Some Original Herbies Had a Porsche Engine
Since the original Volkswagen was already designed by Porsche engineering, it wasn’t uncommon to see a Porsche engine jammed into one of these from time to time. And that’s what happened during the filming of the original Herbie flicks because the stunt scenes were too much for the factory engine to handle. The movie crew utilized a 90-horsepower 1600-cc twin-carburetor flat-four engine for the models that were used in the stunts and racing scenes. The result was a car that performed considerably better, especially on video (via Auto Evolution).
The Porsche engineering was an adequate first step in giving the car some real power. A factory Beetle just didn’t have the pep to deliver when it came to a real racing scene. The directors knew that but the design of the car fit the movie so well that they found a workaround. Thus, some original Herbie models are floating around that utilized a true Porsche engine under the hood. Finding one of these cars is a special experience and sure to leave a lasting impression on whoever ends up owning it.