A front-engine, rear-wheel drive mid-level[citation needed] model based on the 924 platform, the 944 was available in coupé or cabriolet body styles, with either naturally aspirated or turbocharged engines.

The 924 had originally been a project of VW-Porsche, a joint Porsche/Volkswagen company incorporated to develop and produce the 914 which was sold in Europe badged as both a Porsche and a Volkswagen.

Although testing had begun in the Spring of 1974, Volkswagen cancelled the EX-425 program, the reason being significant financial losses due to declining sales and rising development costs for new vehicles as well as the departure of Leidig.

[4] The cancellation of the EX-425 program led Porsche to market an entry-level car to replace the 912E, which was a US-only stop-gap model for 1976, and their version of the 914, which was discontinued in 1975.

Porsche purchased the design and the finished development mule with a Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection system from Volkswagen.

A single KKK turbocharger producing 15.5 psi (1.1 bar) enabled the engine to generate a maximum power output of 420 PS (309 kW; 414 hp) at 6,800 rpm.

The car utilised many technologies its race bred sibling had used, including the balance shafts and the engine management system, but power was toned down for safety purposes.

Not typical in luxury sports cars, the four-cylinder engine was chosen for fuel efficiency and size, because it had to be fitted from below on the Neckarsulm production line.

Revised bodywork with wider wheel arches, similar to that of the 924 Carrera GT, a fresh interior and upgrades to the braking and suspension systems rounded out the major changes.

It was slightly faster (despite having a poorer drag coefficient),[clarification needed] was better equipped and more refined than the 924; it had better handling and stopping power, and was more comfortable to drive.

[9] In mid-1985, the 944 underwent its first significant changes, these included: new dashboard and door panels, embedded radio antenna, upgraded alternator (from 90 amp to 115 amp), increased oil sump capacity, new front and rear cast alloy control arms and semi-trailing arms, larger fuel tank, optional heated and powered seats, Porsche HiFi sound system, and revisions in the mounting of the transaxle to reduce noise and vibration.

For the 1987 model year, the 944 Motronic DME was updated, and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and driver and front passenger airbags were introduced.

In addition to the increase in displacement, the new engine featured a siamesed-cylinder block design and a different cylinder head which incorporated larger valves.

In 1983, American tuning company Callaway Cars began offering a turbocharged package for the US-Spec 944 in collaboration with Porsche.

The Turbo was the first Porsche production car utilising a ceramic port liner to retain exhaust gas temperature along with new forged pistons and was also the first vehicle to produce an identical power output with or without a catalytic converter.

This featured the widest turn signals (indicators) fitted to any production car, a strengthened gearbox with a different final drive ratio, standard external oil coolers for both the engine and transmission, standard 16 inch wheels (optional forged Fuchs wheels), and a slightly stiffer suspension (progressive springs) to handle the extra weight.

Also included was the deletion of the transmission oil cooler, and a change in suspension control arms to reduce the car's scrub radius.

The manual transmission (case code designation: AOR) featured a higher friction clutch disc setup, an external cooler, and a limited-slip differential with a 40% lockup setting.

Like the 944 Turbo, the 944 S received progressive springs for improved handling, larger front and rear anti-roll bars, revised transmission and gearing to better suit the 2.5 L DOHC engine's higher 6,800 rpm rev limit.

Dual air bags, limited-slip differential, and an anti-lock braking system were optional on the 944 S. A Club Sport touring package (M637) was available as was the lightweight 16-inch CS/Sport Fuchs 16x7 and 16x9 forged alloy wheels.

This new Porsche 944 Cabriolet was very well received, but it wasn't until 1987 that the American Sunroof Corporation (ASC) won the contract to build the new model.

At ASC, structural steel reinforcement plates are welded in the front end of the car and floor pan area, to give the body the amount of torsional strength and crash safety required for a Cabriolet.

After the top is removed, the new Cabriolet body was sent back to Neckarsulm, where it is run through the standard production paint shop and assembly line for drive train install.

Porsche initially announced that 600 cars would be made; ultimately 625 were built, 100 of which were right-hand drive for the United Kingdom, Japanese, Australian, and South African markets.

A different source, Jerry Sloniger's article in the October 1991 issue of Excellence, indicates that the factory built 525, of which 255 were exported to markets outside Germany.

Rick Hurst Racing campaigned 944s into the late 1980s eventually running two escort turbo cars in "cup configuration" at the end.

[27] Heavily modified versions of the 944, some with a tube framed chassis that were built by Klym Fabcar in North America were run in the SCCA Trans Am championship, Initially these cars were run with the Audi sourced 2.0 litre engine but were dropped in favour of the Porsche 2.5 litre which was then tuned and upgraded to have an output of up to 750bhp by a company called ANDIAL[5] Porsche began a race series for the top-of-the line 944 Turbo in the mid-1980s.

These included a larger KKK K26-8 turbocharger, a magnesium intake manifold and oil pan, a reinforced transmission, clutch, differential and axles along with removal of A/C, power seats, leather upholstery, sun visors, power windows, power steering, rear wiper, headlight washers, fender liners, storage pockets, and rear trunk release, upgraded struts, shocks, springs, suspension mounts, as well as an adjustable ABS system, bigger brakes with racing pads, magnesium wheels, a transmission oil cooler, and a lightweight battery.

As far as known only one left the factory as a one mirror Testarossa style cup car (VIN 1524) for a doctor in Germany with the specially ordered normal black leather interior, targa roof top and white body colour.

In 1999, a grassroots-level one-make racing series for lightly modified Porsche 944s called the 944 Challenge was established in Victoria, Australia, and remains popular in its 25th season as of 2024.