DATABASE: PORSCHE 924/944/968
A somewhat heated office discussion recently revolved around the thorny question of whether the Volkswagen Corrado replaced the Scirocco or not, but the truth is that in spirit the wedgy ’80s coupe replaced not the Golf-based Scirocco but the Porsche 924, that being VW Group’s previous attempt at a purpose-built sports coupe.
For it was with the VW roundel on its nose that the 924 was originally intended to enter production. Historically close links between the two firms meant that Porsche had for a long time been carrying out the bulk of Volkswagen’s R&D efforts and was already working on a proposed VW/Audi coupe under the code EA425, with a separate joint-venture company even being established for the purpose: VW-Porsche-Vertriebsgesellschaft mbh, which was originally set up to market the VW-Porsche 914.
The brief required the use of one of the firm’s existing engines which in practice meant the 2-litre EA831 four-cylinder as found in the Audi 100 and being Porsche they couldn’t resist putting at least part of the powertrain in the back – in this case the gearbox and differential ‘transaxle’ unit in the interests of weight balance.
With the 2-litre Audi motor inclined Triumph-style at 30 degrees, Harm Lagaay was able
