If you spent the majority of last weekend enviously following Dan's
Porsche-based epic
from the Arctic Circle down to the bottom end of Spain, then like those of us left behind at PH Towers, the chances are you'll probably have found yourself feeling a touch on the jealous side.
Also like us, you'll probably have turned to the classifieds to find out what sort of Porsche metal is still within reach. So much of it has accelerated comprehensively into a price stratosphere so barmy it makes London house prices look tame - but there are still some bargains to be had.
The most attractively-priced of the lot has, for a very long time, been the 924. And before we go any further, a few simple rules: anyone who utters anything along the lines of 'it's not a proper Porsche' goes straight to bed without any supper, and the first to mention anything about a van engine will be taken outside and beaten roundly and repeatedly with a Pasha-upholstered seat squab.
For while it's true that the 2.0-litre engine used in the 924 did turn up in the Volkswagen LT van too, it wasn't quite in this form. In fact, the 924's version of the EA831 engine was actually a bit of alright; based on a unit from the Audi 100, it featured a Porsche-spec cylinder head which boosted power to 125hp. By comparison, the hallowed Ford Escort RS2000, launched at around the same time and also with a 2.0-litre four-pot, had 110hp; the same engine in the 924-rivalling Capri of the period could only muster 99hp.
All of which made the 924 a more sprightly performer than its reputation would have you believe. 0-62mph took a shade over eight seconds; in other words, about as quick as an entry-level 911 would have been just a couple of years before. The 924S, which came later and used 944's the 2.5-litre unit, was faster and smoother still. Regardless, though, the 924 was about more than just performance, which is why the argument about whether it was powerful enough is rather moot.
You see, a 924 was always a particularly sweet thing to drive, thanks in the main to near-perfect 52:48 weight distribution, which gave it phenomenal balance; throw in sharp, direct steering and eminent throttle adjustability, and you end up with a car in which you can choose either to poke the back end out into a lurid slide, or snick crisply through a series of apices, revelling in the feedback and precision on offer.
All of which is why it's becoming increasingly hard to take anyone who dismisses the 924 as a van-engined VW seriously. But there is one silver lining to the cloud of a reputation which overhangs the 924: it's bloomin' cheap.
Foray into the classifieds now, and you'll find this absolutely
terrific-looking example
with 69,000 miles on the clock, loads of old Porsche accessories, a tonne of history and a fresh MoT for £9,990. Not bad for one of the best in the country, but it gets even better, because earlier this week, we spotted two tasty 924Ss; a tidy, usable example with 100K on it for just £3,650 - sadly now sold - and a fully historied 42K-er going up for auction with a guide price of £6,000-£8,000. Both had us sorely tempted to whip out our chequebooks.
True, as recently as a couple of years ago you'd have been able to buy cars like these for south of £3,000, but ain't that the case with everything these days? When all's said and done, Porsche prices are only ever going one way. Even the decidedly idiosyncratic 914 is well into double figures, and the same goes for the 924's bigger, better-loved brother, the 944 - all of which makes these 924 prices look rather bargainous.
Slag off the 924's heritage if you want to, then, but be aware you could be doing yourself out of one of the last, and most rewarding, classic car bargains left. If you've any sense, you'll snap one up now, before it's too late. And if you feel like a road trip in it, may we recommend heading for the south of Spain, via Norway?