(first posted 10/15/2015) With more versatile models such as the Cayenne, Panamera, and Macan, I’m sure the number of Porsches serving as daily drivers has increased significantly in recent years. While even new 911s, Boxsters, and Caymans might make suitable daily drivers for some individuals, I’m willing to bet the large majority of 944s still alive and kicking do not see daily use.
First introduced as a 1982 model, the Porsche 944 was more or less an upgraded version of the somewhat derided entry-level 924. In fact, it effectively replaced the 924 as Porsche’s entry-level model in the U.S. from 1982-1986, upon which the 924 briefly return for 1987-1988. Compared to the 924, the 944 received enhancements to its steering, suspension, and brakes, but the big improvement was its new SOHC 2.5L I4.
Essentially chopping the 928’s 4.5L V8 engine in half, this new 2.5L I4 had an identical stroke and slightly larger bore to the V8, resulting in a displacement of slightly more than half the V8’s. With silicon-aluminum alloy block and crossflow aluminum head construction, this new engine featured computer controlled electronic fuel injection and twin counter-weighted balance shafts for reduced vibration.
Output of this 2.5L for U.S.-specification was 143 horsepower and 137 pounds-feet of torque, with a factory reported zero-to-sixty time of 8.3 seconds. European models had a slightly tighter compression ratio allowing for 161 horsepower and 151 pounds-feet of torque. Larger diameter wheels and wider tires were standard for enhanced performance, necessitating slightly wider fenders.
While some may have questioned the 924’s credentials as a “real Porsche”, these power and handling upgrades helped propel the 944 to much higher acclaim than its tamer older sibling. Making Car and Driver’s 10Best List in 1983, 1985, 1985, and 1986 (944 Turbo), the magazine also bestowed the 944 with the tile of “Best Handling Production Car in America” in 1984.
(original interior)
Apart from the aforementioned new wheels and revised fenders, slightly tweaked lower fascias were about all that visually distinguished the 944 from the 924 on the outside. Porsche 944 interiors were initially carryover from the 924, but a significant update mid-way through the 1985 model year, garnering the “1985.5” designation, brought a significant redesign to the 944’s interior.
The new interior featured a completely redesigned instrument panel and door panels, for a far more visually appealing “cockpit” look. North American 944s were typically highly-optioned, including air conditioning, power windows, leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated power seats (new for 1985.5), heated exterior side mirrors, tinted glass, and a sunroof.
1985.5 changes were not just limited to the interior, with several mechanical improvements coming along for the mid-year refresh. Transaxle mounts were improved for less vibration and the fuel tank was enlarged to 21.1 gallons. Additionally, new cast alloy front and rear control arms and semi-trailing arms were added, as was a more powerful alternator.
(UK-spec interior)
The 944 was continuously improved over the rest of its life, seeing substantial power increases in the form of the 944 Turbo, 944 S, 944S2, and 944 Turbo S. The latter of these produced a healthy 247 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque, achieving zero-to-sixty in 5.5 seconds and running a quarter mile in only 13.9 seconds at 101 miles per hour.
Retailing for $21,440 in 1985 ($47,486 in 2015), the base Porsche 944 like our featured car offered exceptional performance for a relative bargain by today’s standards. Admittedly, the 944 Turbo S bumped the price up significantly, with MSRP at $47,432 ($105,053 in 2015) for its 1988 introduction. For comparison, the least expensive model in Porsche’s 2015 U.S. lineup is the $52,100 Boxster. Making 265 horsepower with a zero-to-sixty time of 5.5 seconds, raw power is quite similar to the 1988 944 Turbo S.
The value for good condition 944s has more than doubled in the past decade, with excellent condition examples averaging nearly $20,000 (almost its original value, not inflated) as of fall 2015. I’d say this one is pretty excellent, and considering this, it’s a little nerve-wracking seeing it parked in the center of the narrow-space commuter rail parking lot, where my own car has received numerous irritating scratches.
Related Reading:
Well, it does have a big hatchback. And something in the way of back seats. So, practical.
Easily the most practical sports car ever made – to the point that the practicality almost crimps the sports car. I had a 924S for a number of years, it was a very good daily driver (although I invariably had something else to beat around with during bad weather), wonderful grocery getter, very good bicycle hauler (two bike limit off the hatch), and one hell of a back road bomber.
To this day I still can’t understand why I traded mine in on a Pontiac Solstice. Oh yeah, I’d never owned a roadster . . . . .
Now that that urge is out of my system, I’m looking for another 924/944/968.
I´ve had my 1982 944 since 1996, my late grandpa gave it to me for my 24th birthday. It took me reliably through my final year at University, my legal traineeship and my first year of working as a lawyer.
When I got married and our twins were born in late 1999 we had to settle for another car as daily driver, but my wife prevented me from selling it, so we kept the Porsche stashed away in a garage.
We had it rebuilt in 2011/2012 and I drive it as a daily driver in the summer months (sharing that duty with my 2014 Ford Focus ST). I have already taken some of my clients who are into cars to court sessions in the Porsche and they enjoyed it (being driven in the Porsche that is, not so sure about the court sessions).
It has accumulated 267.000 km so far (original engine, original transmission, the original clutch had to be replaced at 265.000 km).
The car has been in my family since 1989, so for me it is a link to my past as well as to the future, because I plan to pass it on to my son on his 24th birthday.
Until then I will keep enjoying its great handling cababilities on the demanding backroads here in the “little Switzerland” region of Franconia, Germany.
The 944 is an example of the value of continuous development. You don’t always have to be throwing money away on a new platform when good engineers and good basic bones are in place. The one place were it does not seem to work is in costs. Over time the 924-944-968 got more and more expensive. Big three vehicles seem to get cheaper once their tooling and r+d have been amortized, not so at Porsche. By the end the 968 was 40k+ and yet Porsche was in one of it’s most iffy phases.
Thanks Brendan for this entry. Guys from the eighties can never spend enough time staring at red 944s.
>>Thanks Brendan for this entry. Guys from the eighties can never spend enough time staring at red 944s.<<
Yup, if you're male and were in high school at any point in the 1980s, you probably had a poster of this car, even if it was just an ad ripped out of R&T and taped to the wall.
And unlike many of our other fantasies from back then, it still looks good today. "Classic", not dated, as the Panamera, etc. will be in a few short years.
I'm almost at the point where I could think about getting one to have as an occasional driver. Just have to convince my better half that she doesn't need her Z3 anymore. (Any guesses as to how that would go? 😉 )
Like Gworl, I owned a pampered, 60,000-mile ’84 back in 1992, during my last year of undergraduate studies. As a working student who had also managed to buy a small house the year prior, I thought the purchase price of $7,000 was the deal of the century.
Alas, my ownership only lasted for several months before I realized that the maintenance costs – at least in the U.S. – are not for the faint of heart. As an example, a pin-sized hole in a rubber fuel line necessitated the removal of the fuel tank…after dropping the transaxle. I probably could have stuck with the program, but with graduation looming I decided to cut my losses and run shortly afterward.
To this day, I’ve yet to drive a car as well-balanced. The handling was nothing short of miraculous.
Without a doubt the coolest car at my daughter’s high school is the 1984 Porsche 944 driven by one of her classmates, her friend Colin. His dad is a car enthusiast and he thought it would be a great set of wheels for a young driver. The car is a daily driver, in nice but not perfect condition, so normal dents and dings will not be much of an issue. For the price of an entry level econobox, Colin gets to drive a Porsche. It has a stick, and I know Colin drives it carefully and is learning to appreciate the car for its mechanical excellence.
While quick, I’d argue it is not too dangerously fast for a kid (similar performance times to many cars today). The lack of modern features like airbags mean you absolutely must wear seat belts (no exploding bags to “save” you) and there aren’t many distractions in the car like bluetooth connectivity. Thus Colin actually focuses on driving. Shocking concept for a teen driver, but one that I think makes a lot of sense.
The other funny side benefit is that since the vast majority of kids at this school know nothing about cars, they have no idea that this was the entry-level model from the early 1980s. To them, it is a PORSCHE and they go absolutely crazy because of the brand, not ever knowing or understanding the fundamental goodness of the car itself.
Having airbags isn’t an excuse to NOT wear seatbelts. They’re designed to work in tandem, not one or the other. Without the belts in a crash you’re getting hurled into a bomb more than the cushioning bag.
FWIW, I always wear seatbelts, but if I don’t it’s going to be in the car without airbags.
While not quite the timeless classic the 911 is, these cars have a look that is still appealing to many all these years later. And while Porsche is to be applauded for their continuous refinement of this design, building a car that gets better looking each year it’s produced is no easy task, either.
Having said that, I think I’d be slightly more inclined to purchase the 924/944s Japanese competition…..a 90-96 Nissan 300Z.
Why do Porsha people always have to discuss if this is a real Porsha?
As a matter of fact I am of the opinion that the 944 is one of the best Porsches to live with.
Not stunningly expensive to buy, to maintain, reasonable prices for parts and unlike an old 911 it does not try to kill you all of the time.
Oh yes, it is a practical car too with its hatch!
Perhaps for the same reason Fans of the air cooled VW models also say cars such as the Golf, Jetta and any other VW made after 1980 are not real VW cars due to the engine being in the wrong place.
That’s one of the enjoyable parts of 924/944/968 ownership: You get to go to the car snow and put your car in the Porsche class lineup, secure in the knowledge that you’ve given heartburn and ruined the day of at least half the 911 owners there.
And since you’ve probably got the only one in the long line of 911’s, your car gets all the attention from the day’s crowd. Which REALLY ruins the 911 snob’s day.
IMO if it ever wore some variation of this Fuchs wheel(whether wide or narrow, silver or black, ect.), it’s a “real Porsche” 🙂
Not a real Porsche. I can’t think of a single car that went out under a Porsche badge that wasn’t a real Porsche in feedback to the driver. Even the VW hybrid 914 and 924 fit that description. In some ways, these are the Speedster of the selection; the lower priced strippo with better balance than the ‘senior’ range.
The 1985.5 dash is a huge improvement. It looks good even 30 years later.
The original dash reminds me of my friend’s Chevy Chevette.
What I remember most about the original dash is that you could inadvertently run the heater AND the air conditioner at the same time. Most American cars had integrated both systems by the late ’60s, but on the original 924 and early 944, the air conditioning seemed like an afterthought.
Kind of like my ’69 Beetle. It had holes in the floor so big I could be on the inside and the outside at the same time.
I hear ya. I was having visions of the 1987 Grand Am that got me through the end of college. Had that same silvery-plastic two-gauge look – also on the console – and the Grand Am also had that same padded-rectangular steering wheel hub.
That car is in incredible condition for being 30 years old. It looks brand new. I’m assuming it’s more of an “occasional” driver rather than “daily” driver.
I really lusted after this car back when it came out. I liked the 924, but it was amazing what a few modifications could do – the 944 looked even better, and still looks fantastic today.
That’s a very nice find and obviously owned by an enthusiast. It amazes me that this car (the updated interior) is now 30 yrs old, I never think about that until I do the math. The lines on it are beautiful, to my eyes one of Porsche’s best results.
Why not use a 944 as a daily driver. It’s not a delicate, hard to drive around town high performance exotic. It’s value, even in good condition is the same as a new small economy car. You probably would not want to drive it in the winter is salted road areas, but as long as you can afford the upkeep, parts are available. No warranty, but proper maintenance should minimize problems. Plus you don’t get the drastic depreciation a newer car has. It could even go up in value. If it does get totaled, there are still replacements out there. Still a modern looking car even 30+ years later.
Great-looking cars even 30 years later; the styling has aged very well, I’d say. And while the values have been going up (probably in no small part to most of the beater-condition 944s having died) it’s still one of the less expensive ways to get into a Porsche. I’ve never driven one, but I’d like to fix that someday.
The red one is a real looker and the later wheels work well, but I still think they look best with black Fuchs with polished lip, like the gray one pictured at speed. They particularly bring out the fender flares, to my eye at least.
I almost thought it’s the photo I took. 944s still occasionally show up as often as MGB, but more likely daily driver in general.
For a healthy single person this is every bit as practical as a CUV and a million times better to drive, be in and and look at. Perfect daily driver. The Cayenne, Panamera, and Macan conversely are for aging jocks and soccer Moms who want the badge, and their fat “bloated 911” styling clearly reflects the owner base.
I love the 944, and 924 to lesser extent. As a kid they were actually my favorite Porsches, more in fact than the 928 and, *gasp*, 911. My Dad was somewhat in the “not a real Porsche” camp, along with the 914 which he almost bought, so over the years that rubbed off on me and I learned to prefer the 911s and 356s, but I never lost my lust for a 944, the flares and lines just looked so cool, and they’ve actually aged pretty good as well.
Practical for a sports car, yes. As practical as a CUV…well, only somebody without kids would say that. Those back seats are next to useless.
As I led my statement with – healthy single person. I didn’t say they were kid practical, but not every person, particularly at an age where a sports car would be appealing, has or wants kids, ergo the extra practicality of a CUV, which also are owned by singles, is useless.
XR7 Matt, you said that you love the 944, so here are some photos of mine.
My son took them in early August this year at the parking lot of a restaurant when we returned from a local car show. Right next to it is my wife`s 1977 Ford Escort MK 2.
Another one.
And another one.
The last one.
I hope this does not affect anyone’s mood to much: Many years ago a beautiful 944T met it’s demise only 2 blocks from my place. It was on a 4 lane road, 35mph zone, 2 blocks from an intersection with lights. The crash was so loud! I rushed there on foot. There was a brown GM vehicle and a red 944 and lots of shards on the road. Both cars were seriously mangled. Considering the damage and the loud bang of the collision the Porsche likely speed away with wide open throttle from the light 2 blocks back. The lady driving the GM probably tried to cross the four lane street and probably had no idea what hit her.
Two hours later the wrecker passed by my house with the Porsche on the flatbed, giving me one more glimpse of the damage. I can’t get that picture out of my mind when I see a red 944. There were injuries, I don’t know how severe.
I would like a Porsche, I would be o.k with higher upkeep. But I would dislike the insurance premiums that I would pay for losses that are caused by reckless driving youngsters.
My 1985.5 944 with only 33,000 miles on it. It’s my summer toy and not a daily driver. I love it.
Great-looking 944! I don’t know that I’ve ever seen one that color before–most seem to be bright red or black.
I have a 1985.5 Porsche 944 with only 10k on motor. What is it worth?
Reanimating an old thread, gotta point out that the Guards Red 944 pictured here is NOT an 1985.5… it’s a 1986 or later with a retrofit Turbo rear undertray spoiler. The 1985.5 had all the interior and mechanical upgrades as cited, but it lacked the CHMSL mandated for MY ‘86.
Daily drove my 1985.5 944 for 11 years until family growth squeezed it out of the stable. Aside from needing a bit more horsepower (addressed by other later variants), it was a nearly perfect car. Arguably the best-handling Porsche of its time. Only thing I could’ve done without was the need to change the timing belt every 30K, which was nonnegotiable given it was an interference engine that would risk sacrificing its valves if the interval was ignored. Would love another one.
I can personally attest to its large for a sports car interior. In late 89-91 I had my first job bagging groceries. One of our weekly shoppers was then current MN Vikings Quarterback. Built like a brick shithouse without an ounce of fat. He would often drive his 944 and use it to transport groceries. I believe his record was nine or ten full bags with one in his lap. All of us baggers loved giving him crap for his choice of vehicle. Always a good sport he would nod with a grin. Getting the last laugh as he drove off in his red Porsche we all drooled over.