1989 944 Turbo

Here’s a bit of Porsche trivia for you: In the 1981 LeMans 24-hour race, the Porsche 924 GTP driven by Walter Rohrl and Jurgen Barth was, in fact, the first trial outing of the car that would later be known as the 944 Turbo series race car.

By 1986, the 944 Turbo entered production with a new turbocharged engine producing 220hp, a more aerodynamic body, 16” wheels, and stiffer suspension. Then, in 1988, Porsche introduced the 944 Turbo S with even more power thanks to larger KKK turbochargers and revised engine mapping. It came standard with the M030 Sport Suspension, which included Koni adjustable shocks, height-adjustable front spring perches, and larger sway bars. By 1989, Porsche dropped the ‘S’ designation, and all 944 Turbos featured the S components as standard.

This 1989 944 Turbo is finished in Black over Black partial leather, shows 79,000 kilometers (~49,000) on the odometer, and comes with owner’s manuals, service records, spare keys, tire-inflation kit, and a clean CarFax. However, paintwork is noted on the front bumper cover and left headlight cover.

Every inch of the car has been photographed, with the car in very good condition. There’s a small dent by the gas cap, and you can see a bit of orange peel in the paint. Paint meter readings seem consistent aside from the headlight cover mentioned above cover. The interior is in excellent condition; even the deep side bolsters of the seats look better than most. The engine bay and undercarriage also look great, benefiting from a full detail.

The last time we saw this car was in December 2019, when it sold for $25,000 after failing to sell at a high bid of $19,000 a few months prior. Comps are a bit difficult to look at as there are many pre-89 Turbos mixed in with the ‘89+ Turbo “S.” In the last six months, we had one ‘89 example fail to sell at a high bid of $29,751 while another sold for $60,000. Our Spotlight car sold at a high bid of $50,000, making it the second-highest ‘89-plus 944 Turbo to sell, regardless of mileage.

So, did the minor paintwork and small dent affect the price of this one? Possibly. Either way, this was the 944 Turbo to have and was bid accordingly. These don’t come around that often. Well bought.

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