PORSCHES THAT WEREN’T

Porsche’s world-changing talents weren’t limited to its own sports cars. Here are three other classics it also worked on

1984-93 SEAT IBIZA

Released just a couple of years before VAG took over the reins at SEAT, the Ibiza was a collaboration between Italdesign, Karmann and Porsche – with Porsche working on the gearbox and engine. Indeed, the cam covers bear the Porsche name. Otherwise, this is a fairly handsome (if rather boxy) Eighties budget hatch, which is okay to drive and has a few interesting interior idiosyncrasies, too. WHAT TO PAY: £800-2000

1991-94 MERCEDES-BENZ 500E

This really wouldn’t fly today, with Porsche now officially being part of VAG, but Porsche took the opportunity to dip its toe in the saloon market in the early Nineties by teaming up with Mercedes for the 500E. Essentially a high-performance version of the W124, cars literally went back and forth between the two companies in their weeks-long production schedule, meaning that numbers were limited and prices high. WHAT TO PAY £10,000-20,000

1994-95 AUDI RS2 AVANT

Officially a joint venture between Audi and Porsche, the RS2 Avant was the first RS model for Audi, which naturally turned to its Stuttgart relative when it needed help developing the car. Porsche basically took the parts that were shared with a normal Audi 80 and then assembled the car at its Rossle-Blau plant, where it had previously made the 959 and Mercedes 500E. WHAT TO PAY £18,000-25,000