As with the 924, the new car's horsepower was delivered to the rear-mounted transaxle via a nearly 6-ft-long torsion tube driveshaft. Both the five-speed and automatic gearboxes were the same as the 924's, each coming from VW/Audi, though most enthusiasts overlooked these holdovers when heralding the 944 as a true Porsche. A limited-slip differential was optional.
By splitting the engine and transmission, the 2,675-lb car had a nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution. At the wheel of the 944 the automotive public could finally drive a Porsche to its limits without confronting the 911's somewhat intimidating habit of swapping ends.
For suspension, the 944 utilized MacPherson struts up front with coilover springs and internal shock absorbers. At the rear, the suspension was reminiscent of the 911 as it incorporated torsion bars and semi-trailing arms. Power was delivered from the transaxle to the wheels via universal joint half-shafts. Handling characteristics were tuned with a 20mm front anti-roll bar.
Variable assistance power steering was an option in mid-1983, later becoming standard on the cars with automatic transmissions. The manual cars received this steering assistance the following year.
Like the bodywork, the brakes were acquired directly from the Carrera GT. At the nose were 11.1-in. ventilated disks while the rear was sized at 11.4 in. Putting the squeeze on the plates were large four-piston calipers.
The 944 originally rolled out of the factory on the 7x15-in. cast aluminum "cookie cutter" wheels from ATS and shod with 185/70VR15 tires. Two options were larger tires, 215/60VR15, on the standard wheels or a wheel/tire combination using the classic 7x16-in. Fuchs alloy wheels wrapped in 215/55VR16 sized rubber.
The cockpit of the first generation 944 was simply dfjf vu of the 924 layout. Three primary gauges resided behind the four-spoke steering wheel: a center speedometer; a tachometer to the right; and on the left, a cluster gauge filled with an array of readouts and warning lights. Three smaller gauges were placed in the center console above the radio, their exact layout depending on the car's particular equipment, e.g., a 944 with air condition relinquished the center gauge to the system's fan control knob.
The 944: 1985 1/2-1989The 944 received a major upgrade in mid-1985. The most obvious being the interior enhancement with the introduction of the oval dashboard and slanted center console giving the car a more upscale look and feel. Intended or not, the new dash was reminiscent of the classic 911's instrument panel.
On the exterior, the windshield was mounted flush to the body with an optional gradual tint.
Over the model's life span the engine received various improvements and revisions. Oil flow and capacity was increased by 10% in 1985. The Digital Motor Electronics (DME), the engines management system was enhanced. An enlarged radiator improved the cooling system. To standardize the 944's fuel requirements, the compression ratio was set to 10:2:1. This allowed for 95 RON lead-free fuel consumption regardless of which market the car was delivered.
The gearbox acquired only subtle changes in the model's waning years. A "gear selected" indicator for the automatics found its way into the tachometer beginning in 1985. For the manual transmissions, 1987 models earned improvements to the driveshaft and limited-slip differential units.
An anti-lock braking system (ABS) was an option for the 1987 models. It was subsequently improved each year until it became standard issue on all 944s in 1989. The 1987 cars also received driver and passenger airbags.
Perhaps the most important renovation for the 1985 was under the carriage. Up front, the original steel A-arms were replaced with stiffer cast-aluminum units. The rear trailing arms were also fabricated in cast aluminum that greatly improved its handling characteristics compared to earlier cars.
Porsche continued making the original 944 model until 1989, the year in which the engine displacement was increased to 2.7 liters. Unfortunately, the 1988 model was the last to enter the U.S. market, thus the larger motors never made it to American shores.