5 Forgotten Porsche Concepts: What Could Have Been

5. Porsche 965 Turbo

Porsche’s obsession with turbocharging is an epic tail on its own. When it comes to Porsche’s road-going, turbocharged sports cars, the original 930 Turbo “Widowmaker” is one of the most significant and most dangerous Porsche cars out there. But few probably know that we almost got a very different 911 Turbo for the model’s second generation. Back in 1984, Porsche was working on the 930’s successor. We eventually got the 964 Turbo, but there was also a V-8-powered prototype, dubbed the 965 Turbo.

The 930 Turbo successor was meant to have an engine that shared the 959’s water-cooled-head design. It was deemed too complex, so the 965 prototype had a water-cooled Audi-derived V-8. The 965’s rear end bore a striking resemblance to the 959 supercar but was to be slotted under it in the Porsche sports car lineup. The production variant of the Porsche 965 was meant to have a Porshe-built V-8 that would be shared with the 989 (also on this list). Ultimately, Porche decided to go with the 964 Turbo, which was developed simultaneously. Out of the 16 prototypes, a single 965 developmental car survived.

4. Porsche 969

In 1988, Porsche was working on a successor to the legendary 959 - Porsche’s first supercar and one of the most historically significant Porsches. The project was dubbed 969 and was supposed to be an evolution of the 959, carrying over much of its technology. The goal for the new supercar was to have a twin-turbo engine that packed even more power than the 959’s 444-horsepower figure (508 horsepower for the 959 S). It would still have all-wheel drive, but more interestingly, Porsche was considering a dual-clutch automatic even back then.

Sadly, Porsche’s financial situation became even more dire than it already was, prompting management to make some difficult choices. Many projects were scrapped, including the Porsche 969. The only project that came to fruition was the Porsche 993, which was developed around the same time. The single clay Porsche 969 prototype was destroyed when the project was shut down, meaning no physical copies of the car survived.

3. Porsche Pajun

It’s the mid-2010s, and you want a four-door Porsche, but the Panamera is a bit too large for you? Well in 2015, Porsche almost had an answer to a question nobody asked. The Porsche Pajun concept was unveiled, as a future, four-door model, slotted under the Panamera. In fact, the name Pajun stands for "Panamera Junior". The model was meant to receive a V-6 hybrid powertrain and therein lies the problem.

While Porsche, at the time, had a V-6 (the 3.6-liter lump in the first-generation Panamera/ not a VR6), the company never had a hybrid V-6, which, likely, meant the Pajun was going to have an Audi engine. While not that big of an issue now, this could have been detrimental to the new model, in times when even the Panamera’s longevity was still under question. The Pajun was postponed until 2019, but instead, we got the Taycan, which could be facing extinction. I bet Porsche is regretting this decision now.

2. Porsche 989

Porsche’s involvement in the four-door sedan segment goes back way before the first Panamera. However, most of these four-door models were built for other manufacturers, a case in point being the Mercedes 500E (W124) and the Studebaker 530 and 542 prototypes before that. In 1988, Porsche had a full-scale prototype of what was to be a four-door sedan, visually inspired by the 911. It was dubbed the 989 and from the start, its fate was bound to another model – the Porsche 928, which many believed was there to replace the 911.

Despite the 911-esque looks, the 989 was front-engine. It was to be powered by a V-8 engine, displacing 3.6 to 4.2 liters, producing between 300 and 350 horsepower. Interestingly enough, Porsche used a Mercedes 300E (W124) as a test mule for the 989’s V-8 engine. Due to the 928’s declining sales and Porsche’s overall financial situation, the 989 project was scrapped in 1991. One element of the 989’s exterior - the taillights - made it onto the Porsche 996.

1. Porsche C88

Here we are at Posche’s “ugly duckling” of a concept car. The C88 is a car Porsche designed in 1994, specifically for the Chinese market. I was surprised to see the sole C88 prototype exhibited in 2014, at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. You would think they would hide it in a dark corner somewhere never to be seen again. Understandably, the C88 lacks Porsche badging. The car was, reportedly, developed in just four months.

It featured a 1.1-liter flat-four engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The Chinese government shamelessly copied the C88 design and according to a Porsche Museum rep, elements of its design were used in a number of Chinese cars. We cannot confirm or deny the accusation, but Chinese automakers in the past have been known to copy existing designs and get away with it.