Porsche 924 Turbo

The vehicle in detail

My 1980 924 Turbo, or what the Turbo Bros would refer to as the 931, is my first water-cooled transaxle 924 Turbo that I purchased back in 2014. It’s got this awesome color combo of silver with a charcoal two-tone combo.
But perhaps the greatest thing about it is the factory black-and-white Pasha interior. This car just oozes late seventies, early eighties character, and it’s one of those cars that still turns heads today in this glorious color combo. It’s a nimble car to drive. It’s a fun car to drive once that boost comes up, and it actually makes for a perfect entry-level 924 Turbo.
There it is, my 1980 931. This one’s for the transaxle fans out there. Doesn’t get much better than this.
—Magnus Walker
Throughout the 1970s, Porsche’s experimentation with forced induction led to a raft of international motorsport successes, most notably with their all-conquering 934 and 935 programs. Inevitably, this meant that turbocharger technology would be implemented in their road cars as well, and in 1974, the legendary Type 930 911 Turbo was born.
Just five years later, Porsche introduced their second-ever turbocharged road car, the Type 931 924 Turbo. The immensely popular entry-level model was quite literally injected with a much-needed heap of extra power thanks to a heavily revised EA831 four-cylinder engine. Canted at a 40-degree angle to keep the hood low, this M31/01 engine featured a redesigned crankcase, connecting rods, cylinder head gasket, crankshaft, and an aluminum cylinder head.
Most significantly, a KKK K26 turbo feeding 0.7 bar of pressure into the intake manifold resulted in a power output of 180 horsepower in European-market trim, nearly matching the 911 of the same era. Despite the extra plumbing, engineers limited the weight increase to just 65 pounds over the standard model while remarkably improving weight distribution to a 49/51 split. Chassis improvements were made to complement the extra grunt: Thicker sway bars, firmer shocks, and a wider rear track aided handling. A lighter Getrag G31/01 five-speed gearbox featured an enthusiast-ready dogleg first gear.
The era-defining styling was further updated to accommodate the changes under the skin, and the front end of the car was opened up for increased cooling. The tip of the nose featured a quartet of rectangular intakes, while the hood allowed cooling directly to the turbo via an offset NACA duct.
While all 924 Turbos hold distinction amongst Porsche enthusiasts, Magnus Walker’s 1980 924 Turbo boasts additional appeal. Completed on 1 January 1980 and bearing option code 420, this Porsche is one of 600 North American-market introductory edition examples. Originally finished in a Dolomite Grey metallic exterior, it still sports its spectacular Pasha cloth interior. An exquisite display of late 1970s style, the totality of the car is a sight to behold.
Well optioned, the build information on file further confirms the 924 Turbo was fitted with a limited-slip differential, air conditioning, power mirrors, a rear wiper, and a removeable roof panel from the factory. Aquired by Magnus Walker in 2014 and now wearing a two-tone silver and charcoal exterior, the odometer displays 50,512 miles at the time of cataloguing.
Truly a must-have for any Porsche devotee—especially anyone eager to experience the performance potential of the front-engine transaxle cars—924 Turbos such as this marked a significant step forward in the company’s history, providing a thoroughly rewarding driving experience wrapped in a purposeful and sophisticated body.