1990 Porsche 944 Turbo

Being fans of Le Mans, we knew some of the history but this writer had never actually driven a 'T' before, so when the chance to test and report on it came along we were very happy indeed.

The car is in very very good condition from its age and sitting inside we were eager to get out to see what it could do. The vendor, David, points out all the upgrades that this model has had and that is pretty much all you need to know.

Along with the certificate of authenticity from Porsche in 1990 there are receipts from Auto Farm, Chris Turner and Promax, the 4 owners of this car have clearly taken great care to preserve its racing heritage.

And that upgrade list – which you can read in full at the bottom of the photo gallery, includes Promax engine management chip, Lindsey racing LR61 Turbocharger, Vitesse MAF unit, Apex I electronic Boost Controller, Bosche 3.0 Bar fuel pressure regulator, Siemens 55” Injectors, Promax, Wortec 3” switchable Exhaust, KWV3 Coilover Suspension, a Cometic head Gasket and then this… the 375 BHP it now boasts. Chomping at the bit I took off to the streets to witness that list.

There is some discreet wear. as you'd expect – little glitches of paint by the door or the rubber door mirrors showing signs of age, but overall, for a car of this age it looks excellent.

The roof opens electronically and functioned well.

The wheels have slight scuff on the rims but the chrome is in general good order.

The rear boot worked from the electronic button on the dash as well as the key on the exterior.

The lights pop-up when asked to and the exhaust is fixed firmly when getting some revs up.

The doors sounded crisp when closing and apart from a couple of paint marks on the door pillars and the door handles had a slight fade to the black, they originally came with. 

The seats (as you can see in the gallery) have some wear to them as would any cream leather seat of this age. The rear seats looked relatively unused.

The carpets were clean along with the roof liner which was in good condition too.

The seat belts work and the seat functions allowed you to move the seat forward so you can reach the clutch and back to feel a little bit sportier.

Electronics worked as we tried all the buttons and switches.

It has gorgeously well-maintained steering wheel.The immobiliser works and there's an easyto reach battery under the carpet with ample boot space.

The spacious glove compartment is next to clean dials on the dashboard and all the seatbelts and other frequently used interior components are in good order.

The engine bay is workmanlike and tidy, it could be improved with some TLC and 'elbow grease'.

Fitted with a 40% locking rear differential and anti-lock brakes to help the driver make the most of that perfectly balanced chassis and turbocharged engine, the Porsche settles into a steady tickover after starting promptly. As you can hear in the video, it sounds rather good too and the four-cylinder engine is way smoother than it has any right to be.

The gallery shows the new springs and the engine full of the 375 BHP upgrades - although the dyno test report in the gallery shows it's more like 260bhp.

Everything is where it should be, no oil drips, and it sounds terrific.

There's a loose bodyguard on the undercarriage that looks like it can easily be re-secured.

There is a substantial amount of paperwork to accompany this car, it has plenty of service history and receipts, along with the MoT stamps and smaller accessories applied to make this vehicle clearly something that has been very well looked after during its life so far.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

Although this is a road vehicle it has all the elements culminating from the racetrack,  complete with its Le Mans sticker on the rear window. We knew a Turbo would have the gusto to move but really appreciated the seatbelt and high-backed seats!

We think the 944 is one of the most underrated sports cars of its age, with cool styling, and that reliable drivetrain. With the plethora of service history this vehicle comes with and the knowledge it has been upgraded sympathetically, we think this 1990 Turbo is a fine example of a good value ’80’/ 90s-era sports car money can buy and will give the new owner years of driving entertainment.  Our estimate for this car is £15,000 - £22,000.

Viewing is always encouraged and this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’