Porsche 924 / 928 / 944 / 968 The Complete Story

Author: Glen Smale

ISBN: 9781785000393
PUBLISHED: 14/10/2015
PAGES: 192
BINDING: Hardback
SIZE: 260x215 mm
INSIDE: 300 colour photographs

he Porsche transaxle cars, of which the innovative but misunderstood 924 was the forerunner, proved to be successful beyond all expectations for the Stuttgart manufacturer. Created at first as a potential new sports model for Volkswagen, the 924 was dropped by VW when it was well down the development road, so Porsche brought the project back under its own roof.

Being developed simultaneously was the 928. This would have been Porsche's first frontengined, water-cooled model had the 924 not been brought back in-house, but it served Porsche well to produce two cars on similar platforms at the same time. The 928 was developed for an altogether different driver, this model representing Porsche's first foray into the luxury sports car market. Although it was produced in much smaller numbers, its eighteen-year life illustrates how successfully
the model was reinvented and given ever more performance and luxury.

As the 924 approached its replacement date, Porsche introduced the 944, a sportier model based on its predecessor, but positioned as a higher performer in the range. For a while the 924 and 944 were produced in tandem as the former model refused to die, but eventually it was phased out and the 944 was given more power, more luxury and greater appeal, and sold in even greater numbers than the 924.

The final model in the transaxle family, the 968, was designed by Harm Lagaaij, the same designer responsible for the 924. Lagaaij had left the company in 1977 after the successful launch of the 924, but was enticed back in 1989 to head up Style Porsche and was responsible for the 968 design. He regards the 968 as the best and most refined of the 4-cylinder transaxle cars.

Porsche 924 / 928 / 944 / 968 contains interviews with several of Porsche's key engineers, designers and modellers who worked on the car in period. The book outlines the design processes and development work, detailing each model, and contains sections on the motor sport achievements of each model, as well as owner's views of their cars.