Porsche 984 Prototype Could Have Been Special
Who wouldn't want an entry-level, rear-engine Porsche roadster these days?
What Could Have Been
Porsche has built countless prototypes and concepts over its illustrious history. Some made it to production, while others never did. One that came especially close was the Porsche 984, which was designed to be an entry-level model that was going to replace the 924 yet build upon what the mid-engine 914 had started years prior. Alas, the project was canceled at the last minute, but we often wonder what could have been.
Photos: Porsche
Appealing Project
The Porsche design team began working on the 984 back in 1984, drawing inspiration from another nixed low-volume sports car project dubbed Porsche-SEAT, prior to the Spanish automaker's deal to become part of Volkswagen. Ultimately, the two projects were quite similar as lightweight, handling-focused, affordable two-seat sports cars designed to lure young buyers into their showrooms.
Photos: Porsche
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Parts Bin
For something designed in the mid-'80s, the 984 looks shockingly modern. It borrowed some styling cues from the 911, of course, including those round headlights up front. But the interior of the car was more of a product of Porsche digging through its expansive parts bin and piecing together something that wouldn't cost them a fortune.
Photos: Porsche
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Adequate Power
The little roadster was powered by an air-cooled, 2.0-liter flat-four engine that produced somewhere between 120 and 150 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission was a natural choice, as was rear-wheel-drive, though Porsche was also planning an all-wheel-drive version, too.
Photos: Porsche
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Lightweight Performer
With a curb weight of just 1,940 pounds, the 984 was a solid performer for its time. 0-60 took around 8 seconds, and the car topped out at 136 miles-per-hour. Nothing that'll light your hair on fire, but we imagine that the 984 would have been a total hoot to drive, especially on twisty roads.
Photos: Porsche
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Sad Ending
Porsche spent a ton of time developing and testing the 984, going so far as to wring it out many times on its test track in Weissach, Germany. Porsche planned on having the car in American showrooms by the late '80s until Black Monday happened in 1987. That catastrophic stock market crash effectively ended the 984 program in early 1988.
Photos: Porsche
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Alternate Reality
Porsche would soon revisit its plan to develop an entry-level drop-top, however, and many of the same ideas that went into developing the 984 ultimately made it to production in the original Boxster. But we often wonder what would have happened if the stock market had never crashed, and we were tooling around in a cheap rear-engine Porsche today.
Photos: Porsche
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