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Celebrated with the Power Type 968 Porsche the finale of the legendary transaxle era. The curve addicts left it thanks to the perfectly balanced weight distribution Coupes and convertibles for nothing that sports car fans love: fast-paced duels on the road and track, technical refinements - but also dramatic defeats
This Porsche knows how to surprise. 30 years ago the Type 968 astonished with the world's most powerful 3,0-liter four-cylinder heart under the hood, a power plant that could almost compete with its iconic big brother 911 in terms of torque. Today the first Porsche 968s have an H license plate, but the coupés and convertibles, clad in almost timeless shapes and bright colors, do not look like normal oldtimers. In fact, the legendary Porsche chief designer Harm Lagaay succeeded in 1991 in refreshing the 16-year-old design DNA of the models 924, 944 and 944 S2 in a sustainable manner, thereby favoring the history of the successful Porsche transaxle four-cylinder (engine at the front, transmission at the rear optimal weight distribution) to lead to the final.
At the same time, Lagaay wanted to repeat his stroke of genius from 1975 when he had a decisive influence on the design of the first transaxle type and bestseller Porsche 924. From this at times best-selling sports car in the world, the equally successful Porsche 1981 emerged in 944 as an evolutionary stage, before the Stuttgart-based company needed a fresh entry-level model for the now tight coffers at the end of the 1980s. That is why Porsche brought back the star designer Lagaay, who had meanwhile been poached by Ford and BMW, who rejuvenated the muscular pop-up headlamp shapes of the 944 inexpensively but drastically - and thus tailored a sports suit to match the new, furious power type 968. It's all OK? Not quite, the 968 didn't make a box office hit.
Saved with four cylinders
Even during the corona pandemic, Porsche is considered the most profitable sports car manufacturer in the world, as it has for many years. However, this has not always been the case. The company has already approached the abyss twice - and in each case four-cylinder models brought the momentum to leap out of the crisis. In the mid-1970s, it was the Porsche 924 built by Audi with inexpensive parts from the VW group shelf that set new production records as an entry-level Porsche and the transaxle principle, also used by the competitor Alfa GTV, for a 50:50 weight distribution in what was unique at the time poured.
With a long bonnet, stretched roof and spectacularly large glass, wide-opening tailgate, the Porsche 924 had a silhouette that showed a strong profile in the competitive field of fast amateur athletes, similar to the 911 brand icon among super athletes from the start. Young designer Harm Lagaay had finalized the shapes for the 924 under the direction of head couturier Anatole Lapin, before he brought models such as Ford Sierra and BMW Z1 into futuristic form for other companies.
Around 1990, Porsche, like most sports car specialists, had to tackle economically difficult waters again - and Harm Lagaay came back. Now in the position of Porsche chief designer to transform the now veteran transaxle types with pop-up headlights that are gradually going out of fashion into pioneering sky-climbers at low cost. Lagaay therefore retained the basic contours, but took on the rear and the front section of the Gran Turismo all the more, which mutated into a modern front design in which the headlights rested flat and open between the aerodynamically tapering fenders like shining diamonds.
An avant-garde sports car face, as it should also characterize the V8 type 928, and which was also adapted from the Porsche 911 (type 993) two years later, before the mid-engine two-seater Porsche Boxster conquered new territory in 1996 and at the same time the 968 as an entry-level model in the Porsche -World replaced.
The Porsche 968 pulls the others off
Until then, the 968, as a coupé and cabriolet, was causing the noise in the forest of leaves at the time - a spectacular roadster prototype did not make it into series production in favor of the following Porsche Boxster - and the almost unanimous media opinion was that the “best four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine in the world” made a decisive contribution. Even in the 176 kW / 240 PS strong basic version, the Porsche released 305 Newton meters and thus a gigantic 100 Newton meters per liter of displacement at the time. Not even the V8 in the Ferrari Mondial could seriously beat the Swabian four-cylinder in this discipline, which also set further records in its class with a Vmax of 252 km / h and a zero-to-100 sprint value of 6,5 seconds.
This in combination with the first, closely graduated, sporty six-speed gearbox from Porsche; by the way, the four-cylinder was optionally available before the large 928 with Tiptronic automatic. In addition, the 968 made its debut with the variable intake camshaft adjustment VarioCam, but the driving machine was also able to skimp: with a standard consumption of 7,2 liters at 90 km / h, the first four-cylinder transaxle produced by Porsche undercut all similarly potent competitors. The reserves offered by the technical concept of the entry-level Porsche were demonstrated by the 2 + 2-Siter when the top model 1993 Turbo S, albeit a tiny edition, went into production in the spring of 968. With 224 kW / 305 PS, this 2 + 2-seater brought it to a Vmax of 280 km / h. Back then, not even the 911 Turbo offered more speed.
Good partner for new records
However, the 968 was not only fast - of course also in motorsport, for example in Le Mans and the 1.000 kilometers from Paris - it was also record-breaking reliable. Top marks in quality rankings and events such as the record drive in 1992, in which a Porsche 968 driven by motor journalist Gerhard Plattner covered 100 kilometers in 100.000 days, testified to this. With a 968 Club Sport (CS), Plattner even set his sights on the 1994-kilometer mark in 150.000, extreme odometer readings that very few thoroughbred athletes could achieve without an engine revision.
So everything is well prepared for high sales of the Porsche 968? Perhaps if prices at an ambitious level had not dampened demand. Amounts between 90.000 and 105.000 marks for a four-cylinder - the 968 Turbo S was even priced in at around 175.000 marks - were more than almost all rivals demanded. In fact, there were also Maserati V6s, Ferrari V8s, or Jaguar V12s, especially cheaper Japanese Gran Turismo such as Nissan 300 ZX Twin Turbo, Toyota Supra and Mazda RX-7, which brought the four-cylinder Porsches from pole in the USA Position in the sales statistics kicked.
Porsche responded with the Club Sport version of the 1992 launched in 968, which - with the same engine - has been detoxified in a sporty way compared to the basic version. Without airbags, back seats, air conditioning or central locking, the CS was less comfortable, but lighter and more agile than the 968, above all 17.000 marks cheaper. Nevertheless, the sales figures for the Porsche 968 remained disappointing, with only around 12.800 units built in four years, including around 4.000 convertibles. Today, however, what was once the most powerful four-cylinder sports car is cult - and the club scene is celebrating the achievement of classic car status with several events.
In brief
Timeline:
1970: Under the development order EA 425, Porsche in Weissach begins designing a successor to the VW-Porsche 914
1975: On November 924rd, production of the Porsche 924 began at Audi in Neckarsulm, a few days later the XNUMX was presented to the press
1976: Every second Porsche produced is a 924
1977: The Porsche 924 is the world's best-selling sports car
1978: The 50.000th Porsche 924 rolls off the assembly line in April. In September, the 924 Turbo will be unveiled as a new top performer
1981: The Porsche 944 is presented in June
1988: Production of the 924 S and 944 model series ends in summer. The successor is the Porsche 944 S2
1991: End of production for the Porsche 944 S2, but the expected 944 S3 does not follow, but the new era of the 968. In May, the 968 is presented internally. In June, the model 968 designed by Harm Lagaay was presented to the press as a coupé and a convertible; the new design lines create a similarity to the top of the transaxle model, the Porsche 928, at the front and rear. In addition, the front of the 968 already heralds the look of the upcoming Porsche 993. The 968 rolls off the assembly line at Porsche's main factory in Zuffenhausen. The 968 model series celebrates its trade fair debut in September at the Frankfurt IAA public premiere. Compared to its predecessor, the 944 S2, the price of the 968 increased by around 5.000 marks to 89.800 marks. In the first year the 968 production is only 15 units
1992: From August the Porsche 968 Club Sport (CS) is available as a new, cheaper basic model. The 968 CS dispenses with airbags, rear seats, a clock, luggage compartment cover, rear window wiper, roof antenna, alarm system, air conditioning and central locking, which reduces the price by 17.000 marks compared to the conventional 968. The 968 CS is sold at prices from 77.500 marks. Another new feature is a 968 Roadster, which, however, remains a prototype, although it indicates the later Boxster. Gerhard Plattner manages the record run “968 kilometers in 100.000 in days” with a 100. A total of 5.102 coupés and convertibles will be built this year, the best sales year for the Porsche 968
1993: For the 1993 season, the Porsche Club Germany announces a 968 CS (Clubsport) Cup with ten events. The 968 CS are identical to the production cars, but may lose another 50 kilograms to at least 1.270 kilograms. The 968 Turbo S and the competition version 968 Turbo RS are introduced. However, instead of the planned 100 units, the Turbo S and the Turbo RS will produce fewer than 20 units in total. The total production of the 968 in this calendar year is only 3.485 units, which is also due to new competitors such as the VW Corrado VR6
1994: As in the previous year, the Turbo RS competes in the ADAC GT Cup and this year also in the Global Endurance GT Championship and in the 1.000 kilometers of Paris. The 968 CS, which was previously sold as a pure two-seater, is optionally available with a rear seat and a so-called comfort package, which includes electric windows etc.
1995: In the summer of production of the 968 after only 870 units last year: a total of 11.245 Porsche 968s were built. Together with the 924 and 944 models, over 325.000 four-cylinder Porsches with transaxle technology were delivered
1996: Introduction of the four-cylinder mid-engine series Boxster as a new entry-level model in the Porsche portfolio
2021: The Porsche 968 will be 30 years old and thus a candidate for the H license plate, which distinguishes classic cars. Porsche and the club scene are honoring the anniversary
Production numbers:
Porsche 968 Coupé in 5.541 units,
Porsche 968 Cabriolet in 3.954 units,
Porsche 968 CS in 1.538 units,
Porsche 968 Turbo S and Turbo RS in 17 units.
Prices:
July 1991: Porsche 968 Coupé from 89.800 Marks, 968 Coupé Tiptronic from 95.650 Marks, 968 Cabriolet from 99.800 Marks, 968 Cabriolet Tiptronic from 105.650 Marks.
August 1992: Porsche 968 CS Coupé from 77.500 Marks, 968 Coupé from 94.790 Marks, 968 Coupé Tiptronic from 100.790 Marks, 968 Cabriolet from 107.630 Marks, 968 Cabriolet Tiptronic from 113.630 Marks.
January 1993: Porsche 968 CS Coupé from 78.180 marks, 968 Coupé from 95.622 marks, 968 Coupé Tiptronic from 101.674 marks, 968 Cabriolet from 108.574 marks, 968 Cabriolet Tiptronic from 114.627 marks, 968 Turbo S from 175.000 marks, 968 Turbo RS from 228.000 marks .
February 1995: Porsche 968 CS Coupé from 80.890 marks, 968 Coupé from 99.390 marks, 968 Coupé Tiptronic from 105.440 marks, 968 Cabriolet from 112.850 marks, 968 Cabriolet Tiptronic from 118.900 marks.
Technical data Porsche 968
Two-door, 2 + 2-seater sports coupé (968 CS two-seater, optionally 2 + 2-seater) or sports convertible; Length: 4,32 meters, width: 1,74 meters, height: 1,28 meters, wheelbase: 2,40 meters.
Porsche 968 Coupé and Cabriolet with 3,0-liter four-cylinder engine, 6-speed manual transmission or four-speed Tiptronic automatic, 176 kW / 240 PS, maximum torque: 305 Nm at 4.100 rpm, 0-100 km / h : 6,5 (Tiptronic: 7,9) s, Vmax: 252 (Tiptronic: 247) km / h, consumption at 90 km / h / 120 km / h / city cycle: 7,2 (Tiptronic: 7,9) / 8,8 (Tiptronic: 7,1) / 14,8 (Tiptronic: 14,6) liters / 100 kilometers.
Porsche 968 Turbo S with 3,0-liter four-cylinder engine, 6-speed manual transmission, 224 kW / 305 PS, maximum torque: 500 Nm at 3.000 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 5,0 s, Vmax: 280 km / h, consumption not specified
