WolfeMacleod

I used the email address I posted in my post above. it hasn't bounced back yet.

rob.sass@sportscarmarket.com

WolfeMacleod

Got a response from Rob Sass today.


Dear Mr. Macleod:

Thanks for your thoughtful and intelligent e-mail. I don't dispute that
the 924
with its front engine and rear transaxle was a very fine handling car and that
it was developed into the excellent and also successful 944. But my
recollection of the 924s I have driven is that they were harsh, buzzy and the
excellent handling came at the expense of acceptable ride. Also, its build
quality left something to be desired. On the whole, I think the car it
replaced, the 912E was a more satisfying car to drive. But that's just my
opinion. And while cars like the K-car and X-car also saved their respective
manufacturers, that fact doesn't particularly endear them to the collector car
market. Best regards,

Rob Sass

eohrnberger

Yea, well, what else could he have said?

Just another opinion piece from NYT, worth about as much as any other opinion piece from the NYT.

xsboost90

if you call a car that handles harsh riding, buy a Cadillac. If you want a car thats not buzzy, buy something like a Hummer. If you want something that handles, fulfills your sportscar desire and is affordable, get a 924.

- and how could you possibly say a stock 912 vs a 924 is even close. The 912 was a cool car but the 924 killed it stock handling wise- yes ive driven a 924, 924s, 944, 944turbo, 912, 911, 930 etc etc... my stock 914 reminded me of the 82 924 i had, it could also be referred to as good handling and buzzy. Thats what made it a true porsche! Oh i forgot, the 914 was a NARP.

eohrnberger

Or a 944 :-)

Po924S

The 924 did save Porsche, and I think that if there wasn't a 924, there would be no 944, which then there would be no 968. It may of not been the best Porsche model, but it gave Porsche new options in the 80's and 90's.

eohrnberger

I'm sure that everyone knows that the 924 was a Porsche design for VW/Audi, and that VW/Audi decided not to build the car, so Porsche purchased the rights to the design back, with the agreement that VW/Audi would build it for Porsche.

As thing evolved, you can see that the Porsche designed engines started to work their way into the design (931, 924S, etc), and then the redesign (944, 951, (44S & 944S2), and then the final design evolution (968).

So it's no wonder that it's full of VW and Audi parts. But then again, it kept the price of the car down, and finally look at what was accomplished with those parts. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

500

Well, at least he replied to you and presented a viewpoint that has some validity, even though I do disagree with his overall opinion. What I really wonder is if he actually DROVE a 912E?

chrly924s

I can't believe the Islamofascists are wasting a perfectly good fatwah on Sir Salman Rushtie when we have an ******* that is in terrible need of it. But I forgot, the NYT is their apologist in this country.

flosho

Pretend Journalist is more like it

FRporscheman

Well let's face it - the 924 did suck as a road car. It sucked hard! But the later evolutions like the 931 and 924S were nice, and the 924 race cars are legendary. Some people just neglect to look at the larger picture.

TRWright

I agree with the guy. The 924 is a turd. That was my first Porsche, a guards red 1978 with the disco-style black and white checkered interior. It had some crazy exclusive options that I have NEVER seen on another Porsche, and wish I would have kept it just for that (or at least taken pictures of them).

Tha only thing I don't agree with him on is "Porsche has periodically felt the need to offer more affordable models." It seems they have pretty much always done that from the 912 to the 914 to the 924 to the 944 to the 968 to the Boxster to the Bosxter/Cayman.

elf89

His evaluation of the first 924 is fair, he just left out a big chunk of the story. 928, 931, 944, 924S, 951, 968...you gotta start somewhere. Everything 996 on is watercooled now, right?

Nice intelligent calm rationale response Wolfe!

Darryl92Cab

Yes, great response...well written and professional. Now, I'm not defending the guy or the NYT, but all Mr. Sass did was simply state facts. Leaving out alot of the story, however, does make it look bad for the 924 in the eyes of non-Porschefiles. We are all biased and we all love our cars, but it is what it is. Best thing about his title of "Rust in Peace" is that he can't apply that to the 944 as one of the things Porsche learned was to galvanize the bodies!! No rust on my 22 year old 944 or my 15 year old 968. The Cayenne has once again 20 some odd years later saved Porsche financially, but an SUV? Lots of conversation about that too a few years back if we all remember.

- Darryl

yellowline

I think another fact that he neglects is that the 924 was an OK sports car for the late 70s-early 80s. Gas crises were present, and the future of sports cars in general were uncertain. I hear that people doubted that we would ever see another era of high performance, due to all the strangling emissions equipment.

Today, it's easy to sneer when AMG has to detune their V12 to make "only" 700 ft-lb of torque.