RSS_Auto_Poster
Well-known member
Written by Ollie Kew
Porsche"s Stuttgart-based museum is holding a Transaxle Day". How gloriously German.It"s to celebrate 40 years since the launch of its first front-engined transaxle road car, the 924, and coincides with worldwide International Museum Day". We think you"ll agree looking at this lot beats peering around a fake dinosaur skeleton.We kick off in 1976 with the Porsche 924. Its in-line, water-cooler four-cylinder mounted in the front of the car rather than kicked up its backside was radically, well, un-radical for Porsche. Partly because it was a joint-venture with VW to make a more affordable sports car, though VW got cold feet before the 924 was finished.Now, this car is often kicked for sharing its engine with humble VW and Audi products (oh how those critics would"ve howled at the Audi Q5 origins of the Macan), but the 924 was generally regarded as light, well-balanced and a refreshingly affordable slice of Porsche ownership. Oh, and it has pop-up headlights.No such everyman status for the next car in the line-up however, the 928. Still got pop-up headlights, mind, but instead packing a V8, which grew from 4.5 to 5.4 litres through the car"s life.The 928"s still the only proper sports car to win the European Car of the Year award; this year"s champion is the rather more humdrum Vauxhall Astra. Porsche"s museum will also be displaying a one-off 928 Cabriolet, which never made production.In 1981 Porsche filled the gap between its entry-level and flagship front-engined cars with the 944 sort of the Cayman of its day, if you like. Its 163bhp four-pot engine was derived from the 928"s motor, and the glow from the halo car made the 944 the fastest-selling Porsche yet. During its decade-long stint on sale, over 163,000 examples were sold. Still looks rather fresh and crisp to us.The 968, based on the 944 Turbo, ended Porsche"s flirtation with the transaxle layout, as it was eventually replaced by the Boxster. In the meantime, its 240bhp 3.0-litre four-cylinder engine and now-appreciating Club Sport version created a faithful following. Hard-top and cabrio versions were made, along with turbocharged racing versions. If you can afford a shiny yellow Club Sport, buy it while you still can.Despite combined sales of 400,000 worldwide, the 924 and its successors never managed to topple the 911 in the affections of Porsche buyers, and the rear-engined oddball won the day and evolved into the likes of the 911 GT3 RS and Turbo S.But with values of air-cooled Porsches shooting up faster than bidding paddles at a car auction, these everyman" Porsches might be about to enjoy their own renaissance.Get clicking through the transaxle timeline above. And if you happen to be near Stuttgart over the summer, this lot will be well worth a visit.
Date written: 27 Apr 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 3194
Porsche"s Stuttgart-based museum is holding a Transaxle Day". How gloriously German.It"s to celebrate 40 years since the launch of its first front-engined transaxle road car, the 924, and coincides with worldwide International Museum Day". We think you"ll agree looking at this lot beats peering around a fake dinosaur skeleton.We kick off in 1976 with the Porsche 924. Its in-line, water-cooler four-cylinder mounted in the front of the car rather than kicked up its backside was radically, well, un-radical for Porsche. Partly because it was a joint-venture with VW to make a more affordable sports car, though VW got cold feet before the 924 was finished.Now, this car is often kicked for sharing its engine with humble VW and Audi products (oh how those critics would"ve howled at the Audi Q5 origins of the Macan), but the 924 was generally regarded as light, well-balanced and a refreshingly affordable slice of Porsche ownership. Oh, and it has pop-up headlights.No such everyman status for the next car in the line-up however, the 928. Still got pop-up headlights, mind, but instead packing a V8, which grew from 4.5 to 5.4 litres through the car"s life.The 928"s still the only proper sports car to win the European Car of the Year award; this year"s champion is the rather more humdrum Vauxhall Astra. Porsche"s museum will also be displaying a one-off 928 Cabriolet, which never made production.In 1981 Porsche filled the gap between its entry-level and flagship front-engined cars with the 944 sort of the Cayman of its day, if you like. Its 163bhp four-pot engine was derived from the 928"s motor, and the glow from the halo car made the 944 the fastest-selling Porsche yet. During its decade-long stint on sale, over 163,000 examples were sold. Still looks rather fresh and crisp to us.The 968, based on the 944 Turbo, ended Porsche"s flirtation with the transaxle layout, as it was eventually replaced by the Boxster. In the meantime, its 240bhp 3.0-litre four-cylinder engine and now-appreciating Club Sport version created a faithful following. Hard-top and cabrio versions were made, along with turbocharged racing versions. If you can afford a shiny yellow Club Sport, buy it while you still can.Despite combined sales of 400,000 worldwide, the 924 and its successors never managed to topple the 911 in the affections of Porsche buyers, and the rear-engined oddball won the day and evolved into the likes of the 911 GT3 RS and Turbo S.But with values of air-cooled Porsches shooting up faster than bidding paddles at a car auction, these everyman" Porsches might be about to enjoy their own renaissance.Get clicking through the transaxle timeline above. And if you happen to be near Stuttgart over the summer, this lot will be well worth a visit.
Date written: 27 Apr 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 3194
