Porsche honors its front-engine models in Stuttgart
Porsche has organized an exhibition dedicated to its front-engine coupes in Stuttgart. The museum’s display highlights 1980s culture, motorsport history, and engineering innovations. Between 1976 and 1995, nearly 400,000 units of the 924, 944, 968, and 928 models were sold.
The 911 will always be synonymous with Porsche, but for a long time, it was the front-engine, water-cooled sports cars that kept the company afloat. Now these “dark horses” — the 924, 928, 944, and 968 — are getting their due recognition at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart itself.
Exhibition “Forever Young. Celebrating Transaxle”
The thematic exhibition called Forever Young. Celebrating Transaxle is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Porsche introducing the transaxle layout into series production. Instead of a traditional static museum display, Porsche offers a series of rotating pop-up installations focused on technology, design, motorsport, and the atmosphere of the 1980s.
The first exhibition opened at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart on May 14 and will run until June 7, 2026. More pop-up events and themed weekends are planned throughout the year.
Engineering legacy of the transaxle
In case you missed your Porsche history lesson: the transaxle layout involved placing the engine at the front and the transmission near the rear axle, connected by a torque tube, similar to the Ferrari 275 GTB of the late 1960s. Porsche claimed this solution improved weight distribution and steering precision while maintaining the cars’ daily practicality.
VW’s withdrawal and the beginning of a new era for Porsche
It all started with the 924 model in 1976, after Volkswagen abandoned a joint sports car project. Porsche picked up the concept, refined it, and unexpectedly created an entire family of front-engine sports cars that lasted nearly two decades. Then came the 928 — a large V8 grand touring coupe once predicted to replace the 911, and the only Porsche (or expensive sports car) ever to win the “European Car of the Year” title.
It was followed by the 944, which received widened fenders from the 924 body and its own 2.5-liter Porsche engine, created from half of the 928’s V8, instead of Volkswagen’s 2.0-liter unit. The 944 became the most commercially successful model of the series, combining sharp lines, balanced handling, and sufficient performance to lure buyers who might otherwise have chosen a Japanese coupe. Porsche sold over 160,000 of these cars before the model evolved into the 968, which was produced until 1995.
Atmosphere of the 1980s
Porsche notes that the exhibition revels in the neon optimism of the 1980s, including graffiti art, speed painters, and race cars displayed outdoors next to the museum. So if you love Porsche and admire the Radwood aesthetic, you will likely enjoy it. Motorsport also receives due attention, notably through the Le Mans 924 GTP racer and the rally versions driven by Walter Röhrl.
If you are in the Stuttgart area this summer, be sure to visit the exhibition. If not — browse the sale listings. Prices for these models have risen over the past few years, but now, as in the 1980s, a 924 or 944 is an excellent way to become a Porsche owner for those who cannot afford a 911, and running costs are also more manageable.
Porsche
This exhibition not only pays tribute to history but also reminds us that Porsche’s success in the 1980s relied heavily on these “underestimated” models. They saved the company during a difficult period and laid the foundation for its future prosperity. Today, as the market increasingly shifts towards electric vehicles, such retrospectives highlight the engineering boldness and adaptability of a brand that managed to turn a failed partnership into an entire lineup of iconic cars. For modern enthusiasts, the 924 and 944 remain an affordable ticket into the world of Porsche, with character and history that do not require a 911-level budget.