The Porsche 968

By: Jackson Porter

The Porsche 968 is the successor of the Porsche 944. Its great to look at its wide wheel arches and its low nose as well as its drop-dead gorgeous lines which makes it very like the Porsche Guards.

Reds classic shape. The front engine is a classic GT with a rear wheel drive layout and it also has a rear transaxle which means that the weight is distributed perfectly, giving it an added advantage. When it comes to the headlights, unlike the Porsche 944, this car has pop-up headlights, not hidden ones. So in looks, they are very much like the new Porsche 997-911 and the advantage is that from a practical point of view, the headlights can be washed along with the rest of the car without having to wash them only after popping them up.

The insides have that famous oval dash, the same as the 944. The materials are strong and this is what has seen so many people so satisfied with the trouble-free motoring their Porsche gives them. Outside youll find a few differences youll see that the wheels have a 5-spoke cup design alloy. The door mirrors have a streamlined tear drop effect and the rear bumper has integral rear light clusters and it is blended and quite indistinguishable from the bodywork. These changes in the bodywork tend to make the 968 a lot like the 928 in looks and with the added engine heritage, its been called the daughter of 928 by some.

Lets take a peek at the engine. This is a 4 cylinder, 16 valve unit, 3 liter version of the engine first used in the 944 S2. Whats been added is the VarioCam to give it optimum power right through the speed range. With a 240 HP at 6200 rpm, it also has a torque of 305 Nm at 4100 rpm which is thanks to the improved combustion chamber as well as the inlet manifold design. It was a great engine when it was introduced as it had the highest displacement per cylinder in any car engine as well as the highest torque output known in any unblown 3 liter engine. Porsche knew what it was doing, investing in this engine. The gear box is rear-mounted and is a 6-speed manual or 4 speed tiptronic. The chassis is very stiff and makes for almost perfect weight distribution.

A lot of cars fall below what is perfect when it comes to brakes. Its not enough if you pass muster when you are driving fast in a straight lane. Can you take a bend at the same speed safely? You need Porsche brakes for that. Even sports cars envy their brakes. However harsh the usage, the Porsche 968 has hardly any fatigue. The great braking system is made even better thanks to ABS. And in case of sudden pressure, you can rest assured the wheels will not come off as they are designed so the tire does not come off the rim.

About the Author



Jackson Porter is a staff writer at Automobile Enthusiast and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Environmental Central.