1979 Porsche 924 'Turbo Enhanced' Coupe

Description

Developed in conjunction with Volkswagen as a replacement for the mid-engined 914, Porsche’s 924 eventually became a second model alongside the 911 after VW pulled out of the project.  Breaking new ground on several fronts, this was Porsche’s first front-engined design, the first to feature four in-line cylinders and water-cooling. The modern bodywork possessed excellent an aerodynamic co-efficient of just 0.36 and had several ground-breaking features, including a large glass hatchback and pop-up headlamps.  A total break with tradition from the 911, the 924 influenced the styling of Porsche’s new flagship, the similarly front-engined 928.  With impeccable handling characteristics in the best Zuffenhausen tradition, the 924 was a relatively affordable, well-equipped sports car that came in for plenty of praise from the motoring press when unveiled back in 1975.  The modest power of the original 924 was overcome to a large extent when Porsche launched the Turbo in 1979 - with 170 bhp under the bonnet it neatly bridged the gap between the 924 and 911.  In addition to forced induction, Porsche adjusted the K-Jetronic fuel injection settings and fitted an auxiliary oil cooler, while exterior changes included additional cooling slots in the front valance and between the pop-up headlamps, blacked-out window frames and a black polyurethane spoiler at the rear.  The suspension was uprated to cope with the extra power, and new five-bolt 15-inch alloy wheels were standard, which allowed larger ventilated discs to be fitted.  Underscoring just how good the original 924 concept was, Porsche further developed the model into the 944 and ultimately the 968, thus extending the life of its front-engined sports car to almost two decades of production.  Now more than 30 years old, the 924s are fast approaching classic status and now is an excellent time to snap one up.