HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS

Despite wide hips affording it a poorer drag coefficient, the 944 was far better equipped and more refined than the earlier 924. Like the older Porsche, however, the 944's near even front-to-rear weight distribution (50.7% at the front, 49.3% at the rear, a split achieved thanks to a nose-mounted engine and a rear-positioned transaxle assembly) gave it class-leading handling abilities, a trait which would be further refined for 1991's 968, a car considered by many to be one of the best-handling Porsches ever produced. Of course, 944

S2s equipped with the factory M030 suspension package (adjustable Koni dampers, among other features) and limited-slip differential are desirable, but it's worth keeping in mind this equipment, if present, will be close to forty years old. If the original dampers haven't already been replaced (we suspect they are long gone), then renewal will be on the horizon. Fortunately, a range of higher specification aftermarket alternatives are available for the S2, be they GAZ adjustable coilovers, a Quaife ATB limited-slip differential or any one of many more options available direct from their respective manufacturers or third-party parts retailers, such as Design 911, Frazerpart, Porsche Spares UK (Woolie's Workshop), FVD Brombacher and Rose Passion.

Check for coolant, oil or vacuum leaks by observing the condition of hoses while the car’s engine is running. Rubber perishes over time, which is why many owners replace OEM fluid and airflow pipework with high-performance parts made from reinforced multi-ply silicone. Many manufacturers produce these parts in a range of colours, but they also offer them in matte black for purists who wish to improve performance whilst retaining a factory (or classic) finish.

OUR VERDICT

There are bigger Porsches, faster Porsches, cheaper Porsches, more efficient Porsches. No 944 will ever be as quick as a GT2 RS, as avantgarde as a 928 or as widely adored as a Carrera RS 2.7, but none of this makes the S2 any less enjoyable. The same can be said of the 944 range as a whole: while the late-production Turbo boasts ever-rising collector value and cars with the early, 2.5-litre M44/40 engine remain one of the cheapest ways into marque ownership, the 944 range in-between brims with hidden gems.

Nowhere is this clearer than behind the wheel of an S2. Produced between 1989 and 1991, the model boasts the highest capacity engine fitted to any 944 and is a flexible, usable dream. Based on the 2.7-litre, sixteen-valve engine fitted to the earlier 944 S, the three-litre unit finds its extra capacity from increased stroke and uses it to produce 211bhp and 207lb-ft. That’s barely ten horsepower short of the Turbo, and it’s delivered with the kind of flexibility only natural aspiration can provide. It's nothing short of fantastic.

The S2’s excellent road manners can be attributed to Porsche's liberal application of 944 Turbo parts. The hollow front anti-roll bar, 16mm rear anti-roll bar and firmed up, progressiverate springs all come from the forced induction model, as do the brake discs (298mm at the front, 299mm at the rear) and Brembo calipers, which, as we mentioned earlier, can actually be tracked back to the legendary 930.

Many S2 styling features are also borrowed from the 944 Turbo, be they Design 90 sixteeninch alloy wheels or the flared panel below the rear bumper. Most obvious of all is the smoothed out, single-piece front bumper with its integral air intake, wide indicators and high beam headlights, all of which give the 944 S2 a modern look, even by today's standards.

Reliable and versatile, the S2 rarely demands mechanical attention. Asking prices are also accessible, especially when compared to sameage 911s. A leggy 944 S2 Cabriolet, for instance, can be yours for eight grand, but expect to pay much more for the very best S2s out there — a mint condition coupe from a specialist dealer will set you back at least fifteen thousand, with prices climbing fast towards £20,000. Act today if you want to grab a bargain.

As for our star car, pore over the interior and the charm is plain to see: sumptuous all-leather grey upholstery covers desirable cost-option Sports seats. Even the original Blaupunkt stereo — complete with its delightfully retro manual graphic equalizer — remains in place. The overall condition is testament to the seven years this superb S2 spent stored as a display piece in a heated car showroom in Margate, Kent, until 2013, when the car was recommissioned at the hands of modern classics specialist, Matt Smith, who carried out a top-end engine rebuild and corrected geometry, along with many other jobs responsible for bringing this cool coupe back to its best. The production line shine extends to the Panther Black metallic paintwork and the pristine Design 90 alloys.

Buyers with extra budget will be automatically drawn to the 944 Turbo, but if you're looking for a totally usable everyday retro Porsche mile muncher, the smart money is on an S2. ●