Porsche 968 (1991 – 1995) Review
Porsche 968 (1991 – 1995) At A Glance
The Porsche 968 was the last gasp for the long-lived 924 line. The new name, reflecting its Porsche project number was probably a bit over the top - and it was intended to call the car the 944S3 - but it was right for recessionary Porsche wrestling with struggling sales.
The 968 was rather good, even if the UK market had to wait almost a year from launch to get it (blame the slow 944 sales for that). It was powered by the 944 S2’s 3.0-litre engine, but with variable valve timing to improve power, torque, fuel economy - and most importantly, drivability. Visually it was the biggest step forward since the launch of the original 944 in 1981 - with only the doors, roof and tailgate being carried over from the 944. The new front-end with 928 style pop-up headlamps did bring modernity.
The interior trim was standardised with the 911 and 928, justifying the inflated list price, but not enough - sales were slow. But that all changed in 1993 when the stripped-out, back-to-basics Clubsport was launched at £7000 less. Not only was it cheaper, but the 968 was also inspirationally good to drive.