Launched in 1969, the big-selling 914 proved Porsche didn’t need to survive on a diet of rear-engined metal alone. By 1975, however, the two-seater’s time was up. That same year, the similarly radical 924 was launched. A dismissed Volkswagen project designed by Porsche using a mix of parts from both manufacturers (including a front mounted 125bhp two-litre inline-four), even the new car’s near-perfect 53/47 front/rear weight distribution didn’t convince purists riled at a water-cooled configuration and non-Porsche origins. The first offering in the transaxle family was off to a difficult start.
Extensively developed throughout its production run, the 924 yielded high-performance Turbo and Carrera GT variants, as well as the 245bhp Carrera GTS. Sadly, despite this big power and impressive specification, the 924 failed to shake off the image of being a Porsche powered by an engine from a different manufacturer. In contrast, the later 944 was embraced as a Porsche in its own right.
The 944 was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1981. Looking as though the 924 had spent every waking moment in the gym after being picked on by the
