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Early in my track career, I became an instructor with the BMW Car Club. This afforded me many interesting experiences, one of which also happens to be one of my favorite track memories. One trip to Lime Rock Park was on a rainy Saturday; arriving, I found that one of my students had a Porsche 968. The car was well modified, running on sticky Michelin Pilot Sports and replete with a fully upgraded suspension, the 968 looked purposeful in Guards Red with BBS wheels and a 6-speed manual. Now, on paper the 968 was disappointing compared to the earlier Turbo models. Several times I’ve backed up this view because modified Turbos offer so much track performance. I’ve also spent some time in 944 Turbos around the same track – notably, my father’s ’89 Turbo, so I’m not without a point of reference. But this rainy day my student’s 968 was a blazing chariot against the bleak fog of the morning. Usually I get together and talk with my students before we head out about what their experience, expectations and trouble spots are. And this day, my student approached me and immediately said “I’m not heading out”. I figured this was because of the rain; in inclement conditions, the risk of an incident increases considerably, but so does the learning curve. It wasn’t fear of the conditions that was holding him back though; he had taken some medication and prudently didn’t feel as though his mental state was conducive to track time. “But you could drive me around” he said….
Those of us not in the United Kingdom might have been a bit bummed by the steering wheel location on the Porsche 968 Club Sport we featured last week, especially since it was painted in a rare hue. But here we have another well-kept 968CS that has popped up for sale in Münster, Germany. It might not be as eye-catching as the example we saw for sale in England, but in some ways, white speaks to the purity of this machine. It was built with one purpose in mind: driving pleasure.
At the 1992 Paris Motor Show, Porsche would introduce one of the last evolutions of their venerable front-engined, four-cylinder model that traced its roots back to the 924 of the late 1970s: the 968 Club Sport. This was a lightweight special of the 968 that had a few amenities deleted such as AC, sunroof, rear seats along with a good amount of soundproofing. Around 50 kilograms (~ 110 pounds) was saved, which resulted in a modest increase in acceleration to 100 mph of a half second. However, for those track day enthusiasts out there, this was certainly a more suitable platform to begin with than a bog standard 968. This 968CS for sale at 4Star Classics in the UK is one of a handful of RHD models, made even more unique as it is painted in a special order Amaranth Violet.
If for some time the Porsche 944 is one of the most under appreciated cars in the 1980s German car world, the 924 is even the more red-headed stepchild. But get past the stigma of the 924 as the “poor man’s Porsche”, and the details are quite good. They’re nice looking, aerodynamic coupes that are rear drive for enthusiasts. Like the rest of the Porsche lineup from the late 1970s and 1980s, they had great build quality overall and were solid products. Many of the “big brother” 944 items work on the 924, too – especially true in the later 924S models, so they can be updated and modified just like the 944s. They enjoyed a rich racing history in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants, with the first “Carrera GT” being a 924 model. Plus, the 924 was the development model which resulted in the much more prized 944 and 944 Turbo. And within the lineup, there are really some great hidden gems of classic cars that can be had on a budget. Today I have two nice examples of some of the rarer models of the 924; a late run 924 Turbo and a last of the breed 924S Special Edition:
For some time, there has been an ongoing conflict in my head. All of me agrees that the Porsche 944 is a pretty awesome car; great looks, handling and performance in a bargain package with classic Porsche reliability and build quality. But I fight with myself over just which of the Porsche 944s I prefer. Some days, the forced induction Turbo captures my imagination; there’s been a 1989 Turbo in my family now for two decades and it’s a wonderful car. But I have to admit that it’s not been without its problems, and while it’s a cool package it seems almost too predictable as the “go to” “cheap” Porsche. Should it be criticized for being a spectacular performance bargain? That may not be fair, but just like the BMW E30 represents a good balance of performance and practicality, it’s sometimes just too popular for me. What’s the alternative? Well, the 944 has its own answer: the 944S2. Visually, the two are nearly indistinguishable to most non-enthusiasts. But the driving experience is quite different; the M44/51 turbo motor is legendary as a tuning platform and offers typical ’80s lag-prone explosive launches, while the M44/41 big 3.0 16V motor has seemingly effortless torque at your disposal but loves to run up the tach as well. Stand on it in a drag race, and the Turbo will win – nearly a second faster to 60 miles per an hour and 5 m.p.h. faster on the top end. But if you’re a clever S2 driver and catch the Turbo slightly off-guard, you’ll be right with them – and the S2 isn’t about drag racing, it’s about making a better all-around driver. So the S2 is the better choice? Well, perhaps – but then there’s the mystique of the Turbo model. Who doesn’t want to say they own a Porsche Turbo, really? Today I have an example of each – which will be the winner?
