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Despite criticism it was subjected to as a consequence of joint VW-Porsche parentage, the mid-engined 914 paved the way for a different kind of thinking in Stuttgart. The boxy, Targa-topped roadster was a sales success, proving there were huge benefits for the two manufacturers to work closely together when developing new vehicles.

1972 saw the beginning of a project codenamed ‘EA 425’. The work formed part of Porsche’s contract to design and produce new products for VW. The coupe being developed had a silhouette unlike any Porsche up until that point in time. Designed by Harm Lagaaij, the new model featured a smooth nose and pop-up headlights harking back to the styling of the 914, but that’s where similarities ended — from front to rear, the car’s body rose wedge-like to a curved