Payne: Is bargain Scion FR-S the Porsche 944 reborn? - The Detroit News
Not since my first sports car 25 years ago — Porsche's legendary 944 — has a thrifty thoroughbred felt so good in my hands. "Affordable sports car," after all, is usually an oxymoron. But for the durable, adorable Mazda Miata roadster (25 years old this year), examples of the breed rarely survive the business bean counters. I grew up at the track, the oil-stained son of a Porsche race jockey. But on the street, Porsches were exotics — megabuck 911 playthings for middle-aged moguls. Long before Mercedes (CLA 250) and Audi (A3) crafted down-market sedans to lure younger demographics, Stuttgart hatched a $20K, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2 sports car that set young motorheads' hair on fire. "The most seductive combination of economy and performance money can buy," in the words of motorhead bible Road & Track. Where my college mates celebrated graduation by traveling to Europe to sip wine and chase French skirts, I rented a 944 (the Euro lot equivalent of a Mustang) with my old man and terrorized Germany. Six years and a many saved paychecks later, I had my own, used, 1987 Porsche (a 924S, the 944's streamlined, lightweight option). We did everything together from long trips to track days. As well-behaved as the 944 chassis was on track it was also practical around town with a hatchback and rear seats big enough for little Paynes. But Porsche would not make the 944 forever. Source: www.detroitnews.com
