A genuine icon of the 1980s, the 944 marked a transitional era for Porsche to combine the traditional virtues of build quality and genuine driving appeal. Sold with full body galvanising and a beautifully balanced chassis, the 944 could be driven without any fear. Powered by the preferred 3.0-litre 16V twin cam engine, it produced almost as many horses as the original 944 Turbo variant, without the complexity.

This 1992 944 S2 cabriolet is a very late example, perhaps one of the last to be registered in the UK.  It has seen a fair amount of recent spending on the interior and comes with good service history. A scan of its MOT history suggests that it has seen a fairly leisurely amount of use over the last two decades too. With a visual presentation boasting a set of recently refurbished wheels to complement its clean bodywork, this could be the ideal solution for those cosy autumn blasts.

An admirer of the 944, the owner has found the combination of its build quality and remarkable value for money irresistible. Bought from a private seller in Bradford, this former London car retains a lot of its originality, such as its owner’s handbooks, with evidence of regular stamps in its booklet, as well as its intact factory Build Sheet sticker intact. The car has appeared to have been used as an occasional car over the last few decades, covering around 10,000 miles since 2005. Up until that point, it saw 12 service stamps by Porsche's main dealer and specialists. A further service was likely to have been carried out by a previous owner in 2015. In addition, there is the added confidence of a timing belt and water pump replacement last year. Further recent invoices point to an interior refit, covering a new ignition loom, central locking investigation as well as further dashboard-related work. The owner has decided to sell the car, due to space issues and a lack of use. 

The interior retains the allure of that legendary Porsche build quality, with nothing more than a handful of small items needing attention to bring it back up to scratch. The quality of the leather means that the seats are in fine shape, with minor signs of wear on the driver's side, but all free of rips. The carpet is clean, with the mats in good shape, there was a little dampness noted in the driver's footwell, but no evidence of water retention. 

The dashboard is void of any headaches, with the top of the padding looking very clean with no wear. There is a minor fracture noted on the trim just above the glovebox but otherwise, the facia is in good shape and looks impressive for its age. The binnacle, controls and switches are in good condition and all are said to function. The owner has pointed out that the driver's side electric window lift is a little stubborn, but should be a straightforward fix thanks to the 944’s decent parts network. The centre console is tidy, retaining its original Blaupunkt tape player with only the storage cubby box needing any attention. The steering wheel has a little loose stitching in places but is otherwise free of damage. The gear stick displays wear in line with the age of the car. 

The soft-top inner headlining is clean and the door cards are in good order, with some marks noted on top of both front door fittings. The passenger side card will also need a little adjustment. The boot is in good shape, with no suggestions of heavy use, there is evidence of mild dampness noted right at the back by the rear seats but again, no signs of water collection.

The floor pan, inner wings, and chassis rails all look good, finished off with a tidy engine bay to complement the solid boot floor. There are mild signs of age noted on some surfaces under the rear of the car, but appear to be mostly superficial. On the whole, the exterior panel work is strikingly straight, with even panel gaps. A closer inspection does reveal a few blemishes, such as the top of the driver's door and little corrosion lurking at the base of the rear nearside wheel arch but this Porsche is free of dents. The doors open and close easily, the driver's door handle needs a slight adjustment and the bonnet struts struggle to hold the weight, but otherwise, all have solid wells. 

The Brilliant Black paint finish has a very good lustre, with a healthy shine throughout. There are a handful of flat spots and stone chips, but comparatively good for a car of its age, with the rear wing stone guard film remaining largely intact. The ultra-cool pop-up headlamps function with no issues. The soft-top is well presented, with some minor age-related issues but is fit for purpose, as the owner demonstrated that it raises and lowers quietly and smoothly.  

The glass is good, with a little milkiness noted on the base of the nearside of the front screen but their rubber seals appear to have held up well. The exterior trim is tidy and free from parking damage, with a few minor surface marks noted on the bumpers. One bonus to complement the gleaming presentation is the near-perfect presentation of the alloys. Having seen a professional refurb, they set the car off nicely and their respective tyres are well within the legal tread limit. It comes with a spare space saver.

The starts ups after a little encouragement, with an initial but minor puff of smoke. The engine was allowed to run for at least 20 minutes, by which time there were no suggestions of further issues from the exhaust. The engine idled without undulations, with a little chatter and vibration noted while the engine was cold but soon faded. No misfiring or squeals were observed. It’s worth mentioning that the timing belt and water pump were replaced less than 2,000 miles ago. The engine temperature runs at around 4 bar at idle, the owner has stated it settles down when in use and has informed us that the car drives well, with no issues with its handling.

There are no reports of engine temperature issues and no fluid leaks were seen to mark the ground on the day. The engine presentation is positive, with new leads and healthy hoses and wires suggesting a good level of upkeep. The brakes appear to be in good physical condition, the owner has not pointed out any issues with them and informs us that the gears engage without drama, and the clutch is well weighed with a good biting point. The exhaust breathes well, producing a purposeful tone. The back box was replaced three years ago.

A classic that can be driven all day, you can complete a journey without feeling fatigued, such is the compliant ride, comfort and sensibility of its cabin design. With one of the biggest owners clubs in the UK, its parts availability is a plus point, but there cannot be a more significant incentive than driving an open-top Porsche, with the promise of a perfect balance of agility and performance.

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