The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS had a huge impact on the automotive scene. It’s way more aggressive than anything the company has offered to road users and brings such advanced aerodynamics that people now wonder what that would look like on older cars, such as a Porsche 944.
The 924 and 944 are known for being these affordable entry points into the world of retro sports cars, but that’s because they weren’t supposed to be Porsches in the first place. Their genesis lies in the EA425 engineering project commissioned by Volkswagen.
Volkswagen didn’t want to put the 924 into production and instead opted to sell the cheaper Golf-based Scirocco. Porsche needed a sports car to replace the 914 so it ended up buying the car they developed back from VW and even contracted them to build the thing at their factory in Neckarsulm (which used to be an NSU factory).
The 944 was just an upgraded version of the 924. Between 1982 and 1991, they built over 163,000 cars, making this the most successful Porsche series until the introduction of the Boxster. But affordability usually doesn’t equal excitement, which is where this rendering comes in.
Digital artist Khyzyl Saleem, aka the_kyza, is one of many pixel experts to fall in love with the styling of the 992 GT3 RS and he decided to give those aero upgrades to a 944, the Turbo, to be precise.
The Weissach look on a cheap Porsche
The 944 Turbo had a turbocharged and intercooled version of the normal engine which delivered 217 horsepower on the US version. This model came about in 1986, and by 1988, a Turbo S was offered with a larger KKK K26-8 turbocharger making 247 hp.
The numbers aren’t exactly inspiring, but I’ve always been a huge fan of the 944, and this widebody rendering reveals the aftermarket potential of the car. After all, this is a transaxle sports car, I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody ends up building one.
Going from a normal 944 Turbo to a 992 GT3 RS impersonator required a lot of digital chopping. The front end is new, basically borrowing the intakes from the 2023 car but also having some of that boxy 1980s look. It also has Le Mans-style headlights instead of the normal pop-ups, combined with modern LED projectors.
The tall carbon fiber blades on the front bumper are there to manage the air going down the side of the car and the ones attached to the fenders help manage the air coming out of the wheel well. This extreme widebody kit also includes side skirts and a massive diffuser at the back of the car. Because the 944 Turbo is a hatchback, the designer opted for a massive ducktail instead of a wing.
You may also notice some of the smaller upgrades to the design such that the taillights which copy the Porsche 992, or the full roll cage installed behind the driver. In the case of the GT3 RS, this would belong to the optional Weissach pack. Very expensive stuff, which also includes lightweight magnesium wheels and an exposed carbon roof.
