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Containing elements of both the 924 and 928, the 944 appeared in 1981. Being much closer to Porsche tradition this superb car had a ten year production life with over 90,000 being produced. The four cylinder 2.5 liter engine was effectively one bank of the 928's V8 with an increased 100mm bore. Porsche introduced a pair of contra-rotating balance shafts to overcome engine vibration at high rev ranges. Power steering was introduced in 1984 and the first turbo arrived in 1985 producing 220 bhp. 1987 sore the arrival of the 944S, with a 16v twin-overhead-camshaft, this pushed the power output of the 944 from 163 bhp to 190 bhp, giving a top speed 142 mph . At the same time the single cam model was increased to 2.7 liters and stayed in production until 1991. The 944 S2 arrived in 1988 with a 3-liter 16 valve engine producing 211 bhp and the turbo received a larger turbo charger boosting power to 250 bhp. You will not find many second hand sports cars today that can give this level of performance and quality for so little.

A history of the Porsche 944

1982 -85
Introduced in the US as a 1983 model. These early cars are lighter than the later cars. The interior is a transplant from the 924. These cars were largely based on the 924 Turbo in that the maintained basically the same body (except for the larger wheel arches), the ventilated brake discs, and suspension. The 5-speed gearbox was an Audi transplant, while the automatic was from VW.
The totally new engine was a 2.5 litre inline four-cylinder developed at Porsche. This engine has been called half of a 928 engine, in that they do share the same cylinder head, valves, and bore & stroke (the 944 4 valve, 959, and 928S4 all have the same valves, valve guides, valve angles, and combustion chamber). The new engine utilized contra rotating balance shafts to cancel out vibration in the relatively large four-cylinder engine. Optional sport package available that added Koni/Boge sport shocks, front/rear sway bars. The forthcoming turbocharged version was originally intended to replace the aging 911.

1985 - 88
Forged aluminum front lower control arms, redesigned interior. The steering wheel was also moved slightly to give more leg clearance.
Radio antenna removed and flush bonded with the front windshield. Improvements in air vent flow, oil sump capacity, new front and rear cast aluminum control arms and semi-trailing arms, larger fuel tank, optional heated and power seats, revised starter, revisions in the mounting of the transaxle to reduce noise and vibration. For the 87 model year, ABS anti-lock brakes became an available option, and a new sport suspension package based on the Turbo Cup series also became available. Starting with the 88 model year, dual air bags became standard equipment.

1989
Larger 2.7 litre engine for the last year of the standard 944. This is the only year of production of a 2.7 liter engine.

1986-88 944 Turbo
Utilized KKKÕs K26 turbocharger, an external oil cooler, and an air-to-air intercooler. Featured Bosch Motronic engine management. A new front end and rear under-valence panel (new body pieces allowed the car to reduce the drag coefficient to 0.33), updated brakes, and larger spring-centered clutch. The head was also beefed up in that it received stronger valves and improved ports.
For the 87 model year, ABS anti-lock brakes became an available option. Starting with the 88 model year, dual air bags became standard equipment.

1988-89 944 Turbo S
The Turbo S engine is based on the normal Turbo engine. ItÕs equipped with a modified turbo with redesigned vanes. The DME computer has different fuel/ignition/boost mapping to give higher boost over the entire RPM range compared to the normal Turbo. The exhaust valves were also increased in diameter by 1/100th mm near the valve guide for better running at full load.
Water hose, pipe, mounts and turbo waterpump were all changed due to the reinforcements of the front end. The clutch had changes in springs and the friction liner is cemented and riveted to handle the extra power. Front and rear shocks are stiffer, the brakes are from the 928 S4. Larger anti-roll bars and torsion bars. The transmission has a limited slip and an oil cooler. 1st and 2nd gears were hardness blasted for increased strength. "S" coil springs are also harder and tapered to allow for wheel clearance. It also had harder rubber suspension bushings all around. Dual airbags and ABS were standard.

1987-88 944S
The 944S had the series' first sixteen-valve engine, at the same 2.5 litre displacement as its forebears. Duel camshafts were connected by a chain that was kept taught by a somewhat problematic hydraulic tensioner. A larger camshaft timing belt also went through some "teething problems" early in the model's lifetime.
The S also received an updated transmission that featured a larger, meatier pinion gear, the Achilles' heal of its eight-valve older brothers. It had the same gearing as the 944 Turbo, but a shorter final ratio like the eight-valve, aspiros.

From '87 on, ABS brakes were available in the 944 series as an option. In '88, dual driver/passenger airbags became standard equipment.

The 944 Engine.
The 944 engine follows on from the radical departure made by the 924 from all previous Porsche engines. The engine is essentially half of the 928's V8 engine and as a consequence is a completely different design from the 924 and shares no common components. The standard engine was produced in 2.5L capacity with later models increasing in capacity to 2.7 and 3.0L. Later models also improved on the standard cars SOHC 8V cylinder head with 16V heads, some with variable valve timing (944S2). Bosch Motronic electronic fuel injection delivers excellent power and economy and a pair of counter-rotating balance shafts ensure smooth operation right up to red-line. Maximum power output is 163BHP.

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