This Porsche Had The Engine From A VW Van

Porsche has carved out a reputation for being one of the most tenacious and advanced performance manufacturers in the world, having spent over 60 years developing its 911 model to be the best it could possibly be. These days, it even offers premium SUV and sedan models, as well as rapid and planet-saving EV vehicles. The company has grown to its current level not just by selling exquisite machinery under its own brand, but by helping other marques design models.

This was the case with a little car called the 924, which was never meant to be badged as a Porsche in the first place. It ultimately did though, and became a staple of the brand’s line-up for over a decade.

The 924 Was Designed By Porsche For Volkswagen

The 924’s story begins in the early 1970s, when the world was gripped by the global oil crisis. With oil, and therefore gas, prices rising to unprecedented levels, vehicle owners turned away from sports cars and switched their focus to running slower but more efficient machines as they tried to save money. As a result, models like the 911 became unpalatable for much of the world.

Volkswagen had been designing a sports car of its own at the time, in cooperation with Porsche, and the unrest caused by the oil crisis ultimately led VW to axe the project. Having spotted potential in the fledgling sports car, Porsche made the decision to purchase the rights to the creation so that it could finish it off and offer it as the brand’s budget sports car entry, placing it below the 911 in the line-up.

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There Were Few Porsche Bits Under The 924’s Skin

As Porsche was only employed to design VW’s sports car, the vehicle utilized parts purely made by VW, a setup that Porsche elected to maintain once it acquired the rights. Once the 924 was introduced in 1975, the Porsche badges were therefore one of the only parts that didn’t come in a box from VW. The 924 proved to be pretty popular due to its lower performance ceiling and maintenance costs, with the car ending up being built until 1988.

It was replaced in Porsche’s range by the 944, which was essentially an upgraded version of the car built upon the same foundations.

The 924 Wasn’t The Fastest Sports Car Around

Upon the 924’s debut in 1975, it only came with a 2.0-liter inline-four engine that arrived in a crate from VW, a unit that produced 110 hp in US spec. It was chosen due to being more efficient than larger engines found in other sports cars of the time, as well as being durable. The EA831 powerplant was so dependable that it was used in the Volkswagen LT van during the 1970s. It didn’t afford the 924 the greatest pedigree in the world, but the little engine got the job done.

That is to say, the little engine got the job done eventually at least, as the unit took 11.2 seconds to power the 924 to 60 mph, which wasn’t exactly neck-snapping, even back then. A turbo was eventually strapped to the unit in 1979, which pushed peak power up to 143 hp and helped drop its 0–60 mph effort to 9.3 seconds. The VW engine was also water-cooled, making the 924 the first Porsche to ever feature a non-air-cooled powerplant. The EA831 lasted in the 924 until 1986, when VW elected to axe it. As a result, Porsche dropped its own 2.5-liter inline-four from the 944 under the hood for its final couple of years on sale, which saw power rise to a shade under 160 hp.

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Porsche Developed The 924 To Drive Like A Proper Sports Car

Power isn’t everything though, and Porsche knew this. The 924 utilized independent suspension front and rear to ensure it could handle corners with confidence, while the five-speed manual gearbox was mounted in the rear of the car to ensure a nearly perfect 48/52 weight distribution. Disc brakes were used on the front, though the 924’s budget-angle was illustrated by the decision to equip the rear wheels with drums.

The 924’s angular body also reflected Porsche’s push for efficiency, as it had a drag coefficient figure of 0.36, which was impressive at a time when the concept of aerodynamics wasn’t as understood as it is now. This not only allowed it to reach a higher top speed, but also use less fuel due to cutting through the air more cleanly.

Plenty Of 924s Are Waiting On The Used Market

At a time when gearheads were trying to save pennies, a budget Porsche sounded like a gig worth investing in. The 924 was offered for $9,935 when it made its US debut in 1976, around $6,000 less than a 911 cost. This translates to a base MSRP of just under $53,000 these days, around $20,000 less than what a brand-new 2025 718 Cayman will set you back. Due to its relative lack of exclusivity and performance, the 924 hasn’t held anywhere near this level of value in the decades since.

According to Hagerty’s Valuation Tool, a base 924 in good condition from the late 1970s can be had for around $8,500, with the more powerful Turbo variant valued at around $12,500. The later 924 S, with the Porsche-developed engine and other uprated components from the 944, could be yours for around $13,000. Higher-mileage cars can be had for even less, with this well-used Turbo example that needs a bit of rear bodywork attention selling for $6,000 via Bring a Trailer.

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Porsche Considered Offering A Targa Version Of The 924

With Porsche pleased with the reception of the 924 upon release, it felt that extending the range would be a fruitful exercise. Having offered a targa-top version of the 911 since the late 1960s, Porsche made the decision to develop a targa model of the 924. A prototype mule was developed as proof of concept, with the removable panels being unlocked via a special key stowed away in the glovebox. It was based on a Turbo version of the 924.

The project would ultimately be axed in 1980 after Porsche summarized that it would have cost too much to make the necessary changes to the 924’s chassis to make it stiff enough to deal with the lack of a roof, as well as design and produce the tooling needed. The upcoming 944 model also got in the way, as Porsche felt it would be more worthwhile to make a drop-top version of this instead, utilizing the lessons learned from developing the 924 Targa.

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The Superior 944 Killed Off the 924

Despite offering the 924 and 944 alongside one another after the latter made its debut in 1984, Porsche elected to concentrate on making the 944 its sole budget-based model, leading to the 924’s cancelation in 1988. The 944 continued until 1991, when it was succeeded by the 968. The 924 may not have been the fastest or most exciting Porsche ever built, but it allowed gearheads the world over –who traditionally couldn’t afford a Porsche – to become part of an exclusive club.

Sources: Porsche.