Porsche 968: the last of the front-engined fours

The Porsche 968 is a sports car made from 1991 until 1995, the final evolution of the water-cooled, front-engined, rear-wheel-drive line that had begun with the 924 nearly 20 years earlier. It replaced the 944, from which it was derived, and it was Porsche’s last new front-engined car until the Cayenne of 2003.

Porsche 968 at a glance

History of the Porsche 968

The 944 had arrived for 1982 as an evolution of the 924, was updated as the 944S in 1987 and the 944S2 in 1989. Porsche was in financial trouble, customers were losing interest in its sports cars, especially in the United States, and the essentially unchanged 944 was showing its age. Executives therefore planned a final “S3” version of the 944, styled in the language of the existing range to keep development costs down.

During development, engineers modified or replaced 80% of the 944’s mechanical components, leaving so little of the S2 that management decided to launch the car as a new model, the 968. Production moved from the Audi plant in Neckarsulm, where the 924 and 944 had been built under contract, to Porsche’s own factory in Zuffenhausen.

The design was by Harm Lagaay, who had drawn the 924 and 944. The front resembled the 928, with exposed pop-up headlamps and an integrated bumper, a look that appeared on the 993 two years later. The rear had rounded, fully coloured tail lamps with special bulbs showing amber for the indicators and white for reversing, PORSCHE lettering between them and an apron integrated into the smoothed bumper. The interior was largely carried over from the 944 S2, apart from switches and knobs, and the car gained small upgrades such as a roof-mounted Fuba antenna, 16-inch Cup-style wheels, more colour choices and an adhesive-bonded rear quarter window.

The engine was an updated version of the 944’s four, now 3.0 litres with a 104 mm bore and an 88 mm stroke, rated at 240 PS at 6,200 rpm and 305 N·m at 4,100 rpm. It had a higher 11.0:1 compression ratio, a lighter crankshaft, crankcase and pistons, revised intake valves and manifold, optimised induction and exhaust, a dual-mass flywheel and Porsche’s new VarioCam variable valve timing, which first appeared here and later featured on the 993’s flat-six. At the time it was the fourth-largest four-cylinder petrol engine ever offered in a production car. A six-speed manual replaced the 944’s five-speed, and the four-speed Tiptronic, introduced three years earlier on the 964, was optional.

Much of the chassis came from the 944 S2, which had shared parts with the 944 Turbo for lack of development funds, including Brembo four-piston calipers, ventilated discs, ABS, aluminium semi-trailing arms and front A-arms in a MacPherson strut layout. Porsche maintained that 80% of the car was new. For 1993 there were minor changes, including a pollen filter and packages for seats, sound and suspension. From October 1992 to 1995 Porsche also offered the lighter 968 CS, or Club Sport.

Design and features

• Three-litre four: 240 PS from the largest four yet in a Porsche, with VarioCam.
• Six-speed gearbox: replacing the 944’s five-speed, with Tiptronic as an option.
• 928-style nose: pop-up headlamps and an integrated bumper that previewed the 993.
• 944 S2 chassis: Brembo brakes, ABS and aluminium suspension arms carried over.

Porsche 968 versions

• 968 coupé: the standard closed car.
• 968 cabriolet: the convertible version.
• 968 CS (from October 1992): the lighter Club Sport.
• 1993 model year: pollen filter and seat, sound and suspension packages.

The 968 replaced the Porsche 944 and shared its nose with the Porsche 928. More cars are in the Porsche collection.

Video: Der Checker – Porsche 968 CS

Video by Der Checker on YouTube.

Sources

• Porsche 968, English Wikipedia: development, engine, design, chassis