Strange Question: Anyone here have both a 928 and a 944 Turbo??

[VinnyC]

I know this is a strange question, but I was looking to find someone with both a 928 and 951 - If you know anyone - I would appreciate if you could PM me.
Looking for a comparison and good photos. Thanks!!

[Danglerb]

I drove an 81 928 AT until I leased an 86 944T back in the 80's, and the cars are more counterpoints than similar. I found driving the 944T much more like a 911, it felt small and light, easy to flip around town, but still a decent car for trips. 928 felt like a tank, and with good tires etc it was 100% tame to drive around town, effortless on the highway, but a blast to pass in from 60 to 90 mph.

The two 5 spd 928's I have now feel very little like my 81 AT, more like muscle cars around town, but still with the pleasant highway experience. My 85 Euro S is a monster around town.

[morriss]

Mark Robinson. He lives here in Austin. His DD is a 951 and he also has 2 928s. He knows how to work on both.

[cali4sun]

I believe Excellence did a head to head comparison w/pics of these two in the February 2009 issue? You might be able to order a back issue at www.excellence-mag.com

[DanielDudley]

I have owned both. The biggest difference to me was in the way the power gets delivered. The 928 has abundant torque and quick progressive throttle response. The 951 has a bit of lag followed by a steam train of torque building with increasing intensity toward redline. Going fast is a real rush in the Turbo, but requires a certain level of commitment from the get go. Much easier to get a part throttle hustle on with a 928.

Bot cars are set up as benign understerers from the factory. 951s tend to roll a bit more during cornering, but turn in fairly well. They tend to drive like a well balanced front engined car. 928s corner flat, and are supremely stable in long sweepers, but tend to scub in a tight hairpin, where it will be hard to provoke a tail out attitude. In the 951, unless you are very careful how you put the power down, it will be all too easy to provoke snap oversteer in the smae situation.

I tended to pussyfoot a little on the corners with the turbo and roll on the throttle at the exit. I tend to drive the 928 harder into the corner and balance more with the throttle, coming out of the corner a little harder, and using the torque of the motor to power up to a set speed that I carry to the next corner. The 951 OTOH, tends to get into a strong stride that keeps building, and I often found I was just getting into it by the next corner.

On the open road, you can tell the Turbo has very long legs, and it feels like it is just getting into it's stride at 90 or so. Stock 928s often don't pull as hard in the upper rev range at higher speeds, but they are still pulling. There is a very easy smooth nature to the 928 that makes them seem slower and more relaxed even when they are moving along quite rapidly. When driving a 951 they move around a bit more, and seem more dynamic as they roll into a turn, feeling more nimble and chuckable even if they are not really going any faster.

I like the 928 as a driver's car, because I like the throttle response and the flat handling. I like the 951, but chuckable doesn't always equate to a great rhythm for me with the throttle response of turbo lag. They are however super all arounders, and major highway hustlers, where you can really let a slightly modified 951 unleash.

Both cars respond really well to oversized wheels and tires, and chassis tuning. Both can be tweaked for a little more HP (or a lot !), and both cars are fast but do not bite. I wouldn't push a 951 up past 300 HP without some internal mods, and both have a weakness with the conrod bearings if you track them hard.

[Mike B]

I own both..an '86 951 and an '88 928.

[racer951y]

I have owed both. Would, still if a drunk chick had not hit my 951 in the front fender at 50 mph.

What DanielDudley says is very true about them. Much better then I could have written my good sir. I like the 928 as a driver but I loved the "fastness" of the 951.

[anakilat]

I'm close. I own an 1980 928 Euro and my son has an 86 944 (NA). In comparison, the 944 can be described as nimble, where the 928 is "push you back in the seat" muscle. We switch cars often because they're both fun to drive and we can't seem to get enough of the other one.

[BReyes]

Doesn't sound strange, I would like to be able to line up for this scccchott

[RKDinOKC]

Very interesting, had 88 944 Turbo S, 90 928 GT, and 2001 BoxsterS. All three cars stock have the same 0-60 times from Porsche. The 944 Turbo felt faster because of the way the turbo comes on and the 928 felt slowest. That is with the same 0-60 times. The 944 Turbo eggs you on to drive faster in city driving because the turbo starts coming on a little before you shift. The Boxster was the most agile and had the best ambiance being a convertible. The 928 was the best highway cruiser, most comfortable, and sounded best. The 944 Turbo is easiest to hot rod, but will bite you in the wallet for it if you are not careful. I currently drive a 94 928 GTS and get "nice car" comments any time I stop where there are people.

[DanielDudley]

You would get a nice car comment RKD, even at a gathering of nice cars. Your car is sweet.

[jjflash]

I agree with most all the comments already posted on the "compare and contrast" with a 951 and 928.

This is my first 928, but I've had at least 3 951's and 3 944 S2's. I'd just like to add that the 944S2's and 968's seem to me to hit a real sweet spot between the 951 and the 928. The 3.0-liter DOHC engine in the S2 has a lot more torque than a 951 (off-boost, of course). The way the S4 engine "feels" really reminds me of the S2's in some ways.