Porsche 924 – a modern classic?

Following on from my comments about the 944 being an affordable classic, I was asked to give the Porsche 924 a mention.

Ah, the Porsche 924, a car that’s close to my heart because my very first Porsche was a 924, many years ago. Sadly, it’s a car that’s dropped off the radar for most Porsche enthusiasts, partly you can buy a more powerful 944 for not much more money.

The Porsche 924 had a bad start in life, according to Porsche purists, because it was designed by Porsche for Volkswagen and would have been badged a VW. However, Volkswagen abandoned the project so Porsche saw an opportunity and developed as its new entry-level model to replace the mid-engined 914.

It was a smart move, the stylish sports hatchback was a huge sales success, winning Porsche many new customers and, quite possibly, keeping the company afloat in the 1970s.

OK, the Porsche 924 was never the most powerful car, its engine developing just 125bhp, but it was solidly built, handled well and, perhaps most importantly for image-consious buyers, it looked elegant and had a Porsche badge. While the 944 that replaced it had muscular bulging arches, the 924 was an altogether prettier and more elegant design, which still has an appeal today.

The Porsche 924 today

Also appealing today is the fact that you’ll struggle to pay more than £4000 for an original 2.0-litre Porsche 924 – if you can find one. They seem to be few and far between, and I suspect many have been run into the ground and scrapped. Which is a shame for a car that played such an important part in Porsche’s history.

So, if you’re looking for a cheap Porsche you could run every day, seek out a good 924. It’s never going to make you rich, but I suspect it will hold its value in years to come.

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