At a hefty price of $38,000, the Porsche 924 DP Cargo ranks amongst the priciest 924 models available.
The 924 DP Cargo is a unique and quite scarce vehicle because it is (allegedly) one of the only nine ever made. It began its life as a 1977 Porsche 924 but was later converted by a German tuning company named DP Motorsport in 1986 into the Porsche 924 DP Cargo.
The car underwent the cargo “shooting brakes” conversion and was upgraded to the 924 Turbo specifications with the Turbo running gear, engine, and gearbox.
History of Porsche 924 DP cargo
Project 425
The 924 was supposed to be a top-of-the-line sports coupe for Volkswagen. The project was named “Project 425”. A combined project between Volkswagen and Porsche was to be in charge of making it. The result of this combined joint project was a sales and marketing company funded by Volkswagen and Porsche.
The vehicle was powered by an already made Volkswagen engine to make the costs a little bit lower. It was bound to be completed and then modified by Porsche. The design entailed a 2+2 coupe with a Porsche transaxle (four-speed), rear-wheel-drive layout, and a 2-liter Volkswagen four-cylinder engine upfront.
In 1973, the oil crisis led to multiple automobile-related regulatory changes on top of the directory changes at Volkswagen. These unforeseen transitions led to Project 425’s demise. Volkswagen opted for a Golf-based Scirocco model instead of the 425.
On the other side, Porsche was still hunting for a replacement vehicle for the then old Porsche 914. The company decided to buy Project 425 from Volkswagen to make the Porsche 924. The new 924 eventually launched in 1976.
The original 924 was packed with the Volkswagen EA831 2.0 L I4 engine, a 48/52 front to rear weight distribution, an Audi sourced four-speed manual transmission and a rear transaxle. It produced 95 horsepower, which was later upgraded to 110 horsepower in 1977 with the debut of the catalytic converter. The company realized how profitable the model was when it sold over 25,000 units in its following year.
924 Turbo
Porsche did not want to stop there, so they moved on to develop the 924 Turbo. The Turbo debuted in 1979 featuring a KKK K-26 turbocharger which lifted the 2-liter output to 168 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, a slotted nose, a 49/51 weight distribution NACA duct in the bonnet, and unique alloy wheels and brakes.
Some problems faced the car. One of them is that it used a turbocharger that was only cooled by the engine oil. This led to short life cycles and turbocharged seal and seat issues. Porsche later fixed this in 1979 when they made an updated version of the Turbo.
They used a relatively small-sized turbocharger that ran at higher boost, higher compression (8:1), and featured an updated fuel injection system. The updated system implemented the use of a DITC ignition triggered by the flywheel. They improved its reliability and increased the power to 174 horsepower.
Carrera GTR
The Carrera GTR lost the 924 Turbo NACA. It featured a plastic front together with rear flared guards and a similar plastic spoiler. The car also had an intercooler that used a top-mounted scoop, a larger spoiler at the rear, and a front windscreen that was mounted flush.
The vehicle was later modified into the Carrera GTR, which produced 375 horsepower, weighed 930 kg, went from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Its full velocity topped at 180 mph. Porsche later introduced three 924 GTRs during the infamous 24 hours of Le Mans. They garnered positions 6, 12, and 13 overall.
1986 ushered in the Porsche 924s model. Porsche decided to alter the 924 with a downgraded version of the 944’s 163 bhp 2.5-liter engine since Volkswagen had stopped manufacturing the engine blocks used in the 2-liter 924 engine.
The 924s produced 148 bhp; it featured an upgraded suspension system, five-lug wheels, 944 style brakes, and the previous 924 interior design. The power was eventually increased to 156 bhp in 1988, matching the base 944 models. The 1988 model featured a compression ratio of 10.2:1, making it faster than the base 944 model due to its lower weight.
Sadly, the 924s was dropped in 1989. The Porsche 944 continued to carry the company’s four-cylinder flag until the Porsche 968’s launch in 1992. Below is a specification summary of the 924, 924s, 924 Turbo, and 924 Carrera GTR.
Porsche 924, 924s, 924 Turbo, and 924 Carrera GTR specifications comparison:
| 924 | 924s | 924 Turbo | 924 Carrera GTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top speed | 124 mph | 136 mph | 142 mph | 205 mph |
| 0-60 mph | 9.5 seconds | 7.0 seconds | 7.7 seconds | 3.5 seconds |
| Engine | 1984 cc | 2479cc | 1984 cc turbo | 5733 cc |
| Max power (bhp) | 123 | 150 | 168 | 595 |
| Max torque (lb. ft) | 121 | 143 | 181 | 435 |
| Weight | 1,080 kg | 1,164 kg | 1,180 kg | 1,380 kg |
Porsche 924 DP Cargo: the shooting brake
We have so far looked at all the upgrades and modifications made to the 924 by Porsche themselves. Let us take a detour and look at the improvement made by the DP motorsport company itself.
DP (Design und Plastik) Motorsport is a German tuning company famous for the aftermarket version of the Porsche 935 Le Mans winning race car. In 1986, DP combined the British shooting brake and Teutonic engineering to make the Porsche 924 DP Cargo.
The shooting brake body design helped in creating extra practicality to store pets and family stuff. It also helped in reducing fuel consumption, body roll, and compromised refinement.
DP motorsport also upgraded the powertrain to a complete match of the 924 Turbo specifications; however, the 2-liter engine only made 170 horsepower. Moreover, the 924 Turbo powertrain wasn’t very reliable, which led to many performance issues.
Another issue with the 924 DP Cargo is the weight distribution at the back. The added weight, due to the shooting brake body style, caused a speed reduction. DP created the back hatch using a modified version of a Volkswagen Passat Wagon to obtain a completely flat roof loading area.
It is believed that the Porsche 924 DP Cargo models were just a handful though the exact number is not known. Some sources report it as ten, others nine, and some three. Regardless of the production number, a tuning job from DP Motorsport is not something you would want to dismiss easily out of hand.
The car is weird but functional and unique.
Technical Specifications
The vehicle listing for this car has it located in Stockholm, Sweden, where it has been since 1986. The car is mechanically functional but could use some TLC to bump it up to the optimal performance.
Here are its technical specifications:
- Manufacturer: Porsche
- Model: 924 DP Cargo
- Year: 1977
- Doors: 2
- Seats: 4
- Color: Red
- Mileage: 79,636
- Engine: 1,994
- Transmission: Manual
- Fuel: Petrol
- Drive side: Left-Hand Drive
Interior
DP Motorsport performed custom work on the interior part of the design. The monochromatic light gray scheme used matches the period in which it was tuned, and minor touches such as the DP steering-wheel center horn button and the large cargo space are still excellent to date.
An MSD ignition box fitted on the cowl just to the left of the battery in this model. This is on top of the 924 Turbo specs being used for this tuned version.
Exterior
The Porsche 924 DP Cargo exterior is based on the 1977 Porsche 924 design but with wild wagon-back coachwork. The car body style used is called the “shooting brake.” The term originated in the 1890s, referring to a horse-drawn wagon used for transporting shooting parties with their equipment.
There is no worldwide interpretation of the shooting brake, but it is commonly used to refer to coupe and station wagon body styles.
Engine
The engine had similar properties to the 924 Turbo from which it was crafted. The DP motorsport upgraded the powertrain to a complete match of the 924 Turbo specifications, giving it similar properties such as; engine, transaxle, brakes, and five-lug hubs. These specs will differ slightly considering the added weight to the body style.
The 924 Turbo engine, being used in this case, has a compression ratio of 7.5:1. The turbocharged model is the KKK K-26 turbocharger. The car poses a ten psi of boost and 168 horsepower at 5,500 revolutions per minute. Moreover, it produces 181 lb. ft of torque at 3,500 revolutions per minute and has a considerable weight of 29 kg.
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Transmission
The vehicle implements the use of a four-speed manual transmission and a rear transaxle.
Brake and Safety system
Porsche 924 DP cargo has a shooting brake body style.
The shooting brake style is modernly associated with a 2+2 sports coupe with an extended roofline. It retains the car’s low roof and the coupe’s sleek lines and adds some practicality to the vehicle.
The design gives way for more cargo space, and rear seats are favorable for people with proper height. There aren’t many shooting brakes on the market; the only new shooting brake you can buy might be Ferrari FF.
Porsche 924 DP cargo for sale
Note: There is no Porsche 924 DP Cargo for sale on Gmund Cars anymore.
One of these Porsche 924 DP Cargo is on the market for a buying price of $38,000. The car’s specification isn’t enough to justify the asking price; however, the uniqueness and quality of work, together with its scarcity say otherwise.
A few car listings have the Porsche 924 DP cargo on their categories, going for an average of $38,000.
Car-from-UK has one listing with an asking price of 25,995 pounds with a few offers already placed for the car. Uncrate also has a similar listing going for $38,000.
Feel free to check them out and rate the vehicle for yourself. It is worth the money.
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