The Porsche 944 GTR: The Ultimate GTR
We regularly talk about how a specific make, model, or variation is special or beloved by Porsche owners. We aren’t just a soft touch, we love Porsches and tend to write about the ones people love the most. This time, we are going to do it again.
Why did we start the blog post in this manner? Because it is important for you to understand that the Porsche 944 GTR is on a totally other level. It is one of the best, the coolest, the most unique, and most viciously sought-after cars that Porsches has ever made or perhaps will ever make again.
This blog post will cover the origins and history of the Porsche 944 GTR as well as talk about how rare and how costly it is as if you or I could ever get our hands on one of these bad boys. Without further adieu, let’s dive right in.
Highlights
- The Porsche 944 GTR is an exceptionally rare and highly sought-after car.
- It originated from the Porsche 944 Turbo, introduced in 1985, which was a high-performance version with a turbocharged engine and improved handling.
- The 944 GTR was a purpose-built race car based on the 944 Turbo, featuring significant modifications for track performance.
- It had a 2.5-liter engine producing 375 brake horsepower, a 5-speed manual transmission, a top speed of 180 mph, and a 0-60 time of 4 seconds.
- The 944 GTR made a name for itself in various racing competitions, including the IMSA Firehawk Championship.
- Its production numbers are uncertain but estimated between 10 and 16 units, with additional cars created for select customers.
- Due to its rarity and racing history, the Porsche 944 GTR is an incredibly valuable collector’s item, with prices ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 USD or even higher for cars with notable histories.
The Origins Of The Porsche 944 GTR
The Porsche 944 GTR can trace its origins back to the Porsche 944, which was introduced in 1982 as a replacement for the much beloved Porsche 924. What the 944 did differently was, well, just about everything.
The 944 was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive powerhouse that was produced until mid-1991. It had just shy of a decade on the production line, and in that time, they made, well, not as many as we might have perhaps wished.
In 1985 in the middle of the 944s run, Porsche introduced the 944 Turbo, which was a high-performance version of the 944 and one of the first Porsches to feature the Whale Tail spoiler. The Turbo model featured a turbocharged and inter-cooled version of the engine found in the base model 944, a 2.5L, four-cylinder engine.
This engine produced 220 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, which made it one of the most powerful four-cylinder engines of its time. The 944 Turbo was also notable for its handling and braking capabilities, which were improved over the standard 944.
It looked as if the 944 Turbo had outdone the standard 944, and that would be the end of it. But that wasn’t the case. The 944 Turbo’s success in the world of racing led Porsche to develop the 944 GTR, which wasn’t exactly meant for the masses, but the world enjoyed it nonetheless.
The GTR was a purpose-built race car that was based on the 944 Turbo but with significant modifications to improve its performance on the track.
Porsche upgraded the engine with one significantly more powerful, reinforced chassis making it both stronger and lighter, added high-performance race suspension, and made some awesome aerodynamic enhancements, which included a brand-new wide-body kit, front splitter, rear wing, and rear diffuser. Porsche went all out, as the specs will tell you.
The Porsche 944 GTR Specs
The Porsche 944 GTR had a beefed-up 2.5-liter engine that was capable of producing 375 brake horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. Remember, this is the mid-80s, and this was not your normal run-of-the-mill sports car engine.
The 944 GTR came with a 5-speed manual transmission, a top speed of 180 miles per hour, and could get from 0-60 in 4 seconds flat. It also had slightly less quantifiable, but equally as impressive, aluminum brake calipers powered by 4-pistons as well as fully adjustable suspension and incredibly expensive coilovers.
| Specification | Porsche 944 GTR |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.5-liter turbocharged engine |
| Horsepower | 375 brake horsepower |
| Torque | 332 lb-ft of torque |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Top Speed | 180 miles per hour |
| Acceleration (0-60 mph) | 4 seconds flat |
| Brake Calipers | Aluminum calipers with 4 pistons |
| Suspension | Fully adjustable suspension |
Porsche 944 GTR Racing History
The 944 GTR really made a name for itself in the IMSA Firehawk Championship in Atlanta. This was the first outing of the 944 GTR in American sports racing, and it made, well, waves is a bit of an understatement. It stole the show.
It then went on to compete in and win a myriad of competitions across the country, and the world as a whole, over the next few years. In 1991 the Porsche 944 GTR won the Firehawk championship, winning four races outright and several more appearances on the podium. It isn’t often that Porsche designs a car specifically for racing, in such limited numbers, not a car that is also meant for the general population to purchase.
But when they do, they do a damn fine job. The 944 GTR also went on to place 12 in the Daytona 24-hour race before getting a disappointing DNF in the following year’s competition because of a pretty gnarly crash. Porsche wanted to prove that it could compete against Chevy and Mazda.
And, by the mid-90s, they had proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Porsche could compete in American Motor racing. And it could win.
How Rare Is The Porsche 944 GTR?
The Porsche 944 GTR is a very rare car that had only a very limited number of units produced. We aren’t even sure exactly how many limited units there are. Exact production numbers are not widely known, but it is believed that somewhere between 10 and 16 cars were built, or at least used, with another dozen at most created for a few very select customers.
The 944 GTR was a purpose-built race car that was designed for competition in the IMSA Firehawk Championship Series, not for anything.
While it did compete abroad occasionally, that was not by design. As a result, the car was not available to the general public and was primarily sold to racing teams. Making it extremely in demand and extremely valuable.
How Valuable Is The Porsche 944 GTR
The limited production numbers and heritage of the 944 GTR have made it an incredibly in-demand collector’s item among Porsche enthusiasts and car lovers as a whole. Examples of the 944 GTR in good condition are extremely rare largely because they were built for racing, and race they did, which tended to bang them up a bit.
If you can find a Porsche 944 GTR that is in good condition and hasn’t been driven extensively, you are probably looking to pay somewhere between $100,000 to $200,000 USD. Cars with a documented racing history or owned by notable racing teams or drivers can sell for even higher prices.
The problem is, while that is a genuine market price as determined by the last few times a 944 GTR changed hands, you are unlikely to ever see one on the market.
They are usually bought and sold through private deals rather than public auctions, so it can be hard to track ownership. If you can get your hands on a winning Porsche 944 GTR, you could argue that it’s priceless, its price is determined by whoever wants it the most, and we are unlikely to ever know what they would pay for it these days.
