The VW-Porsche 914 SL – Sports Limited

The 914 VW-Porsche Can Am model was also imported to Japan as the VW-Porsche 914 SL, an acronym for ‘Sports Limited’. We have very little information on this model, just a few scant written references and a few photos.

For many years Mr. Matsuda was a well-regarded Porsche car collector in Japan who maintained an extensive collection of significant Porsche vehicles and displayed them publicly. The Matsuda Porsche Collection as it was known, was broken up sometime in the 1990s. An American Porsche collector on the East coast purchased one of the rare 914 SL cars, Bumblebee VIN 14438 on the 914 Can Am Registry, and exported it to the USA at the time the collection was dismantled. 14438 later went to another collector in Germany, then came back to the USA. It is currently in George Hussey's 914 collection in Marrieta, Georgia.

From the Matsuda Collection brochure, we know that there were twenty 914 SL vehicles manufactured and imported to Japan:

Matsuda brochure on the 914 SL

914 SL Details

The 914 SL was equipped with the special 914 Can Am front spoiler and accent color scheme applied to the bumpers, wheels, front spoiler, lower valences and side stripes, in common with the other 914 Can Am models. The 914 SL was manufactured in both Bumblebee and Creamsicle configurations.

In other respects, the 914 SL is unique from both the USA 914 LE and European 914 GT models. The 914 SL has several features found on both the 914 GT and 914 LE cars, but in different combinations.

Like the European 914 GT, the 914 SL has European-style front and rear turnsignal lenses, and does not have the engine grille PORSCHE letters.

Like the USA 914 LE the 914 SL has the USA-style negative side stripes. It is also equipped with front sidemarker lights although in Japan, the sidemarker lights are wired as supplemental side-mounted turnsignal lamps.

The 914 SL Targa bar vinyl and trim is different on the two cars we know about. The 914 SL Bumblebee has vinyl Targa bar vinyl and chrome trim, where the 914 SL Creamsicle car does not have Targa bar vinyl and has black trim.

A unique feature of the 914 SL model is the wheels, which are 4-bolt Fuchs, and not Mahles. The 914 SL speedometer and sidemarker lenses are special Japan-only equipment and unique to that countries’ requirements. It would be great to see the Japan-language owners manual and any other Japanese 914 documents, including the COA for the VIN 14438 Bumblebee car.

914 SL Bumblebee VIN 14438

914 SL Creamsicle ‘SLX1’