The debate goes on. Most of the information available up until recently has suggested that their were only four 914/6 Sportomatics ever constructed. The following are exerpts from different publications over the past 25 years referencing the 914/6 Sportomatic.
Now we've uncovered a letter from Porsche stating that there were five built for experimental purposes.
Engine codes 901/37 and 901/39 were used to denote European and US-spec 914s with Sportomatic transmission respectively. The transmission type was 914/05.
Some articles for reference:
PORSCHE: Excellence Was Expected, Page 569
"Although it continued to be mentioned and was carried on the 914 price lists for some time, one option that was not actually available was the Sportomatic transmission. Several early cars were built with the Sportomatic; at least one four and one six cylinder so equipped were officially exported to the United States. But it was never made available as part of the 914 range."
Road & Track, May 1980, Page 226
"I own a 1971 Porsche 914/6 Sportomatic, and I understand very few of these cars were equipped with this transmission. Realizing that this is not really a technical question, I'd be grateful if you could tell me just how many 914/6 Sportomatics were produced."
Urban Knutsson
Taby, Sweeden
"Your car is a rare one indeed: According to Porsche factory records, only four such cars were manufactured. A company representative suggests there's a good chance that your car may well be the only one left in working order."
The 914 & 914/6 Porsche Restorer's Guide to Authenticity, 1989, Dr. B. Johnson,
Page 12 & 73
"A handful of 914/6's had Sportomatic transmissions."
"A Sportomatic shift lever (and appropriate pedal assembly) is illustrated in the parts manual; there were only four 914/6's so constructed."
Illustrated Porsche Buyers Guide, Dean Batchelor, Third Edition, Page 111
"There were no transmission options (the Sportomatic had been 'advertised' as an available option for both cars, but I can find no evidence that this unit ever appeared in a production 914 or 914/6) and both cars used the five-speed assembly from the 911."
Porsche Panorama, November 1994, Page 5
"Porsche's Sportomatic clutchless transmission was offered on the 914 and is described in all the manuals, but few examples have surfaced. Road & Track magazine reported in May of 1980 that just four 914/6 Sportomatic cars were built. Recent factory information indicates that no 914/4 cars were ever fitted with Sportomatic."
Porsche Panorama, October 1995, Page 84
"Gacek's 1993 certificate of authenticity from the factory indicates that there were 21 Sportomatics built in the 1971 model year" "An inquiry was directed to Porsche North America to confirm the correctness of these numbers and to shed some light on the 914/6 Sportomatic quantities. PCNA's answer was that there were, in fact, 21 914/6 Sportomatic cars built in the 1971 model year plus another four cars built in the 1970 model year for an overall total of 25 cars." "The majority of 914/6 Sportomatics went to European customers and it is not known how many are currently in the United States."
