Breaking with the Past: The 924 Part 1

12/15/21 • 13 min

Not too long ago, I ran into an acquaintance, and we started discussing Porsches. Without asking what I currently own, he went into a rant about what constitutes a "real" Porsche. He proceeded to impart his wisdom regarding the, as he called it, the other 9's. In his words, the not-so-Porsche-like models included the 924, 928, 914, 944, and so on. I had to grin at the suggestion that those models were not Porsche's but rather some experiment gone wrong. After defending the "other 9's" to this misguided dude, who, by the way, has never owned a Porsche in his life, I decided to do some research on how Porsche's lesser-well-known other children came to be. There are countless fans and proud owners of other Porsche's that aren't the 911, and happily, we are all one big dysfunctional Porsche family.

Previous Episode

Clark Kent or Superman? The Porsche 964

As I was researching the 964 I discovered something that shocked me. Was the 964 actually boring? Perish the thought, but the history of the 964 is anything but exciting. I found myself looking for anything that would shine an interesting light on the magnificent third generation on the 911. Was it the many patents that were filed during the design? Could it have been the inclusion of 4 wheel drive? Either way, the backstory is more akin to the mild-mannered Clark Kent, but the actual car is definitely more like Superman. Today we will take a look at the superhero and alter ego of the Porsche 911 or type 964.

Next Episode

Breaking with the Past: The 924 Part 2

When you break with tradition, there will always be detractors. People will inevitably yearn for the past and pine for a simpler time. Porsche has done it in many instances, and it is what keeps them innovating. Looking toward the future without forgetting the past is a hallmark of what Porsche is about. When the 924 was introduced, there were cries of "not a pure Porsche" and "you put the engine where?" And don't even talk about the liquid-cooled motor. But through the noise and the doubters emerged a car that has become an important part of the family and according to an unknown author, "Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one." From the 356 to the 911 to the 924 and the Carrera GT, the root is all Porsche.