Unsung Classics: Why You Should Invest In A Transaxle Porsche

Own a piece of an iconic chapter in Porsche’s history.

When asked to recall a Porsche, you would be forgiven for thinking of the 911. It’s one of the most ubiquitous cars ever made, and after over 60 years, it’s certainly one of the greatest sports cars of all time. However, Porsche’s 75 year history has featured many icons besides the 911, including mid-engined and even front-engined supercars, and when those cars, which are excellent in their own right, wear the same name as the mighty 911, they go underappreciated.

Porsche’s transaxle era featured a range of front-engine Porsche sports cars that have since become iconic classics, and while they of course aren’t nearly as recognizable as the 911, Porsche’s transaxle models featured innovations and breakthroughs that have been integral to the manufacturer’s status as a performance engineering stalwart, and the cars from this era capture a period of Porsche history with ambitious experimentation. Now, they’ve become cherished classics that should have a place in any Porsche enthusiast or collector’s garage. View a selection of Porsche transaxle cars for sale below.

What is a transaxle?

“Transaxle” is a term used to describe a vehicle whose transmission is combined with the axle. In the case of Porsche’s transaxle models, this meant that the engine was at the front, and the transmission was at the rear. This helped optimize weight distribution and offered superior handling as a result. At the time in which Porsche introduced its transaxle sports cars in 1976, it was a novel concept.

Other cars that have employed transaxles include the Aston Martin DB9, Chevrolet Corvette, Maserati GranTurismo, Alfa Romeo 8C, Nissan GT-R, Lexus LFA, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Ferrari California, and many more.

What are Porsche’s transaxle models?

The front-engine, rear-wheel drive models that comprised Porsche’s “transaxle era” are the 924, 928, 944, and 968.

924 (1976-1988)

This was Porsche’s first front-engine transaxle sports car, introduced in 1976. It began life as a Volkswagen project, which was developed and then scrapped in light of the oil crisis in the early 1970s. Porsche then bought the rights to the new sports car in late 1974, and then went on to bring it to market for the 1976 model year.

The car featured a four-cylinder engine, the first water-cooled engine that Porsche would use in a roadgoing car, and with ample interior room, it was lauded as a “family sports station wagon.”

928 (1977-1995)

Just one year after the 924 was introduced, Porsche introduced the 928 with a V8 engine. It boasted supercar performance for its time and was still a practical and usable vehicle. Being produced for nearly 20 years, the Porsche 928 was revolutionary.

944 (1982-1991)

Porsche’s second four-cylinder transaxle model was the 944, which evolved the 924 formula with a relatively fuel-efficient powertrain that was also offered as a cabriolet model.

968 (1991-1995)

Alongside the 928, Porsche’s last font-engine transaxle model was the 968, which succeeded the 944 as a four-cylinder model. Offered as a coupe and a cabriolet, it was the final evolution of Porsche’s intriguing “transaxle era.” Porsche wouldn't make another front-engine car until the Cayenne was introduced in 2003.

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---