The Porsche 924 started life as a project to be developed for Volkswagen/Audi by Porsche, and it was confined to using the engine and components from VAG vehicles. The outcome of this was a car that used the engine from the VW LT van, although Porsche saw to it that this was coupled by a torque tube to a transaxle giving the 924 almost perfect weight distribution. The 1973 Oil Crisis caused Volkswagen to get cold feet, so Porsche bought out the project and continued alone until they asked VW to build the 924 at its NSU Neckarsulm factory. The 924 was launched to the press in 1975 with a 1984cc inline four cylinder fuel-injected engine in the front driving the rear wheels through a 5-speed transaxle and giving 125bhp. The body was designed by Harm Lagaay under Anatole “Tony” Lapine. In 1979 The Porsche 924 Turbo (931) was launched using only the 1984cc engine block from the 924 and changing everything else to create a 170bhp Porsche engine. In 1980 Porsche announced the 924 Carrera GT (937) as a competition car with the Turbo engine now uprated to 210bhp. Production continued until 1985, even though the larger-engined 944 was launched in 1983. The final version of the 924 was the 924S launched in 1986 which was given the 2479cc engine from the 944, the engine being half of the Porsche 928 unit.