1987 944 Turbo

Launched in 1985 for the 1986 model year, the Porsche 944 turbo was evolved from the race-proven 924 GTP that excelled at the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans. This turbocharged variant featured a 2.5-liter engine producing 220 horsepower, significantly boosting performance from the standard 944 with a 0-60 mph time of 5.9 seconds. It introduced advanced engineering to the model with ceramic port liners and consistent power output with or without a catalytic converter, making it a standout in Porsche’s transaxle series.

Today’s Spotlight car, this 1987 944 Turbo was purchased by the selling Porsche Center in 2018 for use in Canada’s first Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge in 2019. In preparation for the challenge, it was completely disassembled and repainted in its factory shade of Stone Grey Metallic with a Burgundy partial leather interior.

Overall condition of this restored Turbo is pretty darn good, with excellent paint and interior work. But it’s the parts that the Porsche Center didn’t touch that really could have pushed this one further. As you can see from the above picture, the car sits a little bit low in the rear, as some of the suspension parts could use a refresh. On the inside, I personally would have replaced the door handles and clock as they are small pieces that take away from what is just a beautifully done car. Little things, I know, but if you’re going to put in the work, as this dealer did, you might as well do it all.

As far as the 944 Turbo market goes, 60-80,000-mile examples have tended to trade hands in the $20-30,000 range, as it takes something under 50k miles to jump prices towards the $50k mark.

But this one has been restored, by a Porsche Center, with over 800 hours of labor and a multi-page parts list. Which is why this was the deal of the century at a final bid of $29,500. Even after you spend some extra money to address the small issues that remain with the car, you’ll be barely over your standard non-restored Turbo with similar mileage. So well bought. I’m jealous.

Two things that go hand-in-hand? Porsche and watches. Every Porschephile I know is also a watch nerd. And like Porsches, watches can be enjoyed at all price points. 

On a recent visit to Pittsburgh, SML subscriber Allan S. tossed me his new Sheffield Allsport watch. Sheffield Watches is a reboot of an old dive watch brand founded in New York in the ‘50s that was synonymous with producing low-price point, quality watches. The weight of the stainless steel case felt robust, as did the feel of the screw-down crown and unidirectional bezel—definitely quality. As for price point, the Sheffield diver punches way above its weight at $108. You can’t buy more watch for the money, period. 

And that’s what Sheffield Watches’ founder Jay Turkbas set out to accomplish, reviving the brand's ethos and creating a watch synonymous with quality, technology, and affordability. Taking inspiration from his original Sheffield watch from the ’70s and his 30-plus years of experience in product development and innovation, he knocked it out of the park with a durable watch capable of exploring the depths of the ocean one day and cars & coffee the next. And all at a price point equivalent to the $13 the watch originally cost back then. Take a moment to give Sheffield Watches a look. I know you’ll be just as impressed as I am.

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