPG|thumb|Dutch Porsche 912 Police Targa]]
Production of the Targa, complete with removable roof and heavy transparent plastic rear windows openable with a zipper (later called 'Version I' by Porsche and the 'soft-window Targa' by enthusiasts), commenced in December 1966 as a 1967 model.   
In January 1968, Porsche also made available a Targa 'Version II' option ('hard window Targa') with fixed glass rear window, transforming the Targa into a coupé with removable roof.<ref name= "PorscheB" >{{cite book |last= Ludvigsen |first=Karl |author-link=Karl Ludvigsen |title= Porsche - Excellence Was Expected, page 450 |year=1977 |publisher= Princeton Publishing Inc. |location=New Jersey, USA }}</ref>

The 912 was also made in a special version for the German autobahn police (Polizei) and for the Dutch police (Rijkspolitie); the 100,000th Porsche car was a 912 Targa for the police of Baden-Württemberg, the home state of Porsche.<ref name= "Ferry Porsche: Cars Are My Life " >{{cite book |last= Porsche |first=Ferry |author2=Gunther Molter |title= Ferry Porsche: Cars Are My Life, page 210 |year=1990 |publisher= Motorbooks Intl. |location=United Kingdom }}</ref> In the April 1967 edition, the Porsche factory's [[Christophorus (magazine)|Christophorus Magazine]] noted: "On 21 December 1966, Porsche celebrated a particularly proud anniversary.  The 100,000th Porsche, a 912 Targa outfitted for the police, was delivered." Porsche executives decided that after the 1969 model year, continuation of 912 production would not be viable, due to both internal and external factors. First, production facilities used for the 912 were reallocated to a new 914–6, a six-cylinder high performance version of the Porsche 914, Porsche-Volkswagen joint effort vehicle.   Second, the 911 platform had returned to Porsche's traditional three performance-level ladder, including a base model 911T, a fuel-injected 911E, and a most powerful 911S, with pricing largely in line with market expectations.  Third, more stringent United States engine emission control regulations also had a bearing on the decision; Ferry Porsche stated "It would have taken some trouble to prepare the 912 for the new exhaust rules, and with the arrival of the 914 we would have had three different engines to keep current.  That was too many."<ref name="Porsche - Excellence Was Expected" />