Being one of the world’s most prestigious manufacturers of luxury high performance Sports Car is not sensational news, but for £75 driving behind such marquee for a day at race track is indeed a thrilling sensation. It may be applicable only during this October; you’d better hurry for the sheer exhilarating Porsche Driving. In North America the Porsche Driving Centre also offers similar experience for many months of waiting list and ten times as costly.
The latest 320 hp Cayman S lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife track around 8 minutes and 11 seconds compares well favourably to that of Rally legend Walter Röhrl’s 8 minutes, 20 seconds in the more powerful 911 Carrera almost way back 5 years ago, a testament for going fast in the latest Porsche to any inexperienced driver, that’s us folks!
As my usual knack for “Beam me back to earth Scotty!” I always try to find an alternative Sports car which is not only has civilized manner but also reliable for DIY week end work whilst still giving acceptable MPG. Is there as such rare Porsche at half investment outlay today?
Not long ago about 30 years back 924 Carrera GT was created with flared rear arches, high profile macho air intake scoop on bonnet a NACA duct style, though without the traditional "bug eye" headlamps, and powered by “simple” diminutive 2L motor. Porsche had borrowed the power plant from either VW LT van or Audi 100 strengthened bottom end, shoehorned the head and make forced induction by adding KKK K-26 turbocharger going from 10 psi boost pressure producing 170hp.
Its performance is not bad either in today’s standard for the 210 hp version it may catapult to 60 in 6.8 seconds coincidentally this was the version finished 8th at Le Mans in late 70s. Another version with the addition of intercooler had been tuned to 375hp as GTR which finished 6th at Le Mans in 1980 driven by Manfred Schurti in tandem with Jurgen Barth.
Though the 2L engine is harsh and unrefined (Porsche had not adapted Mitsubishi’s balancing shaft at time) it goes superbly, in handling department the 924 has tendency toward wild oversteering yet allows sufficient time to make necessary correction. But the ride comfort is exceptionally good and most importantly when meticulously maintained it could give 33 MPG. Today’s asking price is approximately €10,992 or $14,848 roughly it has depreciated by 40% since early 1990s.
The good news is Porsche only built 433 units only for homologation rules, it was a road car prepared for the competition purpose. But the road version population is in great abundance 121,289 with turbo at 13,616 units respectively, and with today’s availability of responsive turbo-charging application along with proper engine modification chip upgrade or newer engine management fitted and so forth you could have a real everyday drive super-car; a super-car with comfortable ride, superb combination of performance, reliability and “negligible” depreciation.
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