Porsche 944
Like all the best sports cars, the Porsche 944 was forged in motorsport. Wait, you’re thinking, it’s an evolution of the 924 – itself, in fact, developed from the cancelled Volkswagen EX-425, a project to create a sports car for VW. But with many Porsche fans underwhelmed by the Audi-sourced 2-litre engine in the 924, Porsche needed something that would enhance rather than harm its reputation.
Not one to do things by half, the company wheeled out the 924 GTP LM endurance racer, ready to take on the 1981 Le Mans 24 Hours with a new, 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder engine. It came seventh overall and won its class, and by 1982, the road-going version was launched with a toned-down version of that same engine; the Porsche 944 was born.
The owner of the car seen here, Mike Pollock, stumbled on the 944 when looking for a replacement to his Lancia Beta HPE. “I wanted another four-seat coupe, and when a friend of mine bought a 924, it led me onto the 944. Now I own three, although I have owned seven in total, and I use them every day. They’re just great to drive and very easy to live with.”
It’s not hard to see Mike’s point. His 1990 S2, complete with its 3-litre, inline four-pot – up in power and capacity from the 2.5- and 2.7-litre units of early cars, and not far behind the Turbo despite being naturally aspirated – is every inch the purist’s daily driver.
Even with 143,000 miles showing, the engine feels smooth and generous in its power delivery, with the sort of instant, linear delivery that encourages the driver to confidently call on all 208 horses under the bonnet.
It’s one of those cars that requires barely any conscious thought to drive quickly. The driving position is almost bum-on-the-ground and easy to get comfortable in. The dials are simple and clear, the steering wheel a pleasure to hold, the pedals nicely placed. It’s all exactly as you’d want it, right from the off.
With a near-perfect weight balance, the front-engined, rear-wheel-drive 944 also feels delightfully light-footed and responsive. Yet there’s a pliancy to the 944 which, after all, is designed to be a car for the daily commute as much as for satisfying a bit of weekend corner-craving. But it balances that dual-purpose perfectly. The engine loves to rev and the steering is communicative and predictable, yet there’s a useful amount of space for a couple of rear passengers, and a boot big enough to take a week’s worth of gubbins for a holiday away.
They’re reliable, too. “Rust in the sills is the first thing you look for,” says Pollock. “You can look through the vent in the B-pillar to see the state of the inside, as they rust from the inside out. Otherwise, they’re mechanically very solid.”
It even looks cool, with the huge rear window, sleek nose and pop-up headlights. Long gone are the days of the 944 being viewed as the poor man’s Porsche. It is, in fact, just about the ideal attainable, fun and easy-living classic. Buy one now, or somebody else will.
1991 Porsche 944 S2
- Engine: 4-cylinder, 2990cc
- Transmission: 5-speed manual, RWD
- Power: 208bhp @ 5800rpm
- Weight: 1310kg
THE HAGERTY VALUATION TEAM SAYS
- Hagerty value condition #2: £17,550
- 2019 Hagerty value condition #2: £16,650
- Hagerty 12-month value change: +£900 (+5.4%)
The 944 is a cracking car, and with examples still available for just a few thousand, they’re the new people’s classic. Our pick of the bunch is the naturally aspirated S2. More drivable than the Turbo but with just 10hp less, the 3-litre S2 briefly shot up in value in 2016, and after a quick correction has been gaining steadily in value ever since. Now, we’re seeing the best examples selling for in excess of our top Hagerty Price Guide figure: always a sure sign values are moving. We feel our average value of £17,550 will rise.
Next Page – Renault 5 GT Turbo
You must be logged in to post a comment.