Photo: The Market
While Porsche has been praised over the years for its particular engineering taste that includes fitting everything it can at the rear, there have always been fans that do not necessarily want a 911. Over the years there have been certain options outside of the iconic series, and shoppers need to look no further than Porsche’s 944 range of front-engine four cylinders. In Turbo guise, if possible.
Such is the case with this 1986 Porsche 944 that’s just about ready to go under the virtual hammer at specialized outlet The Market. It was part of the 944 Turbo family, and its standard guise brought 220 PS (217 hp) to the playing field, adding some much-needed performance to the stellar (for the time) handling characteristics.
Stats-wise, the 944 Turbo was adding the fan-requested sprint upgrade (5.9 seconds to 60 mph / 96 kph) to the well-praised sports modesty – the series had a vastly different weight distribution than 911 models, thanks to its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Still, as is the case with today’s example, even that wasn’t enough.
Dressed up in a black exterior tuxedo, this unit has been in possession of a talented racing driver for quite a big chunk of its 34-years life (since 1992), giving the owner ample opportunity to improve the car to his personal tastes. One detail you’ll quickly notice would be the Porsche Cup alloy wheels, while the listing also talks about a rebuilt engine and some changed parts (tailgate, hood struts, new battery).
But the most striking element of this 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo with less than 90k miles (below 145,000 km) on the odometer is hiding in plain sight... Its total cost of £22,285 / $28,624 (at the current exchange rates) includes one major surprise in the form of a £2,500 / $3,212 retrim to Ferrari’s iconic tan leather.
It turns out the owner had connections with people working for the Prancing Horse, and they were kind enough (for a sum, probably) to give him enough leather not only for the seats, but also many other areas in the cockpit. And we have to say the work still looks splendid, and it certainly befits the German sports machine.
Stats-wise, the 944 Turbo was adding the fan-requested sprint upgrade (5.9 seconds to 60 mph / 96 kph) to the well-praised sports modesty – the series had a vastly different weight distribution than 911 models, thanks to its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Still, as is the case with today’s example, even that wasn’t enough.
Dressed up in a black exterior tuxedo, this unit has been in possession of a talented racing driver for quite a big chunk of its 34-years life (since 1992), giving the owner ample opportunity to improve the car to his personal tastes. One detail you’ll quickly notice would be the Porsche Cup alloy wheels, while the listing also talks about a rebuilt engine and some changed parts (tailgate, hood struts, new battery).
But the most striking element of this 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo with less than 90k miles (below 145,000 km) on the odometer is hiding in plain sight... Its total cost of £22,285 / $28,624 (at the current exchange rates) includes one major surprise in the form of a £2,500 / $3,212 retrim to Ferrari’s iconic tan leather.
It turns out the owner had connections with people working for the Prancing Horse, and they were kind enough (for a sum, probably) to give him enough leather not only for the seats, but also many other areas in the cockpit. And we have to say the work still looks splendid, and it certainly befits the German sports machine.
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