1976-1985
The 924 was Porsche’s new entry-level car, developed partly in conjunction with Volkswagen, and for a time it was almost badged a VW.
It was a departure for Porsche in that it had a front-mounted, water-cooled four-cylinder engine, linked to a rear-mounted gearbox driving the back wheels. The engine itself was a 2.0-litre Audi unit which Porsche modified to give more power. The front engine/rear transmission layout gave a balanced weight distribution to optimise handling.
The 924 was a good-looking car with its smooth lines and fashionable pop-up headlamps. It was also very practical with its small rear seats and an opening rear hatch. Despite not being a high performer, the 924 was a great sales success, winning Porsche many new customers. A total of 121,289 examples were built: 83,003 for Rest of World, 36,902 for the USA and 1383 for Japan.
Specification
Engine: Front-mounted, water-cooled straight-four
Capacity: 1984cc
Compression ratio: 9.3:1
Maximum power: 125bhp at 5800rpm
Maximum torque: 165Nm at 3500rpm
Brakes: Front: 256.5mm discs; rear: 228.6mm drums
Suspension: Front: MacPherson struts with telescopic dampers and coil springs; rear: trailing wishbones with telescopic dampers and transverse torsion bar. Optional front and rear antiroll bars
Wheels & tyres: Front: 14×5.5J with 165HR14 tyres. Rear: 14×5.5J with 165HR14 tyres
Length: 4213mm
Width 1676mm
Weight: 1080kg
