Good, early Porsche 912s are at last being appreciated for what they are, and no longer regarded as just being cheap alternatives to the 911.

The 912 is a nimble, quick and very drivable sports car in its own right. Launched in 1965, it outsold 911s in 1966 as it was considerably cheaper, more economical and used the proven, air-cooled four-cylinder engine from the well-loved Porsche 356 that preceded it. The engine produces a mere 90bhp (early 911s have 130bhp) but the car was made with the same care and precision as its bigger-engined stablemate. 

The 912 is particularly popular in America due to their draconian speed limits. The 912E of 1976 was a dog, so we will ignore it here.

A 912 weighs 250lb less than an early 911, and all that weight is lost behind the rear wheels, improving the handling significantly. In an early comparison test, American racing driver Mark Donohue found the 912’s handling ‘most impressive’; he found the 911S ‘disappointing’.

With disc brakes all round, fully  independent torsion bar suspension and razor-sharp steering, a 912 can be very quick indeed across difficult roads. Expect to pay between £8000 and £15,000 for a good one and enjoy it not being a thirsty, tail-happy, highly strung early 911.

‘A few years ago you could buy the best 912 in the world for about £10,000. Now the best one in the world costs about £14,000, so they have not gone mental like early 911s,’ says specialist Andy Prill (pictured above). ‘I think a properly set-up 912 is great fun to drive. They are unique Porsches and have a very strong following.’

The 912 is eligible for racing and rallying as it has competition form: Polish driver Sobieslaw Zasada won his class in a 912 in the 1967 European Rally Championship. A good road car can be bought for around £8000, but best to look at better examples starting at the £10,000 mark as any work required is expensive.

Porsche spare parts prices are heinous. Buy a car that has had money spent on the engine and bodywork already.

Porsche 912s rust like any other classic but most body panels are available. Importantly, check there is no rot around the torque tubes in which the torsion bars run. Rust here is rare but can be prohibitively expensive to repair.

Although the air-cooled engines are tough, they don’t last more than 100,000 miles and cost at least £8500 to rebuild properly with a big-bore kit, a cam, full-flow oil system and other sensible upgrades.

Early cars came with a four-speed gearbox as standard, the five-speed being an option. Obviously the latter is more desirable, so check whether it’s fitted. Gearboxes are rugged but the nylon bushes under the gearlever wear out, making the shift loose and imprecise. This is cheap and easy to fix.

The engine is effectively oil (and air) cooled so the oil must be changed every 3000 miles. At the same time the tappets should be checked as the all-alloy engine expands and contracts a good deal. 

The original Solex carburettors wear out and, in the past, were not easily rebuilt so aftermarket Webers were often fitted. These are noisy and heavy on petrol and need to be very carefully set up. The Solexes can now be rebuilt and are best for road cars as they benefit from Porsche set-up and original airboxes designed to keep induction noise down.

Early cars are desirable but less refined. The later long-wheelbase variants are heavier and make better tourers. The long-derided Targa models are becoming cool again – but be careful, as the expensive Targa tops get pinched!

The Porsche 912 is a well balanced, safe, quick and sophisticated sports car that is great fun to drive on challenging back roads, where it will romp away from many less sophisticated but more powerful classics. But it is not a 911. 

If you want a fast racing or rallying 912, there is plenty that can be done but refinement will suffer. Excellent fun, though! The engine is noisy out of the box, so be careful with big carburettors, high-lift cams and open exhausts. Big bore kits (1720cc) are an improvement but must be fitted by an expert. Keep the cam mild and go for torque over revs and horsepower. 

It’s best to go for a clean, straight, original example that has benefited from the attention of respected Porsche specialists. In that way you will have a proper Porsche that is most enjoyable to drive in the real world.