A NEW DIRECTION
The 924 was a vehicle with a troubled development, but as a concept it came good for Porsche in the end, widening the marque’s appeal and spawning some truly spectacular derivatives.
The Porsche 924 narrative commenced three years after the 1969 introduction of the Volkswagen-porsche 914. Porsche devised the new car to succeed the 914 on a consultancy basis for VW’S Audi subsidiary, whose CEO Rudolf Leiding commissioned the design. The criteria for Project EA425 (EA standing for Entwicklungsauftrag or ‘development commission’) were that it should be frontengined, have rear seats capable of accommodating two children and have good luggage space. It should also use as many existing components as possible.
EA425 was a three-door coupé using VW’S Type EA831 two-litre inline four-cylinder water-cooled engine. There was a trio of final proposals for EA425’S exterior from
Richard Soderberg, Dawson Sellar and Harm Lagaay. VW chose the last-named, but combined with Soderberg’s idea of a large glass hatchback, while Hans Braun devised the interior. Lagaay later reflected: ‘The fact that this project was initially developed for Volkswagen but then became a very successful Porsche shows how effective the original design was.’
Three Opel Mantas served as test mules, augmented by a BMW 1600, for evaluation of the engine. The EA425 was presented to the VW board in the spring of 1973, but only a few months later the OPEC fuel crisis made a 2-litre sports car seem less attractive to the concern. In addition, the Golf had proved very expensive to develop. By spring of 1974, management had cancelled the EA425, or as Motor Sport put it: ‘When Leiding was replaced by Toni Schmuecker, the latter got cold feet over the project, thought that Audi should steer clear of the sports car image and gave this 21-2 a karate chop.’ The Volkswagen Group sold the rights to Porsche for £10 million. In 1980 Georg Kacher wrote in Car: ‘There were further hefty developmental costs on top of that, and the 924 still costs Porsche money. Its break-even point won’t be reached until well into 1981.’
Production commenced in 1975 in the AUDI-NSU factory at Neckarsulm, where Porsche technicians supervised its manufacture. The 924 made its bow on 15th November at the French port of La Grande Motte. Enthusiasts of the 911 muttered that its 2-litre inline, four-cylinder, alloy-head, overhead camshaft engine hailed from the Volkswagen LT van. This, as the writer Gordon Cruickshank pointed out, was not the case, saying: ‘The SOHC engine was developed from the Audi 100 unit, and it was a detuned version which found its way into the VW LT van, not vice versa.’ In addition, Porsche modified the engine with an in-house cylinder head and Bosch K-jetronic fuel injection, and further altered the brakes and suspension.
Nevertheless, the complaints continued, with mutterings about the 924’s Audi-sourced four-speed transmission and rear drum brakes instead of discs. Porsche announced: ‘We are not bound to any concept, we are just bound to make any concept work better than others,’ but aficionados still found the 924 guilty of not being a 911.
The Daily Telegraph regarded the 924 as ‘a brave attempt by a quality manufacturer to popularise his product.’ Motor Sport wrote: ‘We can describe the 924 as a splendid Audi, but a disappointing Porsche.’ They also grumbled: ‘For some unfathomable reason, front and rear anti-roll bars are not fitted as standard.’ In fact, these were an £80 extra. Yet a growing number of drivers appreciated the 52:48 front/ rear weight distribution and by July 1976 the 924 was in such demand that it reached maximum daily production capacity. US sales began in the 1977 model year, with American specification 924s having detuned engines and aluminium bumpers.
RHD production began that March, with the Ukmarket 924 costing £6998.94. Optional extras included a stereo system, a rear wiper, those anti-roll bars, headlamp washers, a sunroof, a passenger door mirror and three-speed automatic transmission. Autocar praised its handling, ride and roadholding, but noted: ‘There are several strong rivals offering a similar specification for a lot less money.’ Competitors included the Datsun 260Z 2+2 at £6501 and the Lancia Beta 2000 HPE at £4882, while the Alfetta GTV 2000 cost £2000 less than the 924.
Car tested the Porsche opposite the Alfa Romeo and preferred the Italian coupé, noting the 924’s ‘brilliant handling, but at a desperately high cost in terms of comfort and space.’ Clive Richardson believed its shortcomings: ‘will do much to tarnish a revered name. The 924 is a bit like the curate’s egg: good in parts. The parts which are good, especially the handling, are exceptionally good. The parts which are bad, especially the noise, vibration and harshness are, well, bad.’
The more flamboyant driver could also buy the limitededition Martini to celebrate Porsche’s 1976 World Sportscar Championship victory. As befitting a 924 of distinction, the Martini was finished in Grand Prix White augmented with blue/red/ white stripes, white alloy wheels and an elaborately trimmed cabin. The company built only 3000 Martinis from December 1976 to March 1977. By 1978 Porsche improved the rear suspension, and buyers could specify an optional five-speed gearbox. In April of that year, production reached the 50,000 mark. There was now also a Lux version with tinted glass, alloy wheels, a rear wiper and headlamp washers. It cost £8664, a figure that represented ‘the bottom end of the supercar bracket’ according to Autocar.
November of that year saw the debut of the 924 Turbo, with a technical specification including Bosch K-jetronic fuel injection and a transistorised, contactless ignition system and all-disc brakes. The output was 170bhp, and the Turbo was capable of 142mph and 0-60 in 7.8 seconds. At that time, it was the world’s most powerful 2-litre production sports car. The UK price was £13,629, making it cheaper than the Lotus Esprit 701 at £14,175. Motor’s opinion was: ‘Too much road noise, poor ventilation, low-speed handling and gearchange are minor flaws in an otherwise superb machine.’ Motor Sport found the 924 Turbo’s handling: ‘beautifully balanced and roadholding first class, yet at the same time, it lacked any sort of lively character — perhaps too vice-free?’ By contrast, Autocar wrote: ‘Naturally this Turbo has the usual shortcomings of such a car, but they are a small and insignificant price to pay for almost infinitely safer handling than the 911’s.’
June of that year saw an even more desirable limited edition – the Carrera GT. Porsche made only 400 examples, with 75 destined for the UK, to comply with Group 4 racing requirements. Compared with the standard 924 Turbo, the Carrera GT
had a modified bodyshell to accommodate wider wheels, increased compression ratio, lowered suspension and an intercooler with a power increase to 210bhp. Porsche displayed one at the 1979 Frankfurt Motor Show to ‘sample the interest and desires of the public.’ They also made 17 924 Carrera GTRS with a 375bhp version of the 2-litre engine. Their top speed was 180mph, with 0-60 in 4.7 seconds.
Further improvements took place in 1980, including a new transmission and a breakerless ignition system. The Lux now boasted electric windows and an electric driver’s mirror, and motorists who craved the Turbo’s looks without the performance (or cost) could order the S pack with rear disc brakes and alloy wheels. For the cognoscenti, the special edition 924 Le Mans commemorated Jurgen Barth and Manfred Schurti’s sixth place in a works 924 Carrera GTR at the 1980 Le Mans 24 Hours race. It featured a Turbo rear spoiler, multi-spoke alloy wheels, a sunroof, black leather seats with white piping and Alpine White paintwork with red/yellow/black decorations.
In 1981, 1091 examples of the 924 Jubilee in Pewter Metallic marked 50 years of the Porsche Design Office. Each had a Ferry Porsche signature on the front seat head restraints. June of that year saw Porsche announce the 944 powered by a new 143bhp, 2.5-litre 8-valve engine. The body resembled the Carrera GT, albeit with a steel shell rather than light alloy panelling, and the specification included ventilated discs fore and aft and five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. On 27th March 1982, Autocar announced that British sales would commence in April and that the 944 would be imported as the 944 Lux. It cost £12,999 in manual form or £13,477 for the automatic version. Autocar thought it had: ’a unique balance of qualities that for the price makes the few niggles seem utterly insignificant.’ Car grumbled about the ‘loathsome road roar’ but praised the ‘jewel of an engine that’s potent, sweet, quiet and unusually frugal.’ 1981 also saw the introduction of the 924 Turbo Series II with a 177bhp power output, a turbocharger with a larger compressor and Digital Motor Electronics (DME) ignition. There was also the very exclusive 245bhp 924 GTS; Porsche made only 59 examples, all in LHD form.
In 1982, the 924 gained a front anti-roll bar and the option of air conditioning.
By then, the 944 was Porsche’s mainstay, with a daily production rate of 86 compared with 29 for the 924, 21 for the 928S and 53 for the 911. When Sue Baker interviewed the company president, Peter Schultz, he stated the UK had largely abandoned entry-level sports cars, which were now the province of Japanese manufacturers. For Porsche, the future lay in ‘pursuing wealthy entrepreneurs.’
The 1983 model year 924s had a rear spoiler as standard. For 1984, they gained an electrically tilting sunroof and a centre console tailgate release, while the 944 Automatic now came with power-assisted steering. In September 1984, that became standard equipment with the manual gearbox. That year, one advertisement reassured those enthusiasts still unconvinced by front-engine Porsches with the exclamation: ‘WE BUILD CARS. WE DO NOT BUILD GREY MICE.’ Furthermore: ‘Take the 944. Even at standstill its taut, distinct lines state power. With poise. On the move those same energy saving curves cut through the air like a knife.’
Production of the basic 924 ended in 1985. Porsche had intended to introduce a 944 with a 2-litre engine as the entry-level model, but this combination resulted in poor performance and little cost savings. Instead, they opted for virtually the opposite formula, and the 924S had a
slightly less powerful version of the 944’s 2.5-litre engine. The UK price in 1986 was £14,985 compared with £18,234 for the 944. ‘One begins to wonder if the choice is so easy,’ mused Motor Sport. ‘All those sensations which so impressed me about the 944 seem to be present in the new car.’ Gavin Green of Car thought: ‘Like its predecessor, many people will buy this car and use it as no more than a shopping trolley, and a machine to be seen in at dinner parties.’ In his view, the way the 924S coped with ‘such menial pursuits’ and ‘still excels in the serious going’ was a true measure of its ability.
1985 saw Porsche further upgrade the 944 with a new dashboard from the Turbo. At £18,354, it was more expensive than the Lotus Excel or the Mitsubishi Starion Turbo. Autocar believed it performed less well than the original version due to its raised gearing. February 1985 also marked the debut of the 944 Turbo. Porsche opted for a water-cooled turbocharger to minimise turbine wheel overheating and bearing carbonisation. LHD deliveries started in July, with UK sales following in November at a price of £27,527.
The Turbo’s power output was 220bhp, compared with 163bhp for the standard engine, giving a top speed of nearly 158mph, and the bodywork incorporated a new nose, modified front and rear spoilers. Gordon Cruickshank saw the Turbo as: ‘an easilyguided missile which now threatens the pedestal on which sits its own relative, the 911 Carrera.’ When Motor evaluated the 944 Turbo opposite the Audi Quattro, they concluded: ‘Given a straight choice we’d have the Porsche and live with its practical limitations.’ Sue Baker saw it as ‘amply fulfilling the old Porsche maxim of being “fast round the corners”.’
July of 1986 marked the launch of the 944S with a 190bhp 16-valve engine and a £25,303 price tag. One reviewer compared its interior to a Belgian chocolate factory that has been hit by an Exocet, while Autocar was more complimentary. In their view: ‘Porsche should have no trouble shifting the 800 944S models it will be bringing into the UK in 1987.’ That year, the Turbo gained ABS brakes, which were optional on the cheaper models. To mark the 944 reaching the 100,000 mark, Porsche built 930 examples of the ‘Celebration’ in either Zermatt Silver or Satin Black. Only 30 are believed to have been sold in the UK. For 1988, Porsche upgraded the 944’s engine to 160bhp, and introduced the Turbo S – sold as the SE in this country. It boasted a 250bhp power output due to a K26-70 turbocharger, brakes from the 928 S4, a ‘Studio Check’ cabin and, in most examples, a silver/pink metallic paint finish. 1635 examples left the factory, 77 of which were destined for the UK. The price was a steep £41,250, and
Autocar memorably described the Turbo SE as ‘swish.’
For the 1989 model year, the standard 944 gained ABS and a 2.7-litre 8-valve engine. Car praised its new power plant and transmission, but thought ‘as a driving machine the Porsche 944 is no better than the Volkswagen Corrado.’ The Turbo SE became the standard Turbo at £39,893, retaining the 2.5-litre engine and available in a full range of colours. Porsche upgraded the S as the S2 with Turbo bodywork and a new 16-valve 3-litre engine producing 211bhp. The block and the bore were from the 2.7-litre unit, with a longthrow crank increasing the capacity to 2990cc. Autocar
described the S2 as ‘the best handling car in Britain.’ Meanwhile, Mr Cruickshank complained: ‘Like the school swot who excels in all fields, one can’t help wishing for a crack in the facade just to prove that the machine is, so to speak, human.’
In January 1989, the first 944 S2 Cabriolets appeared. The UK concessionaire tempted motorists who could afford £36k with the slogan: ‘The Lengths Porsche Goes To Make You Buy Their Sunglasses.’ It was mechanically identical to the S2, and the fittings included an electrically operated double-lined hood. British sales began in February when dealers had already pre-sold their allocation of 100 cars. In 1991, Porsche Cars GB proudly announced: ‘The new, limited edition Turbo Cabriolet (only 100 will be coming into the country) merely adds fresh air and, dare we say it, fun to the experience of driving an awesomely powerful car.’ The price was £46,994 compared with £50,600 for a Jaguar XJS convertible. For that not-inconsiderable sum, the owner benefitted from air-conditioning, an antitheft alarm and a Blaupunkt Symphony stereo radio/ cassette player. They could also revel in driving a ‘rapid and honest sports car, but one without the traditional drawbacks,’ to quote Motor Sport.
Production of the 944 ended in 1991 at a difficult time for Porsche. In the previous year, production moved from Neckarsulm to the Zuffenhausen factory. The Daily Telegraph of 14th May reported that as a result, Porsche Cars GB had to take delivery of all 1991 944 production before Christmas. Worse, nearly a third of the network of Porsche Centres ‘have gone into receivership or had to be sold’ due to the recession. A postscript to the 944 came in the form of the 1992 SE. Porsche built only 14 of this very exclusive machine with a specification including enhanced suspension, a lower ride height and a power output increased to 225bhp.
Porsche considered manufacturing a thirdgeneration 944, but instead decided on naming it the 968. Harm Lagaay extensively revised the bodywork, and the S2’s 3-litre engine produced 237bhp compared to 208bhp and gave a top speed of 153mph. Transmission choices were a six-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed Tiptronic automatic, and the 968 was also available as a convertible. RHD versions became available in the spring of 1992, and the price of the coupé was £34,945. While praising the build quality, handling and performance, Autocar found the 968 ‘less lovely to look at than the 944.’ In October 1992, Porsche unveiled the Club Sport, which was lighter than the standard 968 and lacked sound insulation, rear seats, air conditioning, a rear wiper and electric windows. The cost was £28,975, making it cheaper than the Renault Alpine A610. Car lauded the Club Sport as: ‘the car we’ve been waiting for – the funster that puts the “sport” back into sports cars of a classy, civilised sort.’
There was no direct heir to the 944 Turbo in the 968 range; Porsche regarded the development of such a car as prohibitively expensive. However, the Club Sport body formed the basis of the 1993 Turbo S, with twin turbochargers producing a phenomenal 368bhp at 3000rpm. Georg Kacher wrote: ‘This awesome machine is simply too wild for public roads,’ while Porsche also introduced the Turbo RS for the German ADAC GT racing series. Away from the circuit, the 1994 Uk-only 968 Sport at £32,995 was ideal for the keen driver who wished for more luxury than the Club Sport could offer.
Production of all models ended in 1995, and an obituary in Autocar stated: ‘The Porsche 968 Sport wasn’t a great car. The Porsche 968S was a great drive.’ The last 968s were far removed from the original 924 that caused such grumblings among Porsche die-hards. In 1976, Ernst Fuhrmann, the company’s CEO, told Autocar: ‘To us the 924 is only a Porsche that costs half as much as the others. That is not negligible. As you know, we build our cars for 10 to 15 years. Under our guidance, the 924 will develop like a real Porsche, in a Porsche direction...’ That certainly proved to be the case.