At 50, Porsche 924's front-engine design redefined the brand's DNA
In the 1970s, Porsche bought back a Volkswagen project and turned it into the 924, launching a front-engine transaxle era that redefined the brand.
- 150,000+ vehicles
- 115,600 units
- approximately 3,300 units
- 10th place
What Happened
In the 1970s, Porsche's Weissach facility began work on a vehicle that looked unlike anything the brand was known for: a front-engine 2+2 with an elongated front, crisp angular lines, and a large glass rear hatch, later advertised as a 'family sports wagon.' The project, internally designated EA 425, was originally a development contract for Volkswagen, meaning Porsche's designers had no precedent to work from. Designers say they had 'a white sheet of paper in front of them,' though the technical package, including engine, transmission, axles, and seat positions, was already defined.
Volkswagen chairman Toni Schmücker scrapes the EA 425 project; Porsche takes over development costs and buys the project back.
More than 150,000 units of the 924 and its derivatives are produced.
A 924 Carrera GTS finishes 10th overall at the Rallye Monte-Carlo with Roland Kussmaul as codriver and Jürgen Barth at the wheel.
Transaxle concepts pave the way for Porsche's four-door, front-engine sports cars.
The 924 introduced what Porsche calls the 'transaxle' design: the engine sits at the front while the transmission is mounted at the rear axle, an arrangement chosen from the beginning of development. Porsche believed it was the future, and Roland Kussmaul, a former road-testing engineer, says the balanced front-rear weight distribution was the primary benefit. He describes the 924 as an 'easy-to-handle, forgiving, fast car' that remained easy to control at high speeds, in crosswinds, and when changing lanes. The same architecture was used for the 928, developed almost simultaneously.
- 924: entry Porsche to win new customer groups; 928: fast, luxurious touring car in a different segment from the 911.
- 924: front engine (details not specified); 928: high-performance V8.
- 924: clean lines and large glass hatch; 928: completely different design language with an interior considered advanced.
- Large sense of space and the 2+2 concept
- Spacious luggage compartment
- Large rear windshield, a unique feature and engineering challenge
- Dynamism that still speaks for itself
- Efficiency and comfort
“The 911 is the core of the Porsche brand. But when a brand is too dependent on a single icon, every change is viewed with suspicion.”
Previously from Porsche
MotorClaw's July 8, 2026 coverage noted that Porsche's transaxle design, developed more than 50 years ago, gave sports cars near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution and effortless handling without electronic aids. Today's story revisits that engineering approach through the 924 and the transaxle models that followed.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Porsche's official releases.
Why this matters
The 924 shows how Porsche survived the 1970s by embracing a new engine layout and a more practical car, winning new customers without losing its identity. It also taught a business lesson: later transaxle models struggled with high costs because each was developed independently, which is why Porsche now uses shared modular platforms. For buyers and enthusiasts, it explains how Porsche's lineup expanded beyond the 911 to four-door front-engine sports cars.
Terms in This Story
- transaxle
- A layout with the engine at the front and the transmission at the rear axle, which helps balance weight distribution.
- 2+2 seater
- A car with two main front seats and two smaller rear seats, often used for occasional passengers or children.
- gran turismo
- A grand touring car designed for high-speed, long-distance driving in comfort.
- modular platform strategy
- A manufacturing approach where several models share common architectures, parts, and systems to reduce costs and speed up development.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.