Porsche 984

Porsche 984
Overview
Manufacturer	Porsche
Model years	1984-1987
Assembly	Weissach
Body and chassis
Class	Concept car
Body style	Two-door roadster
Layout	RR layout
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 L (1984 cc) turbocharged Type 4 F4
Transmission	5-speed manual transmission
Dimensions
Curb weight	880 kg. (1940 lbs.)

The Porsche 984 was a 2-door roadster from the German automobile manufacturer Porsche that was in development between 1984 and 1987. It was, at its core, designed to be a small, affordable and fuel-efficient sports car similar to the Porsche 924, albeit with a lower sales price. It was conceptualized in cooperation with Spanish automaker SEAT, although Porsche eventually pressed forward with development on their own. The entire project was discontinued in 1987, however.

History

The Porsche 984 concept was inspired by a joint project done with SEAT, and together the two companies birthed the "Porsche PS", which was never prototyped. A 1.5 L inline-four watercooled engine, officially codenamed "System Porsche", was developed shortly after to go along with the PS, although SEAT later kept it and used it in the first generation Ibiza. A 2.0 L flat-four engine developed entirely by Porsche was prepared for use in the 984 instead.

SEAT eventually left the project, and Porsche chose to proceed with the development of the concept alone. According to Porsche, the car was designed to appeal to a younger audience, with a planned price that was somewhere in the area of 40,000 German marks. (Approx. 66,000$US adjusted for inflation) Had it gone into production, it likely would have replaced the Porsche 924 as the entry-level vehicle in their lineup.

Design

The 984 concept was very similar to the aforementioned Porsche-SEAT (PS) project, and were very similar in terms of what they were intended to be. Both were to be a lightweight, fun to drive, and affordable vehicle, and the rear-engine configuration, among other features, seemed to reflect these intentions. During development, large portions of the manufactured prototypes contained parts throughout both the interior and exterior that were pulled from other Porsche models of the era. (Including the Porsche 944 and 924, as well as the Porsche 911)

Much unlike the 924, the designers at Porsche ostensibly planned for the car to incorporate an optional all-wheel drive system, as well as a hard-top. These features, especially all-wheel drive and its rear engine layout would help to separate it from other roadsters of the era, such as the Mazda MX-5. (which would be put into production by Mazda just two years after the development of the 984 was cancelled) Porsche would, despite the end of the 984 project, later go on to produce the Boxster during the 1990s, which was designed to serve a very similar purpose to both the MX-5 and the 984.

Engine

The only engine used in the 984 concept was the 2.0 L Volkswagen Type 4 engine found in the Porsche 914, which was, in stark contrast to the 1.5 L "System Porsche" engine found in the Ibiza, an aircooled unit. Despite this flat-four being used in the prototype models, an all new flat-four engine was supposedly also in development for use in aircraft as well as a final, production model of the 984. It made 99 kW (135 hp), and according to track tests that were done by Porsche during development, the vehicle itself had a top speed of approximately 220 km/h (137 mph), although the planned cabriolet and all-wheel drive models may have impacted those results, had they ever been developed.

External Links

• Porsche Development Center Weissach