During the early development of what would become the Porsche 924 the company’s first front-engined production car Porsche took an unusual approach to testing. Rather than build a dedicated prototype, they bought a BMW 2002, removed its drivetrain, and installed their own experimental hardware beneath the familiar body.
BMW 2002 sits lower than the normal M10 four-cylinder BMW engined car
Key Facts – Porsche EA425 (Projekt 425)
- Developed in the mid-1970s
- Based on the BMW 2002
- Powered by a Volkswagen-derived inline-four
- Initially carried out without BMW’s knowledge
- Known internally as “Projekt 425”
At the time, Porsche was working closely with Volkswagen on what was internally known as Projekt 425. The aim was to replace the ageing Porsche 914, but rather than evolve the existing formula, Porsche made a bold decision move away from its traditional rear-engined layout and develop a front-engined sports car for the first time.
Development didn’t progress smoothly. The 1973 fuel crisis hit just as the project was gaining momentum, significantly impacting demand for sports cars. As a result, Projekt 425 was temporarily shelved before being revived roughly a year later.
When work resumed, Porsche and Volkswagen faced a new challenge: secrecy. A front-engined Porsche represented a major shift in philosophy, and they were keen to keep it under wraps. Their solution was clever hide the new mechanical package inside the body of a completely different car.
A BMW 2002 was purchased and stripped of its original engine and drivetrain. In its place, Porsche installed a 2.0-litre, water-cooled Volkswagen engine along with its own transmission setup. Beyond the obvious benefit of camouflage, the 2002 also provided a practical solution Porsche simply didn’t have an existing front-engined platform suitable for testing, and converting an existing car was far quicker than developing a bespoke mule.
Alongside the BMW, an Opel Manta was also used in a similar capacity.
Internally, the disguised BMW became known as EA425. The “EA” designation marked its transition into an officially recognised development programme, and by all accounts, the setup worked remarkably well. Testing continued for around a year, running in parallel with the design and engineering of what would ultimately become the Porsche 924.
Not the Only BMW Porsche Experimented With
Interestingly, this wasn’t the only time Porsche used a BMW as a test platform.
In the late 1990s, Ferdinand Piëch one of the most influential figures in both Porsche and Volkswagen history pushed forward development of the W-configuration engine. This unusual layout effectively combines two narrow-angle V engines on a single crankshaft, allowing for a more compact package and greater displacement within a smaller engine bay.
To test a W10 prototype, Piëch had it installed in an BMW M5 (E39), which he reportedly used as a daily driver for a period.
The result was a seriously quick “Frankenstein” BMW, producing around 500 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. While no official 0–60 mph time was ever recorded, it was widely believed to be significantly quicker than the standard E39 M5, which managed the sprint in approximately 4.8 seconds.