Porsche 924
1976–1988 (924 S 1986–88) · Porsche 924 — Sports Car, Inline-4, designed by Harm Lagaaij.
The Story
The 924 is the Porsche that paid the bills — and the one enthusiasts spent decades sneering at before realising it was rather good. Launched in 1976, it was front-engined, water-cooled and used an Audi-sourced four-cylinder (the project actually began as a VW-Audi car Porsche then took over), which to 911 purists made it heretical. But it was light, beautifully balanced thanks to its rear-mounted transaxle, properly aerodynamic, and — crucially — an attainable Porsche that brought thousands of new buyers to the brand and kept Zuffenhausen solvent through the 1970s and ’80s. The hero is the rare 924 Carrera GT (1980), a wide-arched, turbocharged homologation special. As an analog, simple, increasingly-appreciated gateway Porsche, the 924 has finally earned its respect.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Sports Car class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Harm Lagaaij
Lagaaij is the rare designer who shaped icons at three marques, but his defining run was directing Porsche design through its 1990s turnaround — the air-cooled 993 swan song, the water-cooled 996, the company-saving Boxster, and the Cayenne SUV.
Studio Motors POV
The underrated gateway Porsche — light, balanced, analog, and finally appreciating. A clean 924 S is the value buy; a genuine 924 Carrera GT is the collector’s prize.
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About 924
Worth Knowing About the 924
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) The 924 began as a VW-Audi project — Porsche developed it for VW, then took the rights and sold it as its own; the early engine is Audi-derived. 2) Its rear-mounted transaxle gives near-perfect weight distribution — the chassis was always better than the modest power suggested. 3) The 924 Carrera GT (1980, ~400 built) was a wide-body, intercooled-turbo homologation special — now a genuine collectible worth many times a base 924.
5 Fast Facts
- • 1976–1988 (~150,000 built — Porsche's volume saviour). • Front-engine, rear-transaxle; Audi-derived four (the 924 S used the 944's 2.5). • Near-50/50 balance — a better-handling car than its reputation. • The 924 Carrera GT (1980, ~400) is the hero. • Long the cheapest Porsche; now appreciating.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
FLAG: no documented/citable celebrity owner verified here. (Excluded rather than guessed.)
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The 924 S (1986–88, with the 944’s 2.5-litre engine, ~150 hp) is the sweet spot for performance; the rare 924 Carrera GT is the blue-chip. Bodies were galvanised from 1977 (durable), but check for the usual neglect on a long-cheap car — a sorted, documented example is the move. Simple and analog, it’s an easy first Porsche to run.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Porsche 924
- Class
- Sports Car
- Production years
- 1976–1988 (924 S 1986–88)
- Units built
- ~16,669 (924 S); whole 924 gen ~152,082 (924 Carrera GT ~406)
- Variants
- 924, 924 Turbo (931), 924 Carrera GT
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- Inline-4
- Engine family
- Transaxle inline-four (M44)
- Displacement
- 2.5L / 2479 cc
- Power
- 150 hp
- Torque
- 142 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 8 s
- Top speed
- 134 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 121 hp/tonne · 18.2 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD (rear transaxle) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2734 lb
Questions
924 FAQ
What is the Porsche 924 and how did it originate?
The 924 (1976-1988) was Porsche’s first water-cooled, front-engine production car and was originally developed under contract for Volkswagen as a replacement for the 914. When VW cancelled the project, Porsche purchased the design and launched it as an entry-level Porsche. Its Audi-sourced 2.0-litre inline-four and VW gearbox origins attracted criticism from purists but the transaxle layout gave it excellent handling balance.
What is the Porsche 924 Carrera GT?
The 924 Carrera GT (1980-1981) is a limited homologation variant of the 924 Turbo, built in approximately 406 examples to qualify for Le Mans Group 4 racing. It uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine producing 210 hp. Three factory prototypes (badged Carrera GTP / Le Mans-spec, not GTR) contested Le Mans 1980.
What is a Porsche 924 Carrera GT worth today?
The 924 Carrera GT averages approximately $65,500 in 2025-2026 markets, with exceptional examples reaching around $140,000. The standard 924 and 924 S trade far lower, around $12,000-$13,000 on average, reflecting the Carrera GT’s rarity and Le Mans provenance versus the high-volume base car. Hagerty tracks the Carrera GT separately from the standard 924.
How does the 924 Turbo compare to the standard 924?
The 924 Turbo (931, 1979-1983) adds a KKK turbocharger to the 2.0-litre engine, raising output from approximately 125 hp to 170 hp and improving 0-60 significantly. The visible NACA duct on the hood served engine/turbocharger cooling airflow; brake and oil cooling came from the nose/slot changes.
Can I buy or finance a Porsche 924 through Studio Motors?
Yes. Specialist lenders can structure financing on these modern-classic transaxle Porsches.
The Porsche Lineup
Explore every Porsche
911 (Original) ’64904 Carrera GTS ’64914 ’69
911 Carrera RS 2.7 ’72911 (G-Series) ’74911 Carrera RS 3.0 ’74911 Turbo (930) ’75924 ’76928 ’77
911 Turbo (964) ’90911 Carrera RS (964) ’91968 ’92911 (993) ’94911 Carrera RS (993) ’95911 Turbo (993) ’95911 GT2 (993) ’95Boxster (986) ’96911 (996) ’97911 GT3 (996) ’99
911 Turbo (996) ’00911 GT2 (996) ’01Cayenne (955) ’02911 (997) ’04Boxster / Cayman (987) ’04Carrera GT ’04911 Turbo (997) ’06911 GT3 (997) ’06911 GT3 RS (997) ’06911 GT2 (997) ’07911 Sport Classic (997) ’09Panamera (970) ’09
911 GT2 RS (997) ’10911 Speedster (997) ’10Cayenne (958) ’10911 (991.1) ’11Boxster / Cayman (981) ’12911 Turbo (991) ’13911 GT3 (991) ’13918 Spyder ’13Macan (95B) ’14911 GT3 RS (991) ’15Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981) ’15911 (991.2) ’16911 R (991) ’16718 Cayman / Boxster (982) ’16911 GT2 RS (991) ’17Panamera (971) ’17Cayenne (9Y0) ’17911 Speedster (991) ’19911 (992.1) ’19718 Cayman GT4 / Spyder (982) ’19Taycan ’19
911 Turbo (992) ’20911 GT3 (992) ’21Cayenne Turbo GT (9Y0) ’21911 Dakar (992) ’22911 GT3 RS (992) ’22911 Sport Classic (992) ’22718 Cayman GT4 RS / Spyder RS (982) ’22911 S/T (992) ’23911 (992.2) ’24911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid (992.2) ’24Panamera (972) ’24Macan Electric ’24
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