Original-Owner 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo Is Our Bring a Trailer Pick
Front engine? No problem.
front left angle of silver coupe with raised headlights on road near water.
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The Porsche 944 offers a much more conventional driving experience than a 911, but it’s still great.
This 944 is from the first year for the Turbo and has some tasteful options.
It also has exceptionally low mileage.
For decades, the Porsche 944 suffered simply from not being a 911. Why would you get Stuttgart’s front-engine, four-cylinder sports car if you could afford the rear-engine, flat-six icon? Well, with air-cooled 911 values now shot to the moon, many Porsche fans have taken another look at the 944.
side view of silver coupe parked on pavement with black wheels and visible door contours.
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This 1986 944 Turbo up for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is a prime example of Porsche’s transaxle era. It has just 35K miles on the odometer and boasts the desirable 16-inch Fuchs wheels, sport seats, not to mention eighties-tastic features like pop-up headlights and a boost gauge.
rear left angle of silver coupe showing taillights, black spoiler, and rear badging.
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And despite its little-brother status, a naturally-aspirated 944 was crowned champion in a 1984 Car and Driver shootout to find the best handling imported car, beating a 911 and a Porsche 928, as well as a Ferrari, a Lotus, and several others. Testers had few complaints, other than Don Sherman pointing out that the tested 944 could do with the added support of the sport seats. Well, this one has them.
engine bay view showing intake manifold, hoses, and various engine components under open hood.
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It also comes with forced induction grunt for its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, good for 217 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. That power gets to the ground through a five-speed manual, the gearbox mounted in the rear—again, this is a transaxle machine—for better weight balance.
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With a curb weight of around 2800 pounds, this 944 has roughly the same power-to-weight ratio as a modern Toyota GR86, more than enough to carve up a back road. However, with a bit of turbo lag to manage, and more torque on tap, the Porsche has a bit more character. It’s an accessible performance classic, and great fun to drive.
interior view from driver side showing gray cloth seats, manual gearshift, and black dashboard.
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Change out the tires (with a date code of 2010, it’s probably time for something fresh and sticky), and change the timing belt (again, based on age), and this 944 Turbo is ready to go. Overlooked for decades, these cars have aged like a fine Württemberg riesling.
The 944 should always have received the respect it does today. This example has just enough wear on it that you won’t feel bad about driving it, and the silver-over-black combination is perfect for shrugging off the miles. Spool up that turbo and hit your favorite piece of wriggling tarmac. A 944 might not drive like a 911. It might actually be better.
The auction ends on August 7.
Lettermark
Brendan McAleer
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
