The Porsche 928 Top Speed
An engine is an intricate system composed of many gears and shafts humming away harmoniously in concert.
For a car that was in production from 1977 to 1995, the Jaguar E-type is fast and powerful. At its peak performance it could reach 60 miles per hour in 7.6 seconds while also boasting a top speed of 160 miles per hour.
Power
The Porsche 928 represented an attempt at merging the power, poise, and handling of true sports car with the refinement and equipment found in luxury sedans. While resembling its compact predecessor 911 in size and handling characteristics, its larger dimensions made life easier for rear seat passengers and provided more storage capacity for luggage.
The initial generation 928 debuted in 1978 and featured a water-cooled, single overhead cam all-alloy V8 rated at 240 horsepower with Bosch fuel injection. This engine drove either five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission to drive its rear wheels – its transaxle was located far back so as to maintain equal front/rear weight distribution.
This balanced layout allowed the 928 to be more comfortable than most sports cars of its day while remaining quick and straightforward to drive, reaching 100 mph from rest within seven seconds and topping 220 mph as its top speed.
In 1980 (North American model year 1983), Porsche introduced their revised 928 S model. The engine featured in this vehicle produced 297 horsepower thanks to larger valves, lighter tappets, and smaller diameter exhaust valves – creating an improved 10.0:1 compression ratio as well.
The front-wheel-drive Porsche 928 could easily be towed, making it suitable for rallying and motorsport events. Drivers looking for additional power could upgrade with the Competition Group option that included front spoiler, 16″ flat disc brakes, and sport seats – however this was only available during its initial three years of existence in North America.
In 1987, Porsche unveiled their 928S4 with its newly designed dual-overhead camshaft 5.0-liter engine capable of running on lower octane fuel while producing 221 horsepower. Furthermore, this version could also be ordered with four-piston front callipers for quicker stopping power. A more rounded shape was adopted exterior-wise while rear spoilers had been moved closer to hinges for easier operation; plus in 1988 there was even a Club Sport variant which could shed up to 100kg (220lb).
Weight
Few cars possess as much power and versatility as the Porsche 928. Although originally meant to replace its sibling 911, this front-engine V8 sports coupe quickly established an identity all its own and eventually outlived it.
At first glance, it can be hard to comprehend that such an elegant vehicle could contain such intricate engineering systems hidden away beneath its skin. From its engine to the massive rear axle, everything inside this stunning automobile contains hardware.
The Porsche 928 used a front-mounted, water-cooled V8 that powered its rear wheels. Originally it displaced 4.5 liters and featured single overhead camshafts; in North America however, smog equipment limited output to 219 horsepower (237 kW; 222 PS).
This car packs an immense amount of power into its short wheelbase chassis. As it was front-engined, its weight distribution could compromise adhesion between tires. But engineers came up with a trick to counter this effect; double wishbone suspension on each of its front wheels meant any movement one side caused would move the other as compensation for this effect.
Just that is only the start of Porsche designers’ complexity-laden work on this vehicle. The rear suspension utilizes an identical system, yet with more complex links that enable different ride heights and traction control settings to allow for comfortable highway use or racetrack performance.
A key factor that prevents the 928 from being an overly heavy and underpowered vehicle is that it comes equipped with modern safety features. This includes airbags, passenger side curtain airbag, and antilock brakes – all essential elements in today’s grand tourers.
One of the hallmarks of Porsche 928 ownership is its ease of driving. Even with all of its impressive machinery under the hood, getting this car moving and keeping pace with traffic on the freeway shouldn’t be difficult despite all of its weight. Some owners even claim that they get close to 20 mpg during normal driving which is remarkable considering such high performance capabilities are involved.
Transmission
The 928 was designed as a grand tourer, taking aim directly at Ferrari’s rear-engined 365 GT4 and other GT cars. With its transaxle design and 50/50 weight distribution, making the 928 much easier and more enjoyable than its counterpart, the difficult 911.
This car featured large windows and a low roofline, with access to its trunk through a hatchback – giving it an extremely distinctive and more dramatic look than the conventional Porsche 911. Furthermore, it was unique at its time as being equipped with pop-up headlamps resembling exposed heads when turned on; when ignition was switched on however they rose just like those found on Lamborghinis Miura.
At its launch, the car was available with either a five-speed dog leg manual transmission or Mercedes-Benz three speed automatic with four speeds in North America and later other markets. Over 80 percent of cars sold had automatic transmission; manuals may be desirable among collectors but the big V8 makes an autobox ideal. Still offering impressive acceleration.
An impeccable 928 can cost well over $100,000 in mint condition, although prices will depend on its model year and condition. Early models requiring restoration tend to be less costly while rarer examples can reach close to $200,000.
As the 928 was basically unchanged for 18 years, its engine, suspension and interior all received numerous upgrades. One notable development was the introduction of a more powerful V8 engine known as the 928 GTS in 1993; its displacement increased from 5.0 to 5.4 liters while also boasting more advanced four valves per cylinder technology.
The GTS featured a more powerful brake system and more comfortable ride and handling setup that made it a true road-going supercar. Production of this model lasted until 1995 when it was replaced by the even more powerful 928 Turbo. It featured larger engines with more powerful performance as well as exotic paint colors and interior modifications that enhanced racing capabilities.
Brakes
The Porsche 928 was one of the fastest cars of its time. Capable of reaching top speeds of 218 mph on open highway driving conditions and with an incredible 0-60 time of less than six seconds; additionally it could pull 0.83g cornering force.
The car’s large-displacement engine enabled it to reach such high speeds, but required much space under its hood for hardware like battery, muffler, spare tire well and transmission – leaving little space for front suspension which caused its front to drop very low causing severe body shake and poor handling.
Porsche engineers attempted to address this by decreasing the size of the motor for increased fuel economy. They initially considered switching out for a smaller 3.3 L, 180 horsepower engine but decided against this approach due to fears it could compromise its sporting/grand tourer reputation.
At its heart, performance was what set this car apart from others in its class. Competitors like BMW M6 were found, yet unlike them it offered 2-door model which helped increase buyer appeal and broaden appeal across an incredibly broad spectrum.
At the tail-end of its production run, Porsche upgraded the 928. It did this by replacing S4 and GT models with an enhanced GTS variant with larger brakes and an engine featuring four valves-per-cylinder heads – something neither S4 or GT models could do.
The GTS was more costly than previous GT and S4 models, which hindered sales. A combination of its more expensive price, new engine specifications and upgraded brakes also contributed to it costing over $100,000 when fully equipped – something which adversely impacted sales despite still being an extremely capable machine. Perhaps that is why its production was discontinued after only 407 examples had been sold.
Porsche 928 Top