It has long been known at Porsche that in order to pay the bills that allow cars like the 911 to exist, you need to build a model that has mass-market appeal. In the early 90s following a major economic crash, this became painfully obvious as the line of customers showing up to purchase a 959 was not exactly long enough to keep the company afloat. Therefore, before the era of SUVs, Porsche would attempt to figure out different ways to make money, and the four-seater 911 B17 conceived by none other than Pininfarina is an example of a stillborn styling exercise now worth quite a bit of money. Find this 1-of-1 example listed here on Hemmings.com.
Porsche enthusiasts hate to admit it, but the fact that the likes of the Cayenne and Macan are big reasons why the company still makes a 911 GT3 or leaves a traditional manual transmission in the lineup. It’s the same over at BMW, where the M division is undoubtedly kept afloat by multiple SUVs sold with “M” packages and ventilated seats. Although it’d be nice for those manufacturers to offer a stripped down, no-frills sports car that costs under $100,000, those really don’t pay the bills, so SUVs sold to the masses it is. Fortunately, the Pininfarina option shown here never came to past, because the end result was far from desirable.
Porsche desperately wanted to figure out how to offer what it did best in a form that allowed for passengers and luggage to join the driver was clearly was allowed to have all the fun. While outsourcing the work to the likes of Pininfarina was a common occurrence in the 60s and 70s, it likely had too monumental of a task ahead of it. After all, this was clearly from a time when Porsche was trying to make the 911 all things to all people, and it simply wasn’t cut out for that. The end result was not only a very awkward design, but a car that was also far too heavy for Porsche’s sporting image.
However, with all things associated with Porsche, scarcity drives the price tag upwards, and this unusual attempt at building a four-seater 911 is no different. What’s most incredible to me is that a failed styling exercise that Porsche didn’t even want managed to survive and still exists today in fine condition. The lime green paint job was done after Porsche washed its hands of it, and still looks tidy today. It hasn’t been offered for sale since going into current ownership in the 1970s, so suffice to say, the price tag is extreme. The ask is $1,250,000 if you want to own this truly unique Porsche, and remind the world why we have so many Cayennes on the road. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the find.
That is..unattractive.
In a cover story interview for Autoweek magazine Dr. Ferry Porsche said as long as he had any say in it Porsche would only build and sell 2 seat 2 door sports cars. Have y’all seen any of the one off birthday builds they presented him during his lifetime? Google the 914-8. Incredible
Saw the 914-8 while at the factory in the ’70s. There also was a 914 with a flat-12 (I think) among the museum cars. Got to get my books out to check that.
It is not a 4-Door. A Porsche dealer in Los Angeles had a 4-Door 911 built. I cannot remember the name of the dealership, but I think it was in Orange County, Don Burns maybe??
There was a 1967 4 door 911. https://www.petersen.org/vehicle-spotlights/1967-porsche-911-s-four-door
Everything’s Bigger In Texas…………
Texas Porsche dealer William Dick commissioned a custom four-door Porsche 911 S in 1967 as a gift for his wife and to demonstrate the viability of a four-door model. Los Angeles-area fabricator Troutman and Barnes built the custom by cutting a standard 911 S in half, stretching its wheelbase, and adding a new roof piece to accommodate an extra set of Porsche doors. The car’s interior leather was dyed to match a pair of leather shoes that Dick sent to the Porsche factory and was crafted by well-known upholsterer Tony Nancy.
I don’t hate it; it looks a heck of a lot better than the four-seater Datsun Z’s and E-type Jags.
My thoughts exactly. It has a Jensen look to it. IMHO this is one of the better rendering of converting what was intended as 2-seats to 4-seats. It has a very modern look to it. Kudos to Pininfarina for a job well done. With that said… no I wouldn’t want one.
Ugh-lee!
The Porsche family lost control of the company to VW several years ago, and the result is that the new 911, never mind the SUVs, has an LCD tach. No thanks, ever.
I see the forerunner to a “modern” 2 dr Panamera, if one were made. Good comparison to a 4 seater Z. Interesting find
Oh, no! Sacrilege.
Often there’s a very good reason that cars are rare…
Could be a scam: who tries to sell a million-dollar car on Hemmings and with such poor photos?
I’d pay $12.50 to strip it and send the body to the crusher.
The car: no. But how much is the lion in photo number 3!
Don’t all except the sportiest 911s have 4 seats already?
But they managed to pull it off without making it look like a pregnant guppy.
Steve R
In a classic 911 the standard provisions in back barely even qualify as “seats”, and I don’t mean just size and legroom. They’re basically just two carpeted scallops in the floorpan with a hump between them, a skimpy upholstered pad at the bottom of each well, separate backrests well above those that really just hug the mid-back and ribs from waist to armpit, and nothing but carpet from waist down to butt.
Found this page with more pics of this B17 prototype, including a pic of its back seats followed by a pic of the standard back “seats” for comparison:
https://www.4legend.com/2017/porsche-911-b-17-pininfarina-de-1969-une-porsche-911-rallongee-a-4-vraies-places/
I know – that’s the point. Why in the world did they even bother?
Were they trying to avoid some sort of tax / classification?
I’ve always considered the 911 one of the ugliest cars on the planet – slant nose was a slight improvement. Think Jeff had a good description of this green thing, stillborn.
The Troutman and Barnes 911 is actually VERY beautiful car, with sleek lines and smooth flanks. It still survives!
I would much rather spend that kind of money on a few nice muscle cars.
Maybe the Jag E type 2+2 coupes will become more popular. They look much better than this Guppy.
E-type 2+2s are about as bloated as this hog.
According to the internet, Jerry Seinfeld is worth 1.1 billion dollars. So if he wants to add this to his extensive Porsche collection it would just cost him pocket change.
Rich boy toy.
For that price, I could buy 3 houses or at least 2 really nice houses with a view
Let me understand this. You take a sports car that 7s already tail happy, You add more weight to the rear so that you can carry even more weight. (People)
It does not compute in my very old and used up brain. ( besides it looks like crap!), Someone younger and smarter than me please explain why they didn’t crush this hideous car instantly after painting it.
You do have a point. But, at least the rear passengers are sitting in front of the rear wheels and not hanging out the back like the engine.