Porsche 944

Shrikumar, Michael Kehr, Bob Joyce, George Beuselinck, Albert Broadfoot, Leonard Zech, Walter Spector, Pete Dillon, Marc Belanger, Ryoji Sumida, and many others have contributed to the care and feeding of the FAQ and to the authorship of the information contained within it. The same principle is also used for very accurate measurements of very small mass changes by means of the quartz crystal microbalance. Dennis Mitsch, Jim Pasha, Michael Bremer, Clint Cummings, H. Today, one of the most ubiquitous piezoelectric uses of quartz is as a crystal oscillator -- in fact these oscillators are often simply called "quartzes". Version 1.8.2
17 January 2006
The current FAQ maintainer is Kevin Gross, who can be reached at kgross@connact.com . One of the earliest uses for a quartz crystal was a phonograph pickup. The 944 was on Car and Driver's Ten Best list from 1983 through 1985, and the Turbo made the list for 1986. Quartz is also a type of piezoelectric crystal that creates electricity through a process called piezoelectricity when mechanical stress is put upon it.

The 944 S2 is the best choice among the 944's because its gas mileage is better than the Turbo's and has considerable horsepower for a normally-aspirated engine (208hp for the US model). He discovered that no matter how distorted a quartz crystal, the long prism faces always made a perfect 60 degree angle. During its time, the 944 S2 had the largest 4-cylinder petrol engine in the world (3.0L). Nicolas Steno's study of quartz paved the way for modern crystallography. Today it is actually necessary to equip the S2 with the 951 (944 Turbo) gearbox because this one is the only one with an oil cooler that is necessary through the immense torque. He also knew of the ability of quartz to split light into a spectrum. An additional 5640 944S2 cabriolets were produced in these years, with 2,402 being exported to the United States. He supported this idea by saying that quartz is found near glaciers in the Alps and that large quartz crystals were fashioned into spheres to cool the hands.

A total of at least 6,439 944S2 were made between 1989-1991, with 1,929 being exported to the United States. Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder believed quartz to be permanently frozen ice. Torque was a problem at low RPM, power curve started at 5,000 RPM to 6,800 RPM. Quartz is the most common material identified as the mystical substance maban in Australian Aboriginal mythology. A total of 12,936 944S were made between 1987-1988, with 8,688 being exported to the United States. Other sources insist the name is from the Saxon word "Querkluftertz", meaning cross-vein ore. "SP" designates a sport package option.. The name "quartz" comes from the German "Quarz", which is of Slavic origin.

A different source, Jerry Sloniger's article in the October 1991 issue of Excellence indicates that the factory built 525, of which 255 were exported to markets outside Germany. Lechatelierite is an amorphous silica glass SiO₂ which is formed by lightning strikes in quartz sand. * - Includes 1000 Turbo S
† - Includes 625 Turbo Cabriolet. Tridymite and cristobalite are high temperature polymorphs of SiO₂ which occur in high silica volcanic rocks. A total of 25,107 944 Turbos were made, with 14,235 being exported to the United States. Quartz is a common constituent of granite, sandstone, limestone, and many other igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. A total of 113,070 944s were made between 1982 and 1989, with 56,921 being exported to the United States. Erosion of pegmatites may reveal expansive pockets of crystals, known as "cathedrals.".

The 968 debuted in 1992 and was sold alongside the 928 through 1995, when both models were discontinued. These veins may bear precious metals such as gold or silver, and form the quartz ores sought in mining. Porsche quickly rethought their plans, and shifted development from a 944 S3 to a car that would replace the 944 entirely, dubbed 968. Well-formed crystals may reach several metres in length and weigh hundreds of kilograms. Once invested into the development process, they realized that so many parts were being changed that their "evolution" had really amassed to an almost entirely new vehicle. Quartz occurs in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites. In early 1990, Porsche engineers began working on what they had intended to be the third evolution of the 944, the S3. Large, flawless and untwinned crystals are produced in an autoclave via the hydrothermal process: emeralds are also synthesized in this fashion.

The S2 was also available as a cabriolet, a first for the 944 line. Because natural quartz is so often twinned, much quartz used in industry is synthesized. The 944S2 had the same rounded nose and valence body of the Turbo model. Carnelian is widely heat-treated to deepen its colour. This was the only year for the 2.7 L, as this year saw the introduction of the 944S2 with a 3.0 L engine displacement which saw sales through 1991. Although citrine occurs naturally, the majority is the result of heat-treated amethyst. The regular 944 displacement was increased to a 2.7 L engine. Prasiolite, an olive coloured material, is produced by heat treatment.

In 1989 the 'S' was dropped from the 944 Turbo S, and all 944 Turbos featured the 'S' package as standard. Not all varieties of quartz are naturally occurring. Starting with the 88 model year, dual air bags became standard equipment on all 944 series. This does not always hold true. For the 87 model year, ABS anti-lock brakes became an available option. Colour is a secondary identifier for the cryptocrystalline minerals, although it is a primary identifier for the macrocrystalline varieties. 1988 saw the introduction of the 944 Turbo S, with 250 bhp (186 kW) and a standard limited slip differential. Although many of the varietal names historically arose from the colour of the mineral, current scientific naming schemes refer primarily to the microstructure of the mineral.

The 944S had a little more power thanks in part to the series' first sixteen valve engine, as well as other slight improvements. The cryptocrystalline varieties are either translucent or mostly opaque, while the transparent varieties tend to be macrocrystalline. In 1987 a "Super" version, the 944S (naturally-aspirated), was introduced while dual air-bags and an anti-lock braking system were introduced as options on the base model. Chalcedony is a generic term for cryptocrystalline quartz. Major engine component revisions, more than 30 in all, were made to the 951 to compensate for increased internal loads and heat. The most important distinction between types of quartz is that of macrocrystalline (individual crystals visible to the unaided eye) and the microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline varieties (aggregates of crystals visible only under high magnification). The Turbo also featured several other revisions, such as improved aerodynamics, a strengthened gearbox, wider wheels and uprated suspension. Quartz is one of the world's most common crustal minerals and goes by a bewildering array of different names.

This had a turbocharged and intercooled version of the standard car's engine that produced 220 bhp (164 kW) at 6000 rpm. . In 1985 Porsche introduced the 944 Turbo, a higher-performance variant, known internally as the 951. A quartz geode consists of a hollow rock (usually with an approximately spherical shape) with a core lined with a bed of crystals. The "cookie cutter" style wheels used in the early 944s were upgraded to the new "phone dial" style wheels. Additionally a bed is a common form, particularly for varieties such as amethyst, where the crystals grow up from a matrix and thus only one termination pyramid is present. Other changes included a change in oil sump capacity, new front and rear cast aluminum control arms and semi-trailing arms, a larger fuel tank, optional heated and powered seats, revised starter, and revisions in the mounting of the transaxle to reduce noise and vibration. The typical shape is a six-sided prism that ends in six-sided pyramids, although these are often twinned, distorted, or so massive that only part of the shape is apparent from a mined specimen.

The alternator was upgraded from a 90 amp alternator to a 115 amp alternator. Density is 2.65 g/cm³. The interior's ergonomics and air conditioning system was improved and the radio antenna also moved from a standard vertical position to being embedded in the windshield. It has a hexagonal crystal structure made of trigonal crystallized silica (silicon dioxide, SiO₂), with a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale. In mid-1985 the 944's underwent its first significant changes. Quartz is amongst one of the most common minerals in the Earth's continental crust. Porsche had to pay Mitsubishi a fee of $8 for every engine using this system.

The 944's engine used the patented balance shaft technology developed by Mitsubishi (as used in the 2.6 L Astron engine) to minimise vibration. Compared to the 924, the 944 had updated bodywork and many improved parts such as its engine, brakes etc. The 944 was introduced in 1982 with a 2.5 L straight-4 engine whose design was based on one half of the Porsche 928's V8 engine. .

The 944 was a huge success for Porsche throughout the 1980s, and was available in several forms throughout its evolution: 944, 944S, 944 Turbo, and the 944S2. Production ended in 1991 when it was replaced by the Porsche 968. It was introduced in 1982 to replace the Porsche 924 as their entry level model, although the two cars were sold in parallel for a number of years. The Porsche 944 was a high performance sports car produced by German auto manufacturer Porsche.

The 924/944/968 FAQ
. ISBN 0-75252-072-5. Parragon. Porsche: The Legend.

Wood, J (1997).