Original MSRP for the Porsche 944 is $36,990 or $43,350 for the Turbo S. corresponding to $92,457 and $108,354 in 2021, respectively. Despite having a high base price, there were approximately 163,000 944s in use between 1982 and 1991. Despite a recent increase in price, the 944 is still well within many automobile aficionados’ price range. Customers may purchase a clean 944 for well under $15,000, and those looking for a project car can locate specimens for far under $5,000. Overall, the Porsche 944 is a flawless fusion of luxury and performance from the 1980s that still dazzles today. The 944 is gradually turning into a recognized classic since it is now accessible to enthusiasts at affordable costs.
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Prices for the Porsche 944 Turbo are out of control.
Years ago, the Porsche 911 used car market surpassed an outrageous level, and it has yet to decline. The majority of high-end Mercedes-Benz or BMW cars eventually lose value to the point that regular people can buy them, while the 911 appears to have an infinite shelf life, at least in terms of the pre-1997 air-cooled models that purists prize the most. Only the 996 generation, which was ridiculed for having explosive engines in the back and Boxsters up front, from 1999 to 2004 offered discounts.
Due to the 911 bubble’s durability, less wealthy Porsche lovers must purchase other models. One popular choice has been the Porsche 944 of 1982-91. The 944 was a solid performer with classic attractive looks, 50/50 weight distribution, excellent cornering, and more torque than the Audi-powered 924 from which it descended. On Car and Driver’s 10 Best lists, it frequently appeared. Although the original 944’s performance would place it below a contemporary Subaru, the Turbos’ sub-6.0 second 0-60 mph times were actually rather fast.
The 944 has remained very inexpensive due to a number of factors. Because it was front-engined and water-cooled, Porsche snobs turned their noses up at it. Four-cylinder engines typically don’t elicit the same level of emotion. Japanese competitors to the 944 provided superior performance, value, and tuning foundations. And the 944 isn’t cheap to maintain.
However, perceptions of the 944 may be shifting. Prices for turbocharged variants seem to be rising: Only four of the 85 944 Turbos listed on Bring a Trailer had sold for more than $30,000, and none had gone for more than $40,000. This year, however, four 944 Turbos have givenled for more than $58,000. (That is essentially the starting price for a new 718 Cayman.)
However, it’s not just happening on BaT. A 1989 944 Turbo was sold at auction by Gooding & Co. somewhere in 2018 for $72,600. Jerry Seinfeld, a well-known Porsche fanatic, also purchased a 944 Turbo this year.
There are certain restrictions. The four were sold on Bring a Trailer were in excellent to near-perfect shape. Three of them were coveted Turbo S versions. The vehicle that sold for $74,000 had only 5,300 miles on it. Any Porsche kept in such pristine condition would command a hefty price; on BaT, models like the 912 and 914, which some might regard to be Volkswagens dressed up, have sold for comparable sums.
Why the sudden love of the 944 Turbo? Nothing is entirely clear. Hagerty observes that over the past ten years, 944 values have quadrupled or even tripled in some situations. 944 prices have generally been rising along with the 911 tidal. There may be a growing understanding that the 944 Turbo was a superb car overall but was underappreciated because of the 911.
Additionally, it might not take that many value-unconcerned aficionados to move a small historic car market. The same BaT customer who won the $74,000 944 Turbo placed an offer as high as $58,000 on another 944 a month later. Since December, this buyer has placed bids on five 944s.
Without a doubt, Porsche produces top-notch automobiles. But it seems harder and harder to find good deals on them, whether they are new or old. To put things in perspective, Mercedes also produces high-quality vehicles, but you could acquire a 2016 Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon for the same amount as a newer, more potent, and lightly used R129 500SL or a top-end 944 Turbo. Which would we like to purchase at that price?
Goodbye, budget 944
Some 944 values have increased in value by a factor of two, three, or more during the past ten years. Therefore, even if the average Condition #3 (Good) value across the 944 range is still $11,500, the vehicles are no longer great bargain buys.
There are many American and Japanese performance cars that are faster, cheaper to own, and/or more affordable than the 944 at its present price range. Even Porsche’s own first-generation Boxster, which costs about the same as a base 944, just feels more sensible. This is primarily the cause of the 944s’ flat tracking and somewhat average market performance. They had had their time in the spotlight and there isn’t much more opportunity for development, but they still draw attention because they are a reasonably priced way to acquire a Porsche.
What is a 1987 Porsche 944 now worth?
Prices for the Porsche 944 1987 range from $6,600 for the base model Coupe 944 to $28,600 for the most expensive Coupe 944 Turbo. Both regular unleaded gasoline and leaded gasoline are available for the Porsche 944 1987.
Do Porsche 944 parts cost a lot?
Is the 944 a cheap, thrilling Porsche or just an expensive, difficult-to-fix four-cylinder? Depending on who you ask, yes.
It is, on the one hand, a well balanced transaxle sports vehicle with a genuine Porsche engine. It’s one of the most attractive automobiles to come out of the 1980s thanks to its sloping nose and bulging fender flares. On the other hand, the Porsche 944 is not the best vehicle for the money at the moment due to its low power in most configurations, pricey parts, and current prices.
Even while the 944 isn’t the best value for your money, it’s still a sporty and elegant sports vehicle with a premium badge that typically costs entry-level pricing thanks to the fact that prices have stabilized after several years of rise. Large changes appear unlikely in the near future given the lack of any significant developments in the Porsche market overall (at least in comparison to previous years).
How uncommon is the Porsche 944?
At the very end of the 944’s production run, only 528 specimens of the one-year-only 1991 Porsche 944 Turbo Cabriolet were ever produced, most of them by hand.
What is the Porsche 944’s horsepower?
The 944’s base engine produced approximately 143 horsepower (later base models would produce up to 163 horsepower), and the top-of-the-line Turbo S produced 247 horsepower from its 2.5-liter inline-four turbocharger.
What kind of horsepower can a 1986 Porsche 944 produce?
The 944 underwent rapid change, and soon there were numerous versions. In the middle of the 1985 model year, Porsche gave the interior of the 944 a significantly more modern makeover, including an oval-shaped instrument panel. The Porsche 944 Turbo, a world-class performance vehicle with a turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter engine producing 217 horsepower, was the major news for 1986. Large multi-piston Brembo brakes from the 911 Turbo, a body modification with a better integrated front bumper and rear underbody spoiler, stiffer suspension, and a more powerful five-speed gearbox were all added along with the bigger engine.
The new 944 S model was powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 16 valves in 1987, increasing power from 147 horsepower to 187 hp. The 944 S2 replaced the 944 S (now available in coupe and convertible form), and it featured a new 3.0-liter, 16-valve naturally aspirated engine producing 208 hp in addition to all the advantages of the Turbo-style body and chassis. In 1989, a new 2.7-liter, eight-valve engine with 163 hp was introduced for the base 944. The Turbo model had increased to 247 horsepower by this point, and the Turbo S model, introduced the year before, featured an even more specifically designed suspension with height-adjustable coil-over shocks, various chassis stiffeners, and larger anti-roll bars, as well as even larger Brembo brakes, bigger wheels and tires, and a standard limited-slip differential. Prior to the introduction of the 968, Porsche 944 production came to an end in 1991.
Will the Porsche 944 make a comeback?
Porsche has declared that the 944 model will return in 2023 as its entry-level option into the niche sports car market. The automobiles will be produced in Germany at a facility outside of Stuttgart that is now undergoing refurbishment and retooling.
What was the Porsche 944’s final model year?
A fourth Porsche model line entered the market for the 1982 model year. The 944 filled the performance and price gap between the 911 SC and the 924.
Although the 944’s body was based on the 924, it had far more eye-catching curves. Porsche also designed a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine for the 944. Customers therefore considered the 944 to be a “genuine” Porsche. Audi also made this transaxle type at Neckarsulm.
The 944 could be easily separated from the 924 thanks to a front spoiler painted in the outside color with square rubber buffers and broader, slightly angular wings. Initially producing 163 horsepower, the 2.5-liter engine was later upgraded to 150 horsepower with a catalytic converter starting with MY 86. In MY 1988, the catalytic converter-equipped engine was modified for unleaded fuel with 95 RON, increasing the power to 160 hp. The displacement was increased to 2.7 liters and the power to 165 horsepower for the final model year (1989).
944 S In terms of equipment and body design, the 944 S and 944 were similar. The four-valve engine of this particular model, nevertheless, was a first and produced up to 190 horsepower. So, behind the flasher repeaters, there was an optional badge stamped with “16 Ventiler.”
944 S2 In model year 1989, the S2 model superseded the 944 S. It possessed the 944 Turbo’s rear wing, stronger body, and rear diffusor (as of MY 91). The 944 S2’s 3.0 liter, four-valve engine produced 211 horsepower, nearly matching the Turbo variant’s level of performance in the successor to the S model. From the beginning, a Cabriolet variant of the 944 S2 was also offered.
Porsche 944 is it quick?
In conjunction with Porsche, the US-Spec 944 turbocharged package was first made available in 1983 by American tuning business Callaway Cars. The basic 2.5 L inline-four engine’s 9.5:1 compression ratio and complicated Bosch Motronic engine management system made it susceptible to failure when subjected to forced induction, hence the engine was not appropriate for forced induction. By removing metal from the piston heads and chamber walls and increasing the volume of the engine’s combustion chambers, Callaway engineers were able to solve this issue. They also installed their own Microfueler unit and modified the Motronic system to ensure optimal fuel injection to the turbocharged engine. The complete engine had to be disassembled for this phase to work, which added significantly to the package’s cost. Although the compression ratio of the resulting engine was lower than that of the normal engine (8.0:1), linear power delivery was still guaranteed. Callaway installed a common internal waste gate and advised the use of 91-octane fuel to boost engine reliability in order to prevent any catastrophic engine failures. In addition, a new free flow exhaust system with a larger exhaust pipe was fitted, coupled with an IHI RHB6 turbocharger, on the right side of the engine for maximum performance. Because there was no turbo-lag, linear levels of boost were guaranteed. A boost control knob on the dashboard was optional, although the turbocharger produced 10 psi of boost. In comparison to the normal car’s 143 horsepower (107 kW) at 5,500 rpm, the modified engine produced 284 hp (212 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 312 Nm (230 lbft) at 4,000 rpm. With a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h), performance surpassed that of the normal vehicle as well. According to Callaway, removing the rev limiter would result in even faster acceleration times. One of the rarest Porsche 944s ever made, only 20 vehicles were made.