1985-88 Porsche 944

If Porsche had never built a 911, the 944 would be regarded as remarkable

by David Slama

The author and his 1988 944S, circa 1998.

The 944 is the Rodney Dangerfield of sports cars, and it has been fighting for respect from the moment it was introduced in 1982. If Porsche had never built a 911, the handling and performance of the 944 would be regarded as remarkable. If Porsche had never built the sad-sack 924, 944 owners wouldn’t have to deal with the stigma of having a car that looked like the one powered by an Audi tractor motor. The major downfall of the 924 was its engine. The 944 had no such shortcoming, as it was fitted with an aluminum, 2.5-liter, single overhead cam four-cylinder, essentially half of the 928’s V8. A Mitsubishi-patented Lanchester balance shaft was used to counter the vibration that made the 924 engine shake so excessively. The new 944 motor made 143 hp at 5,500 rpm, enough to propel the car to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds and do the quarter mile in 16.3, quick for its day. Most impressive was its handling. In 1984, Car and Driver named the 944 the “Best Handling...