Porsche 968 - highlight and stopgap

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Porsche 968 - highlight and stopgap

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Created on May 13, 2020

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

47

Porsche AG

12

Archiv Porsche AG

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Bruno von Rotz

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Porsche AG / Porsche Schweiz AG

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Archiv

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the last evolutionary stage of the Porsche 924/944

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Porsche 968 (1993) - redesigned rear is somewhat reminiscent of the 928

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Porsche 968 (1993) - sports coupé with 2+2 seats

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the color is called "sternrubin"

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the proximity to the original 924 is still clearly visible from the side

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Porsche 968 (1993) - still looks modern today

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Porsche 968 (1993) - a Porsche through and through

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the front and rear were redesigned during the transition from the 944 S2 to the 968

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Porsche 968 (1993) - with headlights folded out

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the rear is more rounded compared to the 944 S2

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Porsche 968 (1993) - looks like one piece from every perspective

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Porsche 968 (1993) - still fully suitable for everyday use today

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Porsche 968 (1993) - a joy to drive even in the big city

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Porsche 968 (1993) - pleasant highway glider

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Porsche 968 (1993) - actually the most modern sports car in the range at the time

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Porsche 968 (1993) - sporty interior with generous equipment

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Porsche 968 (1993) - only a few centimeters from the steering wheel to the gear knob

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the button for the lights on the left of the steering wheel

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Porsche 968 (1993) - easy to read, but relatively small instruments

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Porsche 968 (1993) - large airbag steering wheel

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Porsche 968 (1993) - offers a lot of torque and is still easy to turn

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Porsche 968 (1993) - longitudinally installed engine with 240 hp from three liters

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Porsche 968 (1993) - in-line four-cylinder with two balancer shafts

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Chassis number and import sticker

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Compartment for gloves in the engine compartment

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Compartment for gloves opened in the engine compartment

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Porsche 968 (1993) - 17-inch wheels at extra cost

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Porsche 968 (1993) - extending headlights

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Porsche 968 (1993) - extending headlights

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Headlights in rest position

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Headlights folded out

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Porsche sign on the nose

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the headlights are visible but recessed when the car is round

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Porsche 968 (1993) - when folded out, the headlights look a little less elegant, at least from behind

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Rear-view mirror in body color

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Disc brakes with Porsche lettering on the pistons

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Rear wing in body color

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Porsche 968 (1993) - Mirror, mirror on the wall ...

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Porsche 924 (1976) - originally planned as a VW, then successful as a Porsche

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Porsche 924 (1976) - The 924, newly added to the sales program, is assembled at "Audi NSU Auto Union AG". Due to high demand, production increases to 80 vehicles per day by July

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Porsche 944 Coupé (1982) - the Fuchs wheels cost extra

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Porsche 944 Coupé (1982) - with narrow wheels

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Porsche 944 S2 (1989) - Advertising poster

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Porsche 944 S2 Coupé (1989) - with the look of the turbo

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Porsche 944 S2 Cabrio (1989) - Advertising poster

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Porsche 968 (1991) - In the late summer of 1991, the 968 is offered as a Coupé and Cabriolet; a total of 11,245 examples of the four-cylinder transaxle sports car are produced by 1995

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Porsche 968 Cabriolet (1992) - successor to the 944 S2 Cabriolet

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Porsche 968 Cabriolet (1994) - the last incarnation of the transaxle four-cylinder engine

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Porsche 968 (1993) - successor to the 944 S2

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Porsche 968 (1992) - Transparent drawing

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Porsche 968 (1991) - Advertising - The old dream of a sports car

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Porsche 968 Cabriolet (1992) - Advertising - a wind tunnel is not the right place to ...

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Porsche 968 Cabriolet (1992) - Advertising - A wind tunnel is not the right place to shape a character

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Porsche 968 CS (1993) - Clubsport version with more dynamics and less comfort

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Porsche 968 CS (1993) - Clubsport version with more dynamics and less comfort

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Porsche 968 CS (1993) - Clubsport version

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Porsche 968 Turbo S (1993) - the fastest 968 variant

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Porsche 968 Turbo S (1993) - the fastest 968 variant

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Porsche 968 (1993) - the end of the Tranxaxle era - in the Porsche Museum

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Porsche 968 Roadster (1992) - was given up in favor of the Boxster project - Special exhibition "40 Years of Transaxle" at the Porsche Museum

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Porsche 968, 944 and 924 together as a colorful potpourri - Retro Classics 2016

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Porsche 968 (1991) - Cutaway model - Special exhibition "40 Years of Transaxle" at the Porsche Museum

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Porsche 968 (1991) - with the mighty four-cylinder engine and 240 hp - Special exhibition "40 Years of Transaxle" at the Porsche Museum

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Porsche 968 - the last transaxle variant - 4th Porsche Classic Day 2016

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Porsche 968 CS (1993) - at the Lenzerheide Motor Classics 2014 event

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Summary

When the Porsche 968 appeared in 1991, the four-cylinder transaxle sports car was already entering its third, perhaps even fourth life. Completely revised once again, the 968 was supposed to ensure rising sales figures. This was not really successful, even though the coupé and convertible were convincing and versatile sports cars. The price was high and the competition competed with more cylinders. The end came after just four years. For good. More than 25 years later, it's time to look back. This driving report focuses on the Porsche 968 Coupé, tells its story and shows it in historical and current photographs. There is also a sound sample.

This article contains the following chapters

The Boxster on the horizon
Lagaay's trick
The most powerful three-liter in the world
Character
Almost too good ...
... and yet not good enough
Less is sometimes more
No success in terms of numbers
A youngtimer for every day

Estimated reading time: 12min

Preview (beginning of the article)

When the Porsche 968 appeared in 1991, the four-cylinder transaxle sports car was already entering its third, perhaps even fourth life. It had begun in 1976 with the 924, followed by the 944 in 1982 , the 944 S2 in 1988 and finally the age of the 968 in 1991. It could probably have been called the 944 S3, but the modifications were too great for that. However, the numbers achieved by the last generation were modest, but more on that later. When Porsche unveiled the 968 as the successor to the 944 S2 in May 1991, nobody knew anything about the Boxster; indeed, the first designs had not even been drawn yet. The 928 was still in the range and for rear-engine fans, the 911 had been revised at the end of the 1980s and the 964 had been launched with rear or all-wheel drive. The Porsche 993 was still unknown to the public, and water-cooled rear- or mid-engined models (996, Boxster) even less so. However, the Boxster wasn't that far away either, as the first prototype was shown in Detroit in 1993, probably knitted with a hot needle.

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