Rear-wheel drive? Check. Manual transmission? Check. Coupé? Check. Naturally Aspirated? Check. Near-perfect 50-50 weight distribution? Check. The Porsche 944 S2 ticks a lot of the boxes on the petrolhead’s wish list and yet, for the most part, it hasn’t been hit by the massive appreciation that seemingly every other Porsche has. Maybe it’s time to take a look?
Introduced in 1989, the 944 S2 was the final evolution of Porsche’s mid-level 80s sports car, and in my opinion, the best variant of the 944 model range. Sure, with 208 German ponies in the stable it didn’t have as much power as the turbocharged 944 Turbo S (which had 247 bhp) but if you really want a turbo that badly just buy a 1.0-litre Fiesta, you philistine. Jokes aside, in a world where the number of naturally aspirated cars is rapidly diminishing, it would be a shame not to go for the 944 S2 with its massive 3.0L dual-overhead-cam 16-valve 4 cylinder engine, which was the largest of its kind at the time. The S2 was rapid, even by today’s standards; it could sprint to 60 in just 6 seconds. To put that into context, a 2014 Porsche Cayman, the great, great grandson of the 944 S2, and a car that is newer by a quarter of a century, only manages to reach 60 in 5.6 seconds: just 0.4 seconds quicker.
Visually, I find it hard not to love the S2. Those box flares on the wheel arches and the popup headlights are two surefire ways of winning any petrolhead’s heart, myself included. The rear is arguably a little awkward, and I still cannot comprehend why anyone, especially Porsche, would put a rubber spoiler on a car. However, that THICC booty is super practical and can store a lot of bratwursts, and you could always look for a car with the far superior bridge spoiler fitted.
If you’re beginning to feel rather smitten with the 944 S2 (as am I) you’ll be pleased to hear that they can be had, depending on the condition, from a reasonable £8k to a slightly pricier £18k. However, the Porsche Effect is cruel and uncaring, and I suspect soon these lovely 80s classics may not be so affordable, so act fast.