Caught in the classifieds: 1991 Porsche 944
People often say that once you buy your first Porsche, you’ll never go back to owning anything else ever again. Having been fortunate enough to drive a 997-gen base Carrera 911, I can certainly attest to that. Although I can’t afford to own one yet, I’m looking at other alternatives to keep me interested while I work my way up to a 911.
One of the most overlooked and undervalued Porsches is, in my opinion, the humble 944. It didn’t get a ton of love when it first came out, and it’s not being given the recognition it deserves today. People are so obsessed with 911s that other Porsches like 944s or 928s sit and linger on the sidelines, waiting for their time in the spotlight.
The more you look at used 944s, the more you realize just how amazing they are. Luckily for us, they’re still not collector items and can be had for a reasonable amount of money. In this week’s “Caught In The Classifieds” section, I’m giving the 944 some much-deserved recognition. This particular example has less than 100,000 miles on the clock, and it can be yours for a shade under £13,000.
Exterior
As big of a fan of the 911 as I am, I can recognize a great-looking car when I see one, even if it isn’t everyone’s beloved rear-engined sports car. Much like the 911, the 944 is an evolutionary design of its predecessor, the 924. Unlike the 924 though, Porsche ironed out a lot of the edges and gave the 944 a much sleeker and smoother body. Being a strictly two-door coupe, the 944 is as elegant and sleek as you’d expect a sports car to be. I know a lot of people consider the 944 to be a GT car, but I think that’s incorrect and false, for reasons I’ll explain below.
Design-wise, most people seem to love how 944s look. It’s a car that doesn’t turn a lot of heads nowadays, simply because non-petrolheads don’t know what it is. Those in the know give you a nod, usually accompanied by a ‘thumbs up’. It’s a car that seems to resonate with car enthusiasts, especially older generations who love how nostalgic it looks.
Most young people aren’t excited by classic cars, but everyone seems to appreciate the 944. Pop-up headlights seem to be a particular crowd-pleaser, and it also doesn’t hurt that the 944’s rear hatch looks mega-cool. I like the fact that Porsche gave the 944 a smoother rear-end compared to the 924. It makes the car appear slimmer and a lot more modern.
Interior<,/b>
Stepping inside a 944, you’d be hard-pressed to tell most examples are now nearly 30 years old. Don’t get me wrong, it’s missing a ton of modern features or any sort of tech, but in terms of build quality and materials, it’s right up there with some modern cars. There’s a sense of quality that’s simply not present in most cars built in the 1990s and even the early 2000s. It feels solid and robust, like it was built to withstand decades of abuse and wear and tear.
The dashboard isn’t cracked, the centre console doesn’t squeak or rattle, and even the 30-year-old leather seats are in great condition given how much use they’ve seen. The cabin is particularly roomy too, making the 944 a genuine 2+2 coupe. The rear seats in a Porsche 911 are next to useless, but the ones in the 944 are relatively practical, even by today’s standards.
The driving position is remarkable too. The seat goes low enough to give you a real sense of connection with the car, and everything is exactly where you’d expect it to be. The gear stick is in the correct location and the steering wheel feels perfectly positioned too. It’s a bit too large by today’s standards, but given the fact that this car has a slower steering ratio compared to modern Porsches, it feels perfectly adequate.
Engine and Performance
The 944 was available in a few different trim levels with several different engine options, but this particular example is the S2, the most powerful non-turbo variant. Its 3.0-litre straight-four produces 208 horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque at 4,100 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transaxle. A transaxle is an entire housing unit consisting of a transmission, a differential and an axle. Because it’s neatly packaged together, it can be positioned at the rear to offset the weight of the engine at the front.
This gives the 944 a nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution, resulting in a chassis that’s extremely neutral and predictable. I said in the beginning that I think the 944 is more of a sports car than it is a GT car, and this is the reason why. Driving a 944, you get a real sense of occasion. It’s thrilling and interesting, and it rewards you the harder you push it. Ultimately, it won’t set any speed records, but it isn’t a soft GT car in the way it handles.
The fact that it’s a manual and you have to work for it makes the experience that much sweeter. In a modern world full of PDKs and DCTs, rowing your gears using an old-school five-speed gearbox is a real joy. The 944 is the ideal car to learn how to heal-and-toe and left-foot-brake on. Throttle response is amazing because it’s a naturally-aspirated engine, and the clutch feels perfectly judged. The only real letdown are the brakes, which aren’t as effective as modern Porsche units. That being said, they still stop the car better than you’d expect them to, especially compared to most modern economy cars.
Model: Porsche 944
Trim: S2 Coupe
Mileage: 95,000
Price: £12,995
Why buy one
I honestly don’t know what else you’d have for under £15,000 if you’re in the market for a Porsche or even an old classic. The 944 is a car which will appreciate in the next few decades, so now’s the time to invest in one if you can’t afford an old 911. Buying a Porsche 944 just to make a profit on it in the future is a bit of a waste if you ask me though, because the car is mind-blowingly good to drive, so it would be a shame to let it sit in a garage and hibernate.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
