EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

As the halo models of their respective ranges, it won’t come as much surprise that neither car feels slow. We could go into minute detail about which is faster (the Porsche – but only by fractions of a second), but when both cars are capable of pinning you to your seat as they catapult off towards the horizon with alarming alacrity, it’s not a point worth labouring.

Similarly, ample torque allows the Capri Tickford and 944 Turbo to pull from low revs without the need to drop down a gear, though doing so makes them feel docile. Engine response below 3000rpm isn’t what we’d call scintillating, meaning their off-boost acceleration feels no quicker than their naturally-aspirated equivalents; the 944 is notable for its silky-smooth power delivery, the Capri for its stronger pulling power from lower engine speeds.

Where the cars truly differ is in how they go about delivering their explosive acceleration. The Capri’s IHI RHB6 turbocharger kicks in soonest in the mid-range (roughly 3000rpm), and rather like flicking a switch, the Cologne V6 races to the top of its revs in what feels like an instant. Delicate throttle control is required if you’re to have any hope of managing the all-or-nothing nature of the power delivery. It’s a challenge, but a deeply satisfying one when you achieve the right balance.

The Porsche, on the other hand, is far more progressive when the turbo begins to spool up. What at first might be perceived as turbo lag from the KKK turbo attached to the 944’s all-alloy 2.5-litre four-pot is actually the result of part- rather than full throttle; in fact, the Porsche doesn’t unleash its full potential until you deliberately put your foot to the floor. And where the Ford’s urgency begins to wane as the revs climb beyond 5000rpm, it continues all the way up to 6000rpm in the Porsche. Longer gear ratios mean that the burst of acceleration lasts longer, too, and this is ultimately how the 944 outpaces its rival.