Porsches are immaculate cars. If it were our choice, no single model would ever be discontinued. They would all remain in production and get refined and remodified from time to time. It becomes very hard to let go of any Porsche, especially when it's condemned to extinction.

The automotive industry, however, is very dynamic, and nothing remains the same for too long. Over the years, several Porsche models have come and gone. Most of them left fond memories, including global accomplishments such as winning races and breaking records. Others will be eternally remembered for their contribution to car design, engineering, and changing market dynamics.

In writing the history of Porsche, one can not fail to acknowledge their love for rear-engine layouts. No other brand has consistently built its cars on this layout for decades as Porsche has. Besides, while every Porsche model is distinctive in looks, they all share similar exterior curves and gorgeous interiors. In this regard, whether you are looking at a small Porsche sports car of the Macan and Cayenne SUVs, it's impossible to confuse a Porsche with any other brand, with or without the emblem.

We look back into some discontinued Porsche models. Given a chance any gearhead would still love to have them counted among their possessions.

Related: We'd Love To Own These Super-Rare Porsches

10 2013-2015 Porsche 918 Spyder

Via: duPoint Registry

The Porsche 918 Spyder lasted two short years but its legacy lives on. The company doesn't call it a supercar but that's exactly what it is. The power to move comes from a naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V8 engine that's paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch. That alone tells you that this is a superficially capable car. While this enough to generate 608 hp on its own, the plug-in hybrid system allows it to increase output to 887 horsepower and 940 pound-feet of torque.

Via: JamesEdition

This Porsche became the first series production car to do a complete lap under 7 minutes at Nurburgring. It recorded 6.75 minutes. In looks, performance and acceptability, the 918 Spyder is one drive any gearhead would love to have.

9 1978 -1995 Porsche 928

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A quickly notable feature of the Porsche 928 is the front-mounted aluminum engine. A front-engine layout on any Porsche will always make headlines given the company's dalliance with rear-engine. Worth noting, this car went ahead to write a celebrated success story; one of its accolades was being crowned the Car of the Year in 1978, even before hit found its space in the market.

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The Porsche 928 was also unique because the 4.5-liter V8 engine was water-cooled. In modern times, the Porsche 928s are regarded as affordable cars to purchase and maintain.

Related: No One Talks About These Badass Porsche 911 Facts

8  1991-1995 Porsche 968

Via: MomentCar

By the time the Porsche 968 bowed out of production in 1995, there were at least three trims available. The Clubsport, the Turbo S, and the Turbo RS are gems we could all look back to and appreciate. None of them deviates too far from the base model, but each has a differentiating characteristic.

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The 968 took over from the 944, which is a praiseworthy car in several aspects. Whereas you can't quite tell them apart from the exterior, the 968 has a different engine. The 3.0litre engine makes 327 hp and pairs with a 4-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission. It was also granted in both coupe and cabriolet versions. In the four years that the 968 was in production, it remained virtually unchanged.

7  2004 to 2007-Porsche Carrera GT

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The Porsche Carrera GT was placed against indomitable rivals such as the Ferrari Enzo. True to Porsche's fighting spirit, it became one of the company's finest cars of the 2000s.

Via: YouTube

This considerably sophisticated car was laced with a 5.7-liter V-10 engine capable of 603 horsepower. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the turbocharged Porsche Carrera GT was no doubt a zealous supercar. More than 1200 Carrera GTs were assembled, with nearly half of them ending up in the North American market.

Related: Here’s How The Porsche 918 Spyder Compares To The Competition

6  1948–1949-Porsche 356

Via: Mecum Auctions

As the first series Porsche to be built in the company's Stuttgart factory, the 356 had to work very hard to distinguish itself from the Volkswagen Beetle. Initially, there were 50 homologation models manufactured in Austria and are fondly referred to as the Gmünd models.

The original 356s had close shared several characteristics with the VW Beetle, which was understandable for they came from the same designer. Both cars went ahead to make a lasting impact in the automotive industry.

Via: Porsche Weblog

Coming in as lightweight, rear-engine two-door, and rear-wheel-drive, the 356 went ahead to become a true legend based on performance and appearance. Several revisions and enhancement ensured that the car gained iconic status by the time production ceased in 1955

5  Porsche 986 Boxter

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It's hard to point out a Porsche that didn't eventually get the love of the masses. Even some models that initially fail to attract as much praise at the beginning eventually become pricey collectibles. The Porsche Boxter is in this category.

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The Boxter was introduced in 1993 at the Detroit Motor Show and become the car that could lift the company from a plethora of financial troubles. Production began in 1996 immediately became a global hit for its relatively complex design. The attractive fascia that carried a set of unique and sophisticated headlights was a major highlight. Production for the Boxter ended in 2004 with a run of 1, 953 units of the Boxster S Special Edition.

4 1986 to 1993-Porsche 959

Via: duPont Registry

The 959 started life as a rally car for the company but graduated to street-legal production with the first batch of 200 units meant for homologation. It became the world's fastest street-legal production car in 1986, hitting 211mph.

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The advanced technological approach was responsible for 959s popularity. Porsche made great efforts towards the car's aerodynamics and torque distribution between the rear and the front wheels. Relying on a six-speed manual gearbox, the 959 was able to pull no less than 450 hp.

Related: Here's How The 911 Porsche Carrera 993 Comes Across As A Favorite Among Porschephiles

3 1976–1988-Porsche 924

Via: Stuttcars.com

The complex Porsche 924 took up a front-engine rear-wheel-drive configuration. This was the company's first car to take up automatic transmission fully. With sales hitting about 150,000 in its 12 years of production, the Porsche 924 was quite successful.

Beautiful Porsche 924 Carrera GT
Via Elferspot

This car has a unique history as it was birthed out of a contract between Porsche and Volkswagen to be built on available VW parts. It would then be produced by Audi on behalf of Porsche as soon as the company bought production rights. Production finally came to a halt in 1988.

2 1977–1995- Porsche 928

 Porsche 928
Via Techzie

Just as many of its predecessors made history internally and externally, the Porsche 928 become the first Porsche to carry a V-8 engine. It got acclaim for its ambition to replace the legendary 911, bringing power, robust handling, and a host of luxurious renderings.

Via: Stuttcars

The 928 is one of the Porsches whose production process from conception to research and development witnessed significant back and forth. Finally, the 928 managed to combine sports car expectations and attributes of a luxury sedan.

1 1974–1989- Porsche 930

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Porsche fitted the 930 with a set of admirable capabilities, making it the marquee's top-of-the-range car in its entire production cycle. It was also Germany's fastest production car during its time. It was deemed as a fast and demanding car, and the Turbo makeup helped to propel it to significant success.

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The 930 started life with a 3.0-liter engine pulling 260 hp. By the time production ceased in 1989, it was riding on a 3.3-liter engine delivering 300 hp paired to a five-speed gearbox. It's proceeded by the 964, which took over the same drivetrain.

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