Why So Many Porsche Fans Don’t Like The 924

Much like other well-known high-end German automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, it’s hard to say that any of Porsche’s cars were truly “bad” like the Zastava Yugo. The Porsche 924, when it was introduced in 1976, didn’t really look like other Porsches from the past. It was designed to be a successor to the Porsche 914. But instead of the classically good looking 911, the 924 looked more like a kit car with pop up headlights than anything Porsche would normally have put its name on. In a move seen as heretical to the Porsche-faithful, the 924’s Audi-sourced engine was in the front of the car. That powerplant produced a scant 125 horsepower (via Porsche). The 924 was intended to be Porsche’s entry level car, but it had an MSRP of $16,770 (over $64,000 today). In a world of lower-priced sports cars from Datsun and the last remnants of the muscle car generation, a bizarre looking front-engine Porsche with an Audi engine was a hard sell.

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To some, the 924 was a Porsche in name only, as it featured many parts from parent company Volkswagen and shared essentially nothing from previous Porsche models. It looked more like a direct-to-video sequel than a summer blockbuster. Eventually Porsche redeemed itself somewhat in 1986 and started using a Porsche-developed engine in new models. By then, the car had been around for a decade and Porsche had better things to do, like make another version of the 911.

Porsche 924s aren’t dismal cars, but it was betrayed by its own nameplate. Fans were expecting a mini-911 and got a Volkswagen instead.