968 (1991-1995)
Ask one of your mates to bring to mind a model from Porsche’s transaxle family of cars, and they’ll most likely think of a 944 or a 928. They might even visualise a 924, but they’re unlikely to picture the 968. In part, this is due to the fact that so few 968s were assembled, but it’s also because there’s every chance those unfamiliar with Porsche’s legacy products (beyond the 911) will incorrectly identify a 968 as a 944. Which in a way, it is.
As outlined earlier in this issue of 911 & Porsche World, the 968 was intended to be launched as the 944 S3, the ultimate iteration of the best-selling Porsche product prior to the arrival of the Boxster, but thanks to the high number of replaced or re-engineered parts applied to the new car by Porsche’s chief designer, Harm Lagaaij, the final evolution of the four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive, front-engined, water-cooled Porsche product line was deserving of its own name.
The 968’s DNA was clearly traceable all the way back to the narrow-bodied 924, yet the ‘new for ’92’ sports stunner had much in common with the 928 S4, including always visible headlamps and wraparound rear taillights. This was no coincidence – Lagaaij developed a common design language for Porsche’s model range, bringing the 911, 928 and 968 together as a family of products with front that was the 959. This approach was in contrast to promoting different models with few shared features, which had become tradition at Porsche, much to the detriment of the company as the 1990s drew near, when manufacturing costs were spiralling and sales were slumping.
