A front-engined Porsche? “Heresy!” they cried when the Porsche 924 made its début in November 1975. Understandably, loyal fans of the marque which had built its reputation on rear-engined, air-cooled sports cars were a bit perplexed when Porsche deviated from its successful formula and presented a water-cooled, front-engined car which shared an engine with a Volkswagen van. The 924 had its teething problems, too, but after a bit more development, the naysayers would find themselves eating their words.

Development eventually resulted in the 944 of 1982, which was faster, better equipped and altogether a more sophisticated car than its 924 forebear. It handled better, stopped better and was more comfortable. It had evolved directly from the 924 GTP Le Mans racer and used the same 2½-litre four-cylinder engine, which was effectively half of the five-litre V8 used in the 928, chosen for its fuel efficiency and compactness. Crucially, it was quick, too, propelling the car from 0 to 60 mph in less than nine seconds. Essentially, the 944 had all the characteristics expected of a true Porsche, just arranged in a more conventional layout.

The 944 benefitted from further improvements over time, with the Turbo model arriving for the 1986 model year. The addition of the turbocharger increased the engine’s power output to 217 bhp and a Car & Driver road test saw the 0-60 time slashed to 5.9 seconds. Other features included improved aerodynamics courtesy of an integrated front bumper, a stronger gearbox, oil coolers for the engine and gearbox, stiffer suspension, 16-inch wheels as standard and Brembo 12-inch brakes borrowed from the 911.

The specification was improved again from 1989, although the 944 was nearing the end of its life. It would be dropped altogether in 1991 to be succeeded by the 968, but production of the 944 Turbo was substantially less for 1990 and 1991. Out of a total run of 25,245 944 Turbos, only 1251 were built in 1990, making it one of the rarest iterations.

This 944 Turbo was sold new through Merlin Porsche of Chesterfield to a Mr. Richard Weder of Borrowash, Derbyshire. From 1993, it was owned by Football Promotions (Scotland) Ltd. in Glasgow, and then in 1998 it was acquired by Mr. Graham McDougall of West Kilbride, who would retain it until 2016, after having it fully restored in repainted it in 2013. 

The present owner, a long-time marque enthusiast, acquired it from Mr. McDougall to add to his stable of Porsches. The need to downsize his collection means that the 944 is only being offered for sale very reluctantly.

The Porsche comes with a large collection of paperwork, including the current V5 and a copious supply of invoices. The invoices pertain to parts and services bought by Mr. McDougall and the present owner, and can be traced all the way back to the beginning of Mr. McDougall’s ownership in 1998. There is also a collection of intermittent MoT certificates dating back to 1998, plus the current MoT which is valid until 10th November 2022.

The Porsche retains its original owner’s wallet with various factory literature contained within, including the 944 and 944 Turbo Driver’s Manual, the Guarantee and Maintenance booklet, Porsche Service, Porsche Assistance and A Pocket Guide to Porsche Ownership. 

The service record was filled in regularly from 1991 to 2002, and also contains entries from 2013 and 2016. £1400 have just been spent on a full service and two new belts.

The vendor has a keen eye for securing the very best cars he can find, and the 944 Turbo is no exception. A look inside reveals a beautifully well-preserved interior, with the black leather upholstery in excellent order, with some age-related creases but no real signs of wear. The dash, steering wheel and centre console are in superb condition and the carpets are extremely clean. 

Of course, it’s rare for the back seats of a sports car to see much use, so they often survive in a like-new condition and that is certainly the case with this car. The doors, too, have survived remarkably well with very few signs of age. Altogether, the interior is in such a good state that it it’s very hard to believe it’s 32 years old.

Unfortunately, the boot has incurred a little bit of damage in the form of a some small holes in the carpet, which look like burns. Otherwise, it is in a very good way as well and the carpet lifts to reveal a thoroughly solid boot floor with a spare wheel which we suspect has hardly ever been removed from its resting place.

Again, the state of the paint is remarkably good. It perhaps falls slightly short of concours-standard, and there are a few small instances of the paint having acquired some damage, but you’d have to look very close to spot them. The car’s excellent condition all round is perhaps not so surprising considering that Mr. McDougall commissioned a full restoration by Anniesland Accident Centre in 2013, which included a repaint and refurbishment of the wheels.

The alloy wheels are truly an impressive sight; they have obviously never come into contact with a kerb since being refurbished. They do have a few scratches on the surface but, all things considered, one could hardly expect to see a set of wheels in better condition.

All the glass on the car is nicely intact, and plastic parts such as the rear spoiler and bumper testify to the car having led a pampered life, as we struggled to see any scratches or cracks in them. Bidders will note that this car is equipped with a sunshine roof, which is a lovely prospect with spring on its way. The underside of the car appears to be resoundingly solid.

Based on what we’ve seen, this car should be a dream to drive. It starts on the button, slips nicely into gear and can pull away with an almost imperceptible smoothness. The steering is light and well-suited to manoeuvring in reasonably tight spaces, while the brakes certainly function efficiently at low speeds.

The latest MoT test did highlight a number of advisory points which the new owner will need to consider, namely:

However, the vendor does a lot of his own maintenance on the car and recently spent a large sum of money at Paragon, the East Sussex Porsche specialist, having the 944 serviced and various issues with the brakes remedied, so we believe the car should have, to all intents and purposes, a clean bill of health.

You don’t have to own a 911 to enjoy classic Porsche motoring. Though the front-engined cars are frequently overlooked, there can be no doubt that the performance and handling of the 944, and especially the Turbo model, made it a sports-car in the truest sense, just as everyone had come to expect from Porsche. There were other qualities to admire, too, such as its fuel efficiency, neat wedge-shaped styling and its ability to carry two children in reasonable comfort.

Ideally, a late Turbo is the 944 to have, being one of quickest and most technically developed models, as well as representing a fairly rare specification. This example still looks fantastic after its restoration nine years ago, and a better one will be very hard to find.