Porsche 944
1982–1991 (944 S2 1989–91) · Porsche 944 — Sports Car, Inline-4, designed by Anatole “Tony” Lapine.
The Story
The 944 is the transaxle Porsche that got everything right. A muscled-up evolution of the 924 (with proper Porsche-designed engines and those iconic flared arches), it arrived in 1982 with a balance and chassis poise that made it, for many, the best-handling Porsche of its day — near-50/50 weight distribution thanks to the rear transaxle, and a sweet, torquey four-cylinder. The hero is the 944 Turbo (951), which delivered near-911 pace for far less money. It was also an ’80s pop-culture fixture — Jake Ryan’s Guards Red 944 in ‘Sixteen Candles’ (1984) cemented it as the cool-kid Porsche. Affordable, usable and brilliant to drive, the 944 (and especially the Turbo) is now a beloved, appreciating modern classic.
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
Anatole “Tony” Lapine
Lapine fled Riga as a child, apprenticed at Daimler-Benz, then built a US career at GM before leading Porsche design for nearly two decades. Under him Porsche launched its front-engine, water-cooled transaxle cars (924/928/944) alongside continued 911 development.
Studio Motors POV
The transaxle Porsche that nailed it — sublime balance, real usability, and 1980s cool. A sorted 944 Turbo is a value-performance modern classic on the rise; buy the best-maintained car you can.
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About 944
Worth Knowing About the 944
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) Its rear-mounted transaxle gives near-50/50 weight distribution — which is why it out-handles cars with far more power. 2) The 944 Turbo (951) cost about $20,000 less than a 911 Turbo or 928 S while delivering comparable pace — the value-performance hero of its day. 3) Jake Ryan's Guards Red 944 in 'Sixteen Candles' made it the definitive cool-teen Porsche of the 1980s.
5 Fast Facts
- • 1982–1991 (~163,000 built across the family). • Front-engine, rear-transaxle four-cylinder; near-50/50 balance. • The 944 Turbo (951) — near-911 pace for far less money. • The 944 S2 grew the four to 3.0L (the largest production four of its era). • A beloved, appreciating modern classic (Turbos lead).
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Pop-culture icon: Jake Ryan’s (Michael Schoeffling) Guards Red 944 in ‘Sixteen Candles’ (1984) is the 944’s defining cultural moment — the quintessential 1980s cool-kid Porsche. [collectorcarguru / Curbside Classic]
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The 944 Turbo (951) is the performance blue-chip; the S2 (3.0) is the muscular NA hero; the base cars are the value entry. Belts and water pumps are critical (an interference engine), so a documented, recently-serviced car is essential — buy on history. The Turbo commands a clear premium and is the one to want.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Porsche 944
- Class
- Sports Car
- Production years
- 1982–1991 (944 S2 1989–91)
- Units built
- 14,071 (944 S2); whole 944 family 163,192 (944 Turbo/951 25,245)
- Variants
- 944, 944 Turbo (951), 944 S2
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- Inline-4
- Engine family
- Transaxle inline-four (M44)
- Displacement
- 3.0L / 2990 cc
- Power
- 208 hp
- Torque
- 207 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 6.9 s
- Top speed
- 149 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 153 hp/tonne · 14.4 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD (rear transaxle) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2998 lb
Questions
944 FAQ
What engine does the Porsche 944 S2 use?
The 944 S2 (1989-1991) uses a 3.0-litre naturally aspirated inline-four producing 208 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque through a 5-speed manual and rear transaxle. At three litres it was the largest four-cylinder engine in production at the time. The S2 also received a new rounded nose and Cabriolet option, making it the most refined naturally aspirated 944.
What is the Porsche 944 Turbo (951)?
The 944 Turbo, internally coded 951 (1985-1991), adds a KKK turbocharger to the 2.5-litre inline-four, raising output to 220-247 hp depending on year. It was one of the most aerodynamically efficient production cars of the 1980s with a 0.33 Cd drag coefficient, and used four-wheel disc brakes with ABS as standard. The Turbo and Turbo S are the most collectible 944 variants.
What is a Porsche 944 Turbo worth today?
The 944 Turbo (951) averages around the low $20,000s in 2025-2026 markets — commanding a premium over the naturally aspirated 944, which averages lower. Clean, low-mileage Turbo examples and rare 944 Turbo S cars command higher premiums. Values reflect classic-status recognition of the transaxle Porsche era.
How does the 944 Turbo compare to the naturally aspirated 944 S2?
The 944 Turbo (951) prioritises acceleration — its boosted 220-247 hp arrives with characteristic turbo swell — while the 944 S2 offers a more linear 208 hp naturally aspirated response from its larger 3.0-litre engine. Both use the same transaxle layout and near-50/50 weight distribution. The Turbo is faster in a straight line; the S2 is considered the more balanced, driver-friendly car at the limit.
Can I buy or finance a Porsche 944 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
944 ’82959 ’86911 (964) ’89
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
Buy, sell, source or lease this 944.
Studio Motors operates outside the dealership model — nationwide and off-market sourcing, custom lease structures, trade-in coordination. Tell us what you’re chasing.
