1988 Porsche 924S

The Porsche 924 was in production from 1976 through 1988. It was shown at the 1975 Frankfurt Show and entered production that November. It served as a replacement for the 914 and the interim 912E models. Commissioned by Volkswagen and designed by Porsche, it was fitted with many existing Volkswagen and Audi mechanical components, including the 2.0-liter engine. Harm Lagaay penned the wedge-shaped bodywork which featured pop-up headlamps in the front. It had near-perfect weight distribution and a fully independent suspension.

The project was initially designated VW Type 477 and internally coded EA435, then later dropped by Volkswagen due to the 1970s energy crisis and in favor of more economical front-drive models. Porsche acquired the rights to the design and prepared it for production at the Neckarsulm, Germany VW/Audi factory. The design was improved, developed, and refined with an increase in power and performance. Various versions followed, including the 924 Turbo and a series of FIA Group 4 GT-racing homologation versions including the 924 GT/GTR/GTS.

The 924S came with the 2.5-liter alloy engine of the 944. The transplanted engine delivered exceptional performance in the relatively lightweight 924S body. The North American market had to wait until 1987, while European delivery had commenced a year earlier, in 1986. For 1988, the non-turbocharged engine received a freer-flowing exhaust system which added 11 additional horsepower.

The 1988 Porsche 924S had an overhead-cam four-cylinder, water-cooled engine with an aluminum alloy block and head. It had a 151.3 cubic-inch displacement and offered 155 (SAE) horsepower. A five-speed manual was standard with a three-speed automatic optional.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2019