924, 944, GTR, GTP
02-23-2011, 06:15 PM
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924, 944, GTR, GTP
Hi, after reading many confusing posts about the subject I wanted to share my knowledge to clear a bit things up.
GTP was one of the classes the 924 Carrera GTR competed in. You can call the GTR's that competed in GTP class as "GTP's", but the people who don't know Porsche history deeply enough, they think it is separate model and this way it might be misleading. I would suggest to speak of "924 Carrera GTR".
The only car that was entered into a race as a "924 GTP" (more precisely as "924 G.T.P. LM"), was the 1981 Carrera GTR 2.5 for GTP class in Le Mans. It has been also referred to as "944 Le Mans" or "944 LM". Even though the car probably was designed to hit the race tracks as a "944 Le Mans", it was registered as 924 at the 1981 Le Mans. I guess the launch of a 944 street car was planned to happen before June 1981 (Le Mans), but was postponed to September. So they had to call the 2.5-litre racer as "924" at its first appearance. If Porsche introduces a car as a "924" then for me that is 924 and not a 944 (despite the „944 Le Mans“ lettering on the engine). When the 944 Turbo came out, PCNA started to call the 1981 924 2.5 as „944 GTP“. I think it was the arbitary act of PCNA marketing guys, I haven't come across of an early German source for a „944 GTP“. So I would say, there was no such car as „944 GTP“, although for the people involved enough, if they hear „944 GTP“ they understand that the talk is about the 2.5-litre 924 in GTP class at the 1981 Le Mans.
One more thing - in 1981 the 924 GTR design was changed for some cars - the cars now looked more close to the street models (rallye-style flares on narrow body instead of boxed fenders). Still, they all are 924 Carrera GTR's.
While in internet you could find a "924 GTR", "924 GTP" and "944 GTP", then the right way to call them would be „924 Carrera GTR“.
The only car we haven't talked about is the American-made 944 GTR. As Porsche AG in Germany never produced such a car, for me it is not a „Porsche“. It's Fabcar and its absolutely great. It should be called „Fabcar 944 GTR“ and not „Porsche 944 GTR“.
GTP was one of the classes the 924 Carrera GTR competed in. You can call the GTR's that competed in GTP class as "GTP's", but the people who don't know Porsche history deeply enough, they think it is separate model and this way it might be misleading. I would suggest to speak of "924 Carrera GTR".
The only car that was entered into a race as a "924 GTP" (more precisely as "924 G.T.P. LM"), was the 1981 Carrera GTR 2.5 for GTP class in Le Mans. It has been also referred to as "944 Le Mans" or "944 LM". Even though the car probably was designed to hit the race tracks as a "944 Le Mans", it was registered as 924 at the 1981 Le Mans. I guess the launch of a 944 street car was planned to happen before June 1981 (Le Mans), but was postponed to September. So they had to call the 2.5-litre racer as "924" at its first appearance. If Porsche introduces a car as a "924" then for me that is 924 and not a 944 (despite the „944 Le Mans“ lettering on the engine). When the 944 Turbo came out, PCNA started to call the 1981 924 2.5 as „944 GTP“. I think it was the arbitary act of PCNA marketing guys, I haven't come across of an early German source for a „944 GTP“. So I would say, there was no such car as „944 GTP“, although for the people involved enough, if they hear „944 GTP“ they understand that the talk is about the 2.5-litre 924 in GTP class at the 1981 Le Mans.
One more thing - in 1981 the 924 GTR design was changed for some cars - the cars now looked more close to the street models (rallye-style flares on narrow body instead of boxed fenders). Still, they all are 924 Carrera GTR's.
While in internet you could find a "924 GTR", "924 GTP" and "944 GTP", then the right way to call them would be „924 Carrera GTR“.
The only car we haven't talked about is the American-made 944 GTR. As Porsche AG in Germany never produced such a car, for me it is not a „Porsche“. It's Fabcar and its absolutely great. It should be called „Fabcar 944 GTR“ and not „Porsche 944 GTR“.
