The landscape of motoring changed drastically in the 1970s. While many of the industry's greatest sports car brands fell to pressures, Porsche adapted. In 1976 came the type 924, a commission undertaken by Porsche for VW/Audi, abandoned by the client, and sold back to Porsche late in its development. A water-cooled 2.0L inline 4 Audi motor mounted at the front; the transmission married the rear axle (transaxle), forming a near 50/50 chassis. In base trim, the car produced just 95bhp. Kept simple, light, and most importantly affordable, much of the extremities were pulled from the shared family parts bin and the car itself was built, under contract, at the Audi plant in North Germany.

Professor Ernst Fuhrmann, father of the Carrera motor a decade before and then Porsche CEO, announced that Porsche's future, in the showroom and at the track, was in front engine, water-cooled models. "Racing is good advertising for every car", he would be quoted saying. In 1979, came the 375bhp homologated 924, the type 937 Carrera GT. Hand-built in Stuttgart and prepared at Weissach, the Norbert Singer-designed 937 took victories at Silverstone, Nürburgring and the 24hrs of Le Mans.

A road-going derivative of the Le Mans 937 came the type-944. A more purposeful sports car, the 944 carried a Hans Mezger-designed 143bhp 2.5L inline 4 and styling by Harm Lagaay. In the 10 years the model was offered, the 944 would see steel components traded for those of aluminum, turbocharging, three different capacity engines, and use as Porsche's first single marque "Cup" race car. In all, the 944 outsold the previous high-selling 924 by a near 40% margin.

Representing the culmination of the 944's legacy came the type-968. Over 80% of the design had either been significantly developed or completely replaced leaving little of the outgoing model behind. The styling borrowed elements from upscale siblings, later previewed on the type 993 911.

The 968's 3.0L inline 4 incorporated VarioCam, now produced 236bhp, and mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Production moved from the VW-Audi plant where the 924 and 944 cars had been manufactured to Porsche's own factory in Zuffenhausen. In the 4 years the model was offered, a mere 12K examples rolled off the production line.

Despite the horsepower, top speed, and acceleration, being less than their 911 contemporary, transaxle cars were, without a doubt, the better car. Their technology was cutting edge. Their handling, due to 50/50 weight distribution and large polar moment, remained unmatched. When on track, they finished best in class.

As 911s became weighted down by superfluous extras and luxury equipment, transaxle cars kept true to the spirit of Porsche: pure drivers' cars. No, they aren't being made today, but their legacy remains in use in the form of VarioCam, water-cooling technology and the SuperCup Series.

AUTHOR: CO.

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