KEYVISUAL

ELEMENTS

SOUND

READY FOR TAKE-OFF

The 924 marks a new beginning for Porsche in 1976: front-mounted engine, rear-mounted gearbox. With 125 PS, a top speed of around 200 km/h and an attractive entry price, it became the first Porsche for many owners.

RUNNING UP THAT HILL

The 928 set new standards in the grand touring class. Powerful, refined and self-assured, it quickly became an international success and left a lasting mark on the Transaxle family.

SIMPLY THE BOLD

With the arrival of the 944 in 1981, the model range took on a distinctly sporting character. Its perfectly balanced handling and assured performance made it the most successful model of the Transaxle era.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Introduced in 1991, the 968 represented the pinnacle of Transaxle development. Technically refined and the result of continuous evolution, it brought an extraordinary model family to a fitting conclusion.

AXLES OF THE UNIVERSE

The Transaxle models combine clean design with the distinctly 1980s desire for personalisation. They were created in a decade when pop culture, films and music gave rise to icons whose influence and appeal continue to endure today.

BACK TO THE FACTS

Between 1976 and 1995, a remarkable Porsche family emerged: the four Transaxle models. With 386,290 vehicles sold and numerous derivatives, ranging from the Carrera GT and Cabriolet to the Clubsport, this era became an integral part of Porsche’s history and continues to captivate enthusiasts to this day.

FOREVER YOUNG. CELEBRATING TRANSAXLE.

The history of Porsche’s Transaxle models began in the mid‑1970s, with their most defining era unfolding in the 1980s. In 2026, Porsche pays tribute to this period with the theme year “Forever Young. Celebrating Transaxle”, shining a spotlight on the 924, 928, 944 and 968 model series, along with the modern interpretation of the Eighties spirit. Transaxle is an integral part of the Porsche family: sporty, practical for everyday use and now a cult classic. A willingness to embrace change shaped the technology, design and character of these cars. Advanced engineering, balanced driving dynamics and clean lines translated the optimism and experimental spirit of the 1980s into a design language that still resonates today. The Transaxle models are therefore more than technical milestones– they are an expression of an era defined by progress and new beginnings.

READY FOR TAKE-OFF

The 924 debuted in early 1976 and marked a fresh start for Porsche. Its origins lie in a development contract for Volkswagen; when the project came to an end, Porsche took over the production‑ready basis and turned it into a sports car of its own. Low, light and aerodynamically shaped, its engineering follows a clear principle: engine at the front, gearbox at the rear – for perfectly balanced handling. With an initial 125 PS and a top speed of around 200 km/h, it became the first Porsche for many – and the beginning of the Transaxle era.

RUNNING UP THAT HILL

The 928 arrived in 1977 and thought on a bigger scale. As a Gran Turismo, it combines sports‑car logic with comfort and long‑distance capability. Technically, it relies on a water‑cooled, lightweight‑alloy V8, Transaxle engineering and the newly developed Weissach rear axle for stability at high speeds. Its clean, aerodynamic shape – with a long bonnet and a large expanse of rear glass – expresses this idea outwardly. The 928 shows just how far the Transaxle concept can be taken: from a pure sports car to a confident grand tourer.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

The 968 arrived in 1991 as the final stage in the development of the Transaxle era. Familiar in its proportions yet more precise in its details, it brings the concept to its technical conclusion. It turns distance into something effortless, and speed into something calm. At its core is a 3.0‑litre four‑cylinder engine with 240 PS, designed for torque and everyday usability. The 968 feels mature and assured – a clear final statement of an idea refined over many years.

SIMPLY THE BOLD

The 944 arrived in 1981, making the Transaxle idea more visible and more self‑assured. Wider wheel arches and clean proportions give it a presence entirely of its own. Technically, it is powered by a newly developed four‑cylinder engine whose concept is closely related to the 928’s V8. Inside, it reflects the spirit of the era in concentrated form: clear instruments, ergonomic logic, minimal distraction. The 944 quickly became an international success – and one of the defining models of the Transaxle era.

DON’T STOP DESIGNING

Flat front ends, pop‑up headlights and elongated silhouettes. A rear section that opens up the space. Everyday usability becomes part of the design. These sports cars express the logic of their engineering on the outside. The Transaxle layout feels like a new, distinct architectural approach. The forms follow technical necessities; the proportions stem from the construction itself, not the other way round. This creates a design that makes balance visible. Weight distribution, aerodynamics and spatial efficiency can be read directly from the silhouette. The car explains itself through its appearance.

DESIGNERS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

Under design chief Anatole Lapine, a new approach to design emerges for the Transaxle models. Design becomes a guiding principle: technology and purpose define the form. Harm Lagaaij develops the design language of the models, giving them their calm, aerodynamic appearance. Wolfgang Möbius refines the designs at the decisive points – along lines, wheel arches and transitions where the tension of a surface forms and the character takes shape. Peter Reisinger translates these ideas into three-dimensional form as a modeller, shaping volumes, light edges and proportions. Together, they create a design language that modernises Porsche without sacrificing clarity.

AHEAD OF ITS TIME

Questioning the established: this spirit of the time inspires Porsche’s engineers and encourages them to try something new. Transmission and axle – gearbox and axle. The engine sits at the front, the gearbox on the rear axle, connected by a rigid driveshaft within a torque tube. The result: a weight distribution in which driving dynamics arise more from balance than from sheer power. It creates a composed stance, precise feedback, plenty of control and rapid confidence. Speed without seeming hectic. Rational in its engineering, emotional in its effect. Engineering with a lifestyle factor.

AXPRESS YOURSELF

Advertising shows how a brand wants to be seen – and how it is seen. With the Transaxle models, this becomes particularly clear. Early adverts for the 924 deliberately position it alongside the 911: “The place for the new arrival.” The message is unmistakable – Porsche is expanding its line‑up without abandoning its DNA. From the late 1980s onwards, the tone becomes bolder and more self‑assured. The 944, 928 and later the 968 appear less explanatory. The adverts play more strongly with emotion: Transaxle becomes part of a lifestyle – somewhere between technology, speed and freedom.

NO MORE MR. NICE CAR

Motorsport shows just how seriously Porsche takes the Transaxle concept. In the late 1970s, the 924 enters rallying. In the United States, it wins the SCCA National Championship. At Le Mans, the 924 GTP competes as a prototype and the most powerful representative of the era, demonstrating the potential inherent in the layout. In parallel, the 924 Carrera GTS becomes a popular competition car for private teams. In 1981, Walter Röhrl drives the gold‑and‑black 924 Carrera GTS “Monnet” in the German Rally Championship. Later, the 944 carries this idea into customer racing as well – for example in the Porsche Turbo Cup of the 1980s.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

The Transaxle models stand for individuality with attitude like almost no other Porsche series. Their clean lines and calm proportions never feel overloaded; instead, they create space for expressive paint colours and creative fabric patterns. Enthusiasts then and now appreciate the exceptionally high degree of freedom in personalisation. With their technically contemporary, almost visionary appearance, these cars are both distinctive and clear – a rare combination that appeals equally to technology‑minded and design‑minded enthusiasts. Within the scene, Transaxle models are therefore deliberately used as a basis for individualisation: as art objects, off‑road conversions or highly personal modifications. Each car remains unique while preserving the characteristic core of the series.