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Don’t turn your nose up at the poor man’s Porsche… these cars handle and drive better than most 911s
Real petrolheads prefer the so-called poor man's Porsche for their performance, not for their golf club status.
Ah, the Porsche 944, the automotive world's equivalent of Aldi’s finest.
Dubbed the "Poor Man’s Porsche," this transaxle wedge from the 1980s managed to create a minor civil war within Porsche fandom.
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Imagine, if you will, the grand romance between Volkswagen and Porsche, resulting in the birth of the 924.
This was the precursor to the 944, a car designed to be more affordable than the ever-iconic 911. And what a splendidly German idea it was.
The 944 sold like hotcakes at a county fair, with a staggering 163,000 units produced.
It was the most successful sports car in Porsche’s history until the Boxster came along.
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Sensible? You bet. In the 80s a naturally aspirated front-engine version set you back a mere £13k, while the turbocharge variant went for £22k.
Meanwhile, the 911 was cruising along at £25k-£30k for a standard Carrera 3.2.
Comparing these two is like comparing a backpacking trip to Blackpool with a luxury cruise through the radiant isles of Elysium.
But the purists, oh, they hated it.
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Front-engined? Rear-wheel drive? Sacrilege! The 944 threatened to dilute the Porsche brand, making it accessible to the hoi polloi.
It wasn’t exclusive enough for the chaps who prided themselves on the 911’s legacy.
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In short, it was for poor people.
Fast forward to the 1990s, and Top Gear is in full swing. Porsche nearly kissed bankruptcy goodbye and then, in 1996, the saviour arrived: the 986 Boxster.
If the 944 hadn’t already ruffled the feathers of the 911 aficionados, the Boxster certainly did.
Jeremy Clarkson famously quipped: “The Boxster is for those who can’t afford a 911.”
This statement tarnished the Boxster’s image, but thank heavens there were enough petrolheads who saw the brilliance of a mid-engined, naturally aspirated flat-six.
How the Boxster saved Porsche
Today, Porsche is a financial juggernaut, and the company's profits are the envy of the car industry.
But two decades ago, things were very different for the German giants.
A recession, coupled with their uncompetitive lineup of aging motors, led to dwindling sales that pushed them to the brink of ruin.
But the release of the Boxster in 1996 changed that.
Porsche were able to sell 7,500 cars in the US and Canada and by 1997, that number had nearly doubled. 20 years later, in 2017, that number topped 54,000.
That's why the Boxster is considered one of the most successful but controversial sports cars to hit the market in recent times.
Over the years, Porsche purists have taken its water-cooled, mid-engine layout as an affront to the brand's iconic rear-engine, then-air-cooled 911.
But the car's supporters often praise the first-gen Boxster for its superb driving dynamics that defined its category.
What's more, the windfall from the release of the Boxster allowed Porsche to make changes that put the company on the path to long-term success.
Porsche sold an astonishing 164,874 units between 1996 and 2004. The 987 then continued the legacy, with 78,294 Boxsters and 50,000 Caymans sold.
Clearly, there were a lot of poor people around!
Yet, despite all this success, the 911 crowd still see these tributary cars as the Poor Man’s Porsche.
The truth? These cars handle and drive better than most 911s, with their anti-weight watchers rear ends.
What really irked the 911 crowd was that real petrolheads preferred the 944 and 987 for their performance, not for their golf club status.
This "Poor Man’s Porsche" ideology has kept prices down for the 944, Boxster, and Cayman, ensuring that true driving enthusiasts can enjoy them, regardless of wealth.
Long live the Poor Man’s Porsche!
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Need help or advice on buying your first modern classic car? Ask James Russell at The Motor Grid.
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