Porsche’s four-cylinder cars
Porsche is intrinsically linked with the design and sounds of the flat-six engine, yet the company built many models with four-cylinder engines right from the start of its history.
The German sports-car maker grew from producing its 356s that began life with an improved version of the Volkswagen Beetle’s flat-four motor.
From then on, Porsche was rarely without a four-cylinder model in its line-up, right through to the mid-1990s.
Along the way, it has mounted four-cylinder engines in the rear, middle and front of cars, and cooled them with air and water – and the current Porsche range has come back to four-cylinder engines to combat emissions.
Here’s our look at every four-cylinder Porsche model produced, at the time of writing. The cars are presented in chronological order.
1. 1948 Porsche 356
Often referred to as the ‘Gmünd Roadster’, the very first car to bear the Porsche name was the 356/1 Roadster.
It was built in the town of Gmund in Austria, with a 1.1-litre, air-cooled, flat-four engine lifted from the Volkswagen Beetle and tuned to 35bhp.
This very first Porsche had a top speed of 83mph and the Roadster was joined by a coupé with an aluminium bodyshell, but still with the two-piece windscreen. Production moved to Stuttgart in 1950 and a single-piece windscreen arrived in 1952.
From 1951, a 1300 model was offered, followed by a 1500 in 1952, while a downrated 1500 was available from 1953.
Porsche had built 7267 of these early 356 models by the time they were replaced by the 356A in 1955.
2. 1953 Porsche 550
Unlike the 356 road car it outwardly resembled, the Porsche 550 was a pure racing car with a mid-engined layout, rather than being rear-engined.
The motor was still air-cooled but came with double overhead camshafts and was known as the ‘Fuhrmann engine’ after Ernst Fuhrmann who engineered it.
A 550A RS Spyder gave Porsche its first major race win with victory at the 1956 Targa Florio, which was the first time the event had been won by a car with an engine capacity of less than 2 litres.
Porsche built 90 550s, plus a further 40 550A cars as road-legal competition machines.
3. 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster
The ancestor of the Porsche Speedster was the American Roadster, which was a lightweight version of the 356 made in 1954.
Being 160kg (353lb) lighter, this exclusive model offered a 112mph top speed from its 1.5-litre engine.
The US Porsche importer liked the idea of the American Roadster, but asked Porsche for something much more affordable.
For $2995, he got his wish with a pared-back, open 356 with fewer interior luxuries, a cut-down windscreen and a more simple hood design.
It might have been basic, but the new model dubbed the Speedster was a huge hit. Unlike the mere 16 American Roadsters made, the Speedster in its various forms notched up sales of 2910.
The ultimate Speedster was the GS Carrera GT of 1957, which was the first Porsche road car to reach a top speed of 125mph.
4. 1955 Porsche 356A
Although not a radical departure in styling, the Porsche 356A that was launched in September 1955 was a major update. There was a choice of five engines, all of which were air-cooled flat-fours.
For those simply seeking a 356 at the keenest price, the 1300 model offered a modest 43bhp, but more customers chose the 1300 Super with 59bhp. That was the same power output as the 1600, while the 1600 Super offered 74bhp.
For the full experience, and if you could afford it, the 1500 GS Carrera model used a more exotic 99bhp version of the same basic motor.
Offered as a coupé, cabriolet or hardtop coupé, the 356A lifted Porsche to far greater sales and this model sold a total of 21,045, including the Speedster model.
5. 1957 Porsche 718
Developed from the 550, Porsche’s 718 retained the mid-engined layout for ideal balance on the race track. It also stuck with the 1.5-litre capacity and initially produced 142bhp in the Spyder model.
There was a Formula Two single-seater take on the 718 theme with a little more power, and these cars famously scored a 1-2-3 win at Aintree in 1960 with Stirling Moss, Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill driving.
The peak of 718 development arrived in 1960 with the RS 60 that used a 161bhp version of the engine expanded to 1587cc. This model proved hard to beat in European hillclimbs and also won the 1960 Sebring 12 Hours.
With a change to 1.5-litre engines in 1961 for Formula One, Porsche entered the 718 for a single season before it was superseded by the flat-eight 804 for 1962.
6. 1960 Porsche 356B
Evolution was the name of the game for the Porsche 356B, so you had to look to spot the raised bumpers and headlights, or the wider bonnet handle.
Under the rear engine lid, the entry-level engine was now the 59bhp, 1.6-litre flat-four, which still offered a 97mph top speed.
There was also a 1600S version, but the big news was the Super 90 model with its raised compression ratio and larger valves.
This model also had a larger, lighter clutch so it revved more freely, and it was the choice of many 356B buyers.
7. 1962 Porsche 356 2000 GS-GT Carrera
Following the launch of the 356B in 1960, Porsche once again looked to produce a homologation special based on its road car. The result was the 2000 GS-GT Carrera.
This outwardly similar car was very different under the engine lid and used a four-cam, 1996cc motor that, for competition cars, could be tuned to up to 170bhp.
To achieve the 2-litre capacity, the engine had a longer stroke and marginally increased bore, while the compression ratio was raised to 9.5:1.
A consequence of the work to make the engine more powerful was that it became wider, which necessitated access panels within the rear wheel tubs to allow spark-plug removal.
Other improvements for this engine included an uprated oil pump and freer-flowing exhaust manifolds.
The race version also had Weber carburettors, high-lift cams and stronger valve springs.
8. 1963 Porsche 356C
By the time Porsche revised the 356 into the C model, it was widely reckoned the car had been honed to perfection. US importer Max Hoffmann referred to the 356C as a ‘German automotive jewel’.
However, that didn’t prevent Porsche from further refining the 356 line and customers could now order the C version with 12-volt electrics as an option.
Beyond that, the engines remained largely untouched, though the entry-level 60 version was dropped and the 75 became the starting point for 356C customers.
You could also pick the 356C 2000 GS Carrera with the same engine as in the previous 356B model for racing.
9. 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS
The 904 saw Porsche refocus its attention on sports-car racing after its foray into F1 with the eight-cylinder 804.
A mid-engined layout was kept for the 904, similar to the 718, and a 1966cc engine related to the 356 2000 GS-GT Carrera was used.
This motor was considered to be one of the most complex engine designs ever produced up to that point.
It used four camshafts and twin spark plugs per cylinder, and was built to be reliable. This unit delivered 180bhp and was potent enough to offer a 160mph top speed in the light 904, which used a glassfibre body.
The flat-four engine accounted for 106 units according to Porsche, plus some with six-cylinder engines and three cars with a flat-eight unit.
10. 1965 Porsche 912
With the Porsche 911 moving the company upmarket in performance, perception and price, the German car maker needed a cheaper, entry-level model.
The answer came by fitting the 1.6-litre engine from the 356C into the 911’s body. The result was the 912.
While many looked down on the 912 as ‘parts-bin’ car, it was much better than the sum of its parts might have suggested.
Sure, the engine was c40bhp down on a base 911’s, but the flat-four was lighter so the 912 had better handling.
Using the same five-speed manual gearbox as the 911, the four-cylinder 912 was good for 0-62mph in 13.5 secs and could reach 114mph, so it was not slow for the period.
The original 912 lasted until 1969, and the idea was revived briefly in 1975 as a US-only model with a fuel-injected, 2-litre engine from the 914.
11. 1970 Porsche 914
Porsche co-developed the 914 with Volkswagen, which is why this model is also called a VW-Porsche.
While critics play up the VW connection, the 914 was a good sports car and gave Porsche a credible, entry-level model after the 912 had gone out of production in 1969.
At its launch, the 914 used a 1.7-litre flat-four from Volkswagen with 79bhp. Not the most inspiring unit, it did have fuel injection and 100lb ft of torque, as well as a five-speed manual gearbox. Top speed was 115mph and 0-60mph took around 13 secs.
From 1973, there was the option of a 99bhp, 2-litre engine to deliver 0-60mph in a much livelier 10.5 secs. A year later, the 1.7 was replaced by a 1.8-litre flat-four with 84bhp.
Production ended in 1975 with 115,646 four-cylinder models made, plus a further 3360 of the flat-six-powered 914-6.
12. 1976 Porsche 924
The 924 was a very different type of four-cylinder model for Porsche and one that it took on unexpectedly.
It was originally developed by Porsche for Volkswagen as a replacement for the 914, but VW pulled out and so Porsche took it on.
Not only was the 924 Porsche’s first front-engined car, it was also the marque’s first water-cooled road car and the in-line, four-cylinder engine was very different from its previous flat-four.
This new motor was an Audi unit to begin with and sent power to the rear wheels via a transaxle, which gave excellent weight distribution and handling.
When the 924 was updated into the S model in 1985, the new, 2.5-litre engine was an all-Porsche design and effectively half of a 928’s V8.
13. 1979 Porsche 924 turbo
Porsche’s second turbocharged road car was not as terrifying as the 930 turbo, but the 924 turbo was no less radical in its own right.
At a stroke, the Porsche 924 had 45bhp more and the power to make the most of its excellent chassis.
A KKK turbo was used to boost power of the 2-litre, in-line, four-cylinder engine to 168bhp, which later crept up to 175bhp in 1981.
To cope with the stresses of turbocharging, the engine gained a stronger crankcase, crankshaft, con rods, cylinder-head gasket and alloy cylinder head. There were also dished pistons and a reduced compression ratio.
The 924 turbo came with additional cooling ducts in the front edge of the nose and another on the bonnet, while uprated suspension, alloy wheels and a rear spoiler completed the package.
It was good for 0-60mph in 7.9 secs and 143mph, which helped the 924 turbo shift 12,365 units up to 1983.
14. 1980 Porsche 924 Carrera GT
If the turbo was the 924 Porsche really wanted to make, the Carrera GT was the turbo enthusiasts had been waiting for when it arrived in 1980.
A pure homologation special, only 406 Carrera GTs were made, with 75 produced in right-hand drive.
As well as the wider wheelarches and deep front spoiler, the GT had an intercooler and an increased boost for the turbo itself.
The outcome was 211bhp for the road cars, giving a top speed of 150mph and 0-60mph in 6.5 secs.
Porsche further updated the GT into the GTS and GTR versions with as much as 375bhp from the engine in full race trim.
The GTS was a road-legal car with 245bhp as standard, but the 18 GTRs made were all pure race machines.
15. 1982 Porsche 944
Clearly inspired by the style of the 924 Carrera GT, the 944 bridged the gap between Porsche’s entry-point model, and the far more expensive 911 and 928 ranges.
From the side profile, it was hard to see the difference between the 944 and its cheaper 924 sibling, but from the front you would notice the flared wheelarches and rear spoiler.
Under the bonnet lay a new, 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine canted on its side to give a low bonnet line.
The engine produced 161bhp to give it almost 40bhp more than a 924 in 1982 when the 944 was launched.
Power later improved to 187bhp for the S model of 1987 that came with a 16-valve cylinder head, and there was a new base 2.7-litre motor in 1988 with 163bhp.
16. 1985 Porsche 944 turbo
Just as turbocharging had given the 924 the power it deserved, forced induction once again created a Porsche the world had been waiting for with the 944 turbo of 1985.
The turbo used the same base 2.5-litre engine as other 944 models, but with a KKK turbocharger and Bosch engine management helping to increase power to 217bhp.
That meant 0-60mph in 5.9 secs and a 153mph top speed, which was enough to keep pace with a 911 3.2 Carrera.
For 1988, the engine’s power was increased to 247bhp courtesy of a larger turbo. At the same time, the Porsche 944 turbo gained a limited-slip differential, improved suspension and 1in wider rear wheels to harness this power upgrade.
17. 1989 Porsche 944 S2
A major update saw the Porsche 944 become the S2 in 1989.
The obvious clues to the new model were its smoother front end and different alloy wheels. Big changes could also be found under the bonnet.
Using experience gained from F1, Porsche was able to increase the 944’s four-cylinder engine to 2990cc. With ‘port holes’ between the cylinders to make the engine stiffer and revised cooling, this upped power to 208bhp and provided 0-60mph in 6.7 secs and 149mph.
The S2 used the same braking system as the 944 turbo to deal with its new-found power, and Porsche also offered a Cabriolet version of the 944 at long last as part of the S2 line-up.
18. 1991 Porsche 968
A cynical last-ditch marketing of an old model or the brilliant pinnacle of development for the front-engined, four-cylinder Porsche?
Both claims have been levelled at the 968, but what’s not in doubt is this was a very good sports car that just didn’t sell in great numbers.
The 3-litre engine was a carry-over from the 944 S2, but there were still improvements such as revised intake and exhaust systems, plus Porsche VarioCam technology.
This was the first time VarioCam was used by Porsche and the development offered variable valve timing in a bid to deliver improved fuel economy at lower revs and more power at higher engine speeds.
Along with VarioCam and improvements to the engine’s electronics, and lighter crankshaft and pistons, the 968’s engine produced 237bhp for 0-60mph in 6.1 secs and 153mph.
When the model went off sale in 1995, Porsche had made 12,793 examples of the 968, including the lightweight Club Sport and UK-only Sport models.
19. 2015 Porsche Macan
Twenty years on from Porsche’s last four-cylinder model, the Macan arrived in 2015 with a 2-litre, in-line ‘four’ as a base version of the company’s smaller SUV.
The turbocharged, 2-litre engine was a familiar unit from the greater Volkswagen empire and had its power increased to 248bhp for the Macan. That was enough to deal with 0-62mph in 6.7 secs and see it to 142mph flat out.
Also used in the likes of the Audi Q5 and Volkswagen Golf GTI of the same period, the direct-injection, 1984cc engine had a water-cooled exhaust to control temperatures. In turn, this gave better fuel economy and lower emissions.
Porsche updated the 2-litre engine in 2018.
20. 2016 Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman
The Porsche Boxster, and then its Cayman coupé sibling, were instant hits from the moment they arrived.
Porsche then renamed them 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman as a reference to the company’s 1950s racing cars, though the new four-cylinder engines had much more to do with emissions than historical lineage.
This time, the flat-four arrived with a turbocharger and capacities of 2 and 2.5 litres, the larger reserved for the S thanks to its 345bhp.
The standard models made do with 296bhp from the 2-litre, though this was still 35bhp more than the six-cylinder motors they replaced.
More power and performance were great on paper, but it took a long time for customers to come to terms with the noise from these new engines.
Porsche cured this with the launch of the GTS 4.0 in 2020 that returned to using a flat-six.