This is a Porsche 944 that the specialist team at Rindt Vehicle Design has converted to Safari specification, with increased ground clearance thanks to its adjustable Nitron suspension, a sump guard, a focus pod triple and a bunch of other rally mods. .
The Porsche 944 won many championships in the 1980s, including the 1986 SCCA Escort Endurance Series Championship and the 1988 and 1989 SCCA GT2 titles. It has proven to be a powerful car in vintage motorsport competition , and the 944 tends to be much more affordable than its 911 stablemate.
Quick Facts: The Porsche 944 “Safari”
- The Porsche 944 was launched in 1982 as a major improvement over the previous Porsche 924. Instantly recognizable for its wider wheelbases, the 944 was an instant bestseller for the German automaker and helped keep the company solvent throughout the 1980s.
- The 944 borrowed the steel unibody chassis from the 924, was equipped with a front-mounted inline-four and a rear transaxle that gave the car near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution and famously balanced handling.
- The original 2.5 liter 944 was updated over time, first with a 944 Turbo version that was considerably more powerful, then the 944 S version with four valves per cylinder, and finally the 944 S2 with a 3, 0 liters more powerful online.
- In the years since its release, the 944 has been popular with people looking to get into motorsport, after all the car was a multi-championship winning sports car. One of the rarer conversions is Safari spec, designed to make the car better suited for competitive off-road use.
The Porsche 944: a historic speed race
The history of the Porsche 944 begins with its predecessor, the Porsche 924. Launched in 1976, the 924 was initially developed as a joint venture between Porsche and Volkswagen. However, Volkswagen ultimately decided not to continue with the project, leaving Porsche to take over and launch the 924 as its own entry-level sports car.
This is arguably the most famous of the eighties era adverts for the Porsche 944, it shows the standard 944 and the turbo variant, showcasing the added performance of the forced induction car. Image courtesy of Porsche AG.
Although the 924 was a commercial success and served as an affordable sports car for the German marque, it did face criticism for its underpowered Audi-sourced engine. Porsche engineers knew they needed to address these concerns and began developing the 944 as a more powerful and more refined successor.
Introduced in 1982, the Porsche 944 was an immediate sales success. The new model featured a 2.5-liter inline-four engine that was essentially half of the 928’s V8, providing a significant power increase over the 924.
The 944’s engine, designed and built by Porsche, produced 161 bhp in aspirated form, a marked improvement over the 924’s 110 bhp. Power levels would increase during production, to 187 in the 944 S, then 220 hp in the Turbo, the later 944 S2 would make 211 hp and the 944 Turbo S 250 hp.
However, the changes between the 924 and 944 did not stop at just the engine. The 944 also received a thorough redesign, with a more aggressive look, flared fenders and a rear spoiler, making it visually different from the 924, likely inspired by the motoring-focused 924 Carrera GT.
The car’s improved suspension and wider track width also improved its handling capabilities, contributing to its reputation as a driver’s car that only continued to grow during its production run (and beyond) .
Production of the Porsche 944 ended in 1991, giving way to the Porsche 968, which was the final evolution of the 924/944 platform. Over its lifetime, the 944 had become one of the best-selling Porsche models of all time, with more than 163,000 produced.
As a Safari-spec version, this Porsche 944 has a raised suspension, a skid plate, a luggage rack with twin lights and a triple focus group between the pop-up headlights.
The 1980s were an interesting time for Porsche, the 911 was still in production after the 928 had failed to replace it as originally intended, and the company was working on the new Porsche 959 supercar, as well as the four wheel drive. Porsche 953 that won the Paris Dakar Rally in 1984.
Strong sales of the Porsche 924, 944 and the closely related Porsche 968 helped ensure the company had enough cash flow to develop major new models, such as the 959, 993 and 996, which helped set the tone for the future of the company as it entered the 21st century.
The legacy of the Porsche 944 lives on today as it is still considered one of the best handling sports cars of its era. Its combination of performance, style and relative affordability have made it a popular choice for collectors and enthusiasts alike, offering vintage sports car thrills at a reasonable price.
Shown here is the Porsche 944 Safari
The car you see here is a 1987 Porsche 944 2.5 liter that has had a full rebuild including an adjustable Nitron suspension, Brantz Rallymeters timer, center console spotlight toggle switches, sump guard bespoke roof rack with two SiM spotlights, a front triple spotlight capsule and front and rear towing eyes.
The Porsche 944 is considered one of the best driver’s cars of the 1980s thanks to its excellent handling and near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
The car rides on a set of 15-inch Teledial alloy wheels finished in gloss black, they are correct for the car but have now been fitted with Maxxis Worm-Drive A/T tires designed for off-road use .
It’s finished in a classic Porsche color of Irish Green over a beige cloth and vinyl covered interior, with striped seat inserts front and rear, a steering wheel with Alcantara Sabelt trim and a Kenwood CD stereo .
This 944 is an original right hand drive UK market example first registered in June 1987, currently showing 132,967 miles on the odometer and powered by the original 2.5 liter inline four engine which produces around 161 hp. sent back through a 5-speed transaxle with a limited-slip differential.
The vehicle was last serviced in March 2023 which included new engine oil, spark plugs and filters. Now offered for sale out of Berkshire in the UK with a folder of historical maintenance invoices.
If you want to read more about it or register to bid, you can visit the listing here at Collect Cars.
Images courtesy of Collecting Cars
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