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PORSCHE 928 HISTORY
The Porsche 928 was introduced in 1978 and remained in production until 1995. Over its 16 years life 61,000 cars were sold around the world.
Porsche conceived the 928 as an upmarket replacement for the aging 911 and particularly aimed the car at the American market. The idea began in the early 1970s when the company decided that the iconic 911's unconventional air cooled flat six rear engine layout was suppressing its potential market. The 928 was designed to change that, being a conventional front engined V8 car with significant advances in cabin space and comfort - without sacrificing Porsche's reputation for superb handling. The car would particularly appeal in America where safety legislation looked likely to make the 911 format redundant.
The 928 was launched to a fanfare and surprised many by being named European Car of the Year, an award that traditionally went to worthy but dull family hatchbacks. Critics immediately recognised the advances over the 911 and the car was universally praised as one of the greatest GT cars of all time. It handled, it was quick, it looked fantastic and it was comfortable.
With the 928 Porsche created a serious long distance grand touring car that could also tackle twistiing B-roads with ease, thanks to super-direct steering, 50/50 weight distribution and a clever Weissach rear axle that kept the car firmly planted on the road. Many testers found that their nerve ran out long before the 928's grip.
If the 928 attracted any criticisms it was that it wasn't quite quick enough. The original 4.4 litre engine generated 240 bhp but, mated to a relatively heavy car, the performance didn't match the 911. So Porsche introduced the 928S fitted with a 4.7 litre version of the engine and generating 310 bhp. This began to deliver the car's potential, achieving 0-60 times of around 7 seconds. But the real trump card of this engine, which extra power began to reveal, is its in-gear acceleration around the mid-range - 50-70 mph sprints or indeed any acceleration from 3,000 rpm is in the supercar league.
Porsche continuously developed the 928 throughout its life, firstly with the S2, which received the 4.7 litre engine and front and rear spoilers to reduce lift at high speed. The major revision was the launch of the Porsche 928 S4 in 1987, which received smoothed off front and rear bumpers, a bigger rear spoiler, more interior equipment and a 5 litre version of the V8 engine, developing 330 bhp. The S4 style was largely retained for the rest of the car's life but Porsche created several model variants including the Porsche 928 GT and Porsche 928 GTS and introduced a 5.4 litre version of the original engine along with a small power upgrade. The final cars were made in 1995. Most cars were automatics - initially three speed then four speed - and manual cars are rare.
The Porsche 928 was always intended to sit upmarket from the 911. It was originally conceived as a replacement to that car, but changes in the direction of American safety and emissions legislation gave the 911 a reprieve. Porsche responded by developing the 911 throughout the 1980s so that a 911 Turbo in Guards Red became an icon of red-braced pinstriped city types.
With its role as 911-replacement redundant, Porsche worked hard to separate the 911 and 928 in the market, turning the 911 into an everyday sports car with ever-faster variants and moving the 928 firmly into the supercar GT territory occuppied by Ferrari's Testarossa and the Lamborghini Countach. In this company the 928 struggled. While its performance and handling were superior on both counts, it lacked the in-demand extravagant styling of these cars and was overshadowed by the well-established 911 elsewhere in the range. However, the car wasn't a failure and found a loyal following amongst buyers who appreciated its deep capabilities, reliability and lack of flamboyance.
Today, like the Porsche 924 and Porsche 944, the Porsche 928 still sits in the shadow of the 911. As it matures into a classic car - the oldest examples are now over 30 years old - it is attracting a growing following of enthusiasts who appreciate its all-round abilities. Whereas a 911 is a car that has to be learned and mastered, the 928 can be instantly be driven quickly and well. It is also comfortable, reliable and distinctive.
