For 1987, Porsche manufactured and sold a series of showroom-stock 944 Turbo racecars in order to compete in the SCCA Endurance Series sponsored by Escort, a manufacturer of radar detection equipment. Prepared by the motorsports staff at Weissach, these racecars received comprehensive modifications to take on the challenges of competition: The chassis were stripped of any unnecessary equipment, leaving little in the way of creature comforts, and strengthened throughout. As such, these cars lack power windows, power steering, air conditioning, power seats, a radio, and a rear wiper.
Reduced noise insulation, undercoating, and the removal of fender liners further aided in reducing overall mass.
This weight loss program additionally included a fiberglass hood and the fitment of several magnesium parts including the wheels, intake manifold, and oil pan. A larger turbo allowed the 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder to produce upwards of 250 horsepower and was joined by a strengthened gearbox with a shorter top gear. A front tower brace, larger sway bars, Bilstein shocks, quick-ratio steering, 928 S4 brakes, and a limited-slip differential greatly improved the roadholding characteristics of the car. In summation, these alterations work together and create a serious performance vehicle with capabilities that rivaled supercars.
Just 11 chassis are believed to have been sent to North America for 1987, and the example on offer was delivered new to an individual in southwest Ohio. A true “Cup Car,” the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity confirms the fitment of code 754, the Turbo Cup Package. Correspondence on file reveals the car was enjoyed by its original owner on the street in the years following the initial sale and today, 19,635 miles show on the odometer at the time of cataloguing. Furthermore, a collection of invoices are on file dating back to 1987, indicating continued maintenance was performed over the decades.
In 2018, the original owner finally parted ways with the 944 when it was acquired by the White Collection. Since then, it has received startups at monthly intervals to ensure proper function of the various mechanical systems. Paint metering shows the exterior finish to be consistent across the metal body panels, indicating a high degree of originality of its Alpine White bodywork. It is interesting to note that, within the extensive accompanying file of correspondence, a letter dating to 1988 indicates that the fiberglass hood appears to have been finished in a slightly different shade of white from the factory, a detail still visible today.
A rare and well-preserved example of one of the 944 Turbo’s most extreme variants, this Cup car is accompanied by owner’s books, tools, a document binder, Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, period invoices and correspondence, and an assortment of accessories.
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