The Porsche 924 Series was a fairly impressive sports car that was reasonably priced back in the late 1970s and 1980s. The car was manufactured by Audi in Germany, representing Porsche. The 924 replaced the Porsche 912E and the Porsche 914 as the automaker's entry-level and affordable models. The Porsche 924 had a lengthy production run of 12 years, running from 1976 until 1988.
Even though the Porsche 928 was designed before the Porsche 924, the 924 was the first production Porsche to use water cooling, a rear-wheel drive setup, and a front engine. Yet again, the Porsche 924 was also the first-ever road-going Porsche to be offered with a fully automatic transmission.
Porsche 924 Packed A Lot Of Impressive Bits
Well, the engine housed inside the 1982 Porsche 924 was pretty spectacular, especially for an engine constructed in the 1980s. The 924 was powered by a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four engine with a single overhead camshaft. The powertrain enclosed within the Porsche 924 was connected to a five-speed manual transmission, although a choice of a three-speed automatic transmission was made available.
With the Porsche 924s set up, it could output a decent 123 hp. The rear-wheel drive system accelerated the Porsche 924 via a rear-mounted transaxle. The 924 was completely original, and unlike any other Porsche, it shared no drivetrain or powertrain parts with any other Porsche. But its exterior design was also something never before seen on a Porsche.
The Stuttgart car manufacturer marked a new design with the Porsche 924. It featured a long, low hood, pop-up headlamps, and a huge rear glass window in the form of a hatchback. The 1982 version of the Porsche 924, which was branded as the Series 2, received a few updates.
These updates included a revised turbocharger which had a larger compressor running at increased boost alongside an upgraded fuel injection system with digital ignition timing control. With these new uprated components, the Series 2 Porsche 924 could produce 177 hp rather than the 123 hp outputted by the previous variant.
During the designing process of the Porsche 924, aerodynamics took priority over power. It can clearly be seen that the Porsche 924 was designed with aerodynamics in mind, hence its flat bonnet and its pop-up headlights.
The Porsche 924 Was Unloved And Dismissed
It's safe to say that the Porsche 924 has been ridiculed and looked down on. Many people believe that the Porsche 924 wasn’t a real Porsche and was somewhat a joke. But it needs to be remembered that the Porsche 924 was created as an affordable, entry-level Porsche that could be purchased for a similar price to any mainstream car. If you look at it from that perspective, then it’s a pretty cool and admirable car.
With the Porsche 924 being the original transaxle, rear-wheel drive, and front-engine Porsche, much speculation was thrown around. And to say it was Porsches' first attempt was pretty darn impressive. With this new setup in play, it gave the Porsche 924 superb weight distribution, leading to exquisite balance and handling.
Moving onto the interior of the 1982 Porsche 924, it was basic, but it was fantastically finished say it was designed and produced in 1982. Space in the cabin lacked massively. Realistically, the rear seats could only accommodate children and small adults at a push. The durable and high-quality carpets laid inside the Porsche 924 added that touch of elegance.
A theme that was carried on through the high-quality material used on the seats. All Porsche 924s were fitted with a National Panasonic radio and sound system. Many upgrades were made available on the Porsche 924, which are pretty phenomenal even by today's standards. With the highest trim level, your Porsche 924 would come with electric windows, electrically operated and heated mirrors, a cassette holder, a stereo, and an armrest. Better than what you get in some cars today!
Cost Of 1982 Porsche 924 Today
You will not believe what you’re about to read, but not long ago, a 1982 Porsche 924 was sold at auction for a ridiculously low price of only $5,500! Which seems like an absolute steal for such an impressive classic. Despite that, prices for Porsche 924s range massively.
The highest sale came in at over $385,000 and the lowest sale came in at a measly $250, as per Hagerty. If you’re planning on going to an auction to purchase a Porsche 924 with only a handful of cash, then you might need to adjust your strategy. This is because the average 1982 Porsche 924 is typically set around the $17,000 mark.
Which, when you think about it, is still an absolute bargain. You’d be getting a beautiful-looking classic Porsche alongside a decent enough powertrain. Whether it’s for the car collection or just for a daily run-around, the Porsche 924 fits many criteria. You’d be silly to miss out on such a spectacular car at such a fair price! We found an '82 Porsche 924 for sale at Classic Cars.
Sources: Porsche, Classic.com