1986 Porsche 944 Turbo. One of 7,513 944 Turbos exported to the U.S., in 1986. Turbocharged 2.5L DOHC four-cylinder engine (code M44/51) with counter-rotating balance shafts. Five-speed manual transaxle. Guards Red exterior (code L027) and black leather/vinyl interior (code 1DR). Air-conditioning converted to R134A, power windows and sunroof with detachable panel. Five-cup alloy wheels, VDO gauges, foglights. Under the hood is Porsche’s massive turbocharged 2.5L DOHC four-cylinder engine (code M44/51). The new all-alloy engine was in essence, half of the 928’s 5.0 L V8 engine. Not typical in luxury sports cars, the four-cylinder engine was chosen for fuel efficiency and size and because it had to be fitted from below on the Neckarsulm production line. To overcome roughness caused by the unbalanced secondary forces that are typical of inline four-cylinder engines, Porsche included two counter-rotating balance shafts, patented by Mitsubishi, running at twice the engine speed. Backing this motor is a five-speed manual transmission that is part of the car’s rear-mounted transaxle. The car had a nearly even front to rear weight distribution (50.7 percent front/49.3 percent rear) courtesy of the rear transaxle balancing out the engine in the front. Driver convenience features include power windows. Inside, the car’s immaculate black leather and vinyl interior (code 1DR) is in overall very good order. The front bucket seats and rear demi-buckets are in overall excellent shape. The matching black carpet is in very good order, as is the black headliner. A traditional four-spoke steering wheel frames the instrument panel, which features a full array of VDO gauges. The horn works, but intermittently. The simple, yet functional black dashboard looks great, as do the inner door panels. The center console and shift remain in excellent order. A Sony AM/FM stereo with CD player completes the interior. In mid-1985, the 944 underwent its first significant changes, these included: new dashboard and door panels, embedded radio antenna, upgraded alternator (from 90 amp to 115 amp), increased oil sump capacity, new front and rear cast alloy control arms and semi-trailing arms, larger fuel tank, optional heated and powered seats, Porsche HiFi sound system and revisions in the mounting of the transaxle to reduce noise and vibration. The front windshield was now a flush-mounted unit. The "cookie cutter" style wheels used in the early 944s were upgraded to new "phone dial" style wheels (Fuchs wheels remained an option). For the 1986 model year, Porsche introduced the 944 Turbo, known internally as the 951. The Turbo had a turbocharged and intercooled version of the standard 944’s engine. The Turbo was the first Porsche production car using a ceramic port liner to retain exhaust gas temperature along with new forged pistons and was also the first vehicle to produce an identical power output with or without a catalytic converter. The Turbo also featured several other changes, such as improved aerodynamics, notably an integrated front bumper. This featured the widest turn signals (indicators) fitted to any production car, a strengthened gearbox with a different final drive ratio, standard external oil coolers for both the engine and transmission, standard 16-inch wheels (optional forged Fuchs wheels), and a slightly stiffer suspension (progressive springs) to handle the extra weight. The Turbo's front and rear brakes were borrowed from the 911, with Brembo four-piston fixed calipers and 12-inch discs. Engine component revisions, more than 30 in all, were made to the 951 to compensate for increased internal loads and heat. Competition to this Porsche in 1986 included Audi’s Quattro, Chevrolet’s Corvette, Ferrari’s Mondial 3.2, Lotus Ésprit, Nissan’s 300ZX and Renault’s Alpine GTA. Porsche fans, German car lovers and anyone looking for a solid classic driver, should stop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars to take a peek at this 944 Turbo. VIN: WP0AA0955GN151722
