$20,250 – 22,500
Though much maligned by Porsche purists when it debuted here in the states in 1977 (not without good reason), the Porsche 924 has been going through a period of redemption fortysix years on. The early Audi-based models still don’t get much love but even they can be given some grace as the first “transaxle” cars that Porsche offered to the masses, a legacy that is now their bread and butter with models like the Cayenne, Panamera, Macan, etc.
The car that earned genuine respect, even at the time (perhaps grudgingly by the air-cooled, engine-in-the-back traditionalists), was the 924 Turbo (931 in Porschespeak). By its last years, in 1981 and 1982, its performance was not far off from the 911SC while offering far more precise and balanced handling. It was especially Porsche-like with the M471 option, which included four-wheel internally ventilated disc brakes on five-bolt hubs, mounting forged 16 x 6-inch 928-style alloys, upgraded springs and shocks, front and rear anti-roll bars along with a different steering ratio.
Not that long ago, a 931 would’ve been a bargain relative to their air-cooled siblings, hovering around $10K for a well-sorted drive-and-show, $15K – 20K for an exceptional example. But now, as the luftgekülts climb toward or surpass the six-figure mark, the 924 Turbo—particularly those from the latter 154-hp years with the M471 pack—has become a get-one-before-it’s-too-late collectible.