| If you are already a Porsche buff I don't have to tell | | | | but the world knew it simply as the 944 Turbo. It had |
| you how popular the Porsche 944 was and still | | | | the same basic engine but it was the intercooled |
| remains today. If you are knew to Porsche's your | | | | version and of course it was turbo charged so you |
| about to meet with some fascinating reading. So what | | | | got a whopping 220 BHP at 6000 RPM. |
| was the 944 all about? | | | | 1987 saw the introduction of the 944S - S standing for |
| Porsche has been building great cars for years but in | | | | Super. This model had dual air bags and anti lock |
| 1982 it came up with what was going to be a real | | | | brakes as standard equipment. It also had the first 16 |
| winner. This was the year the first Porsche 944 hit the | | | | valve engine with 250 BHP. |
| market. It was originally introduced as a replacement | | | | 1989 The S was no more to be with the equipment |
| for the Porsche 924. | | | | from the S model becoming standard on the 944 |
| This eventually did occur but for a few years both | | | | model. The engine was replaced to a 4 cylinder 2.7 liter |
| cars were actually on the market side by side. From | | | | engine. |
| the get go the 944 was immediately a very popular | | | | In 1990 Porsche released the 944 Series 2 known as |
| car available as either a 2 door coupe or a 2 door | | | | the S2. It was a revision of the 944S which had the |
| convertible. | | | | aerodynamics of the 951. It was also the year the 16 |
| So what was it that made the 944 such a hit? Well | | | | valve 3.0 liter engine was introduced becoming the |
| there were a few things but mostly it was the high | | | | most popular engine ever in the 944. This 16 valve |
| performance and look of this sports car. It was a | | | | engine |
| success right from the beginning but over the years | | | | From 1982 to 1989 113,070 were produced and 25,107 |
| several models become available including the 944S, | | | | Turbo engines were produced. The 944S saw a total |
| 944S2, and the 944 Turbo. | | | | of 12,936 cars produced and the 944S2 had only |
| When first produced it had only the 2.5 liter engine but | | | | 6,439 produced. In the big picture that's not a lot of |
| over time there were options which also included a 2.7 | | | | cars which is probably one of the reasons demand |
| liter and 3.0 liter engine. Both the 94 inch wheelbase | | | | remains strong. |
| and the 2932 curb weight also made this car very | | | | Late n 1991 the 944 Series 3 was released but the |
| appealing to the sports car enthusiast. | | | | model number was changed to the 968. It was |
| When the 944 first hit the streets it had a straight 4 | | | | originally called the 944 S3 but then marketing opted |
| cyclinder 2.5 liter engine an it had Mitsubishi's patented | | | | for a name change in the hope of increasing sales. |
| balance shaft technology. And of course it had the | | | | Technically the 968 was the refined version of the |
| look of a sports car too. | | | | 944 offering the best of the best. It also offered a |
| It wasn't until 1985 that it had any major changes done | | | | new nose and rear end as well as circular headlamps. |
| to it. Those changes included some ergonomic | | | | The 3 liter engine had a horsepower increase of 240 |
| changes to the interior, the movement of the antenna, | | | | HP and performance was optimized using the |
| and some improvements to the air conditioning. | | | | Variocam. The 968 was built up until 1995. |
| Optional heated seat were also added, as were | | | | Even though the 944 designation was retired in 1991it |
| powered seats, a larger fuel tank, and some | | | | didn't mean this was a car of the past and it certainly |
| technology to reduce noise. | | | | didn't result in the sales dwindling. Instead it remains |
| They also introduced the Turbo model in 1985. Within | | | | more popular than ever. In fact today it remains a |
| the Porsche Corporation it was referred to as the 951 | | | | "must have" car in the Porsche world. |