The Porsche 928

When the Porsche 928 made its debut in 1978, it quickly became a fan favourite due to its distinctive flying saucer design and pop-up headlights. Bridging the gap between grand touring and sports car capabilities with exceptional poise over highway speeds as well as mountain top speeds, its arrival was met with enthusiastic reception by consumers everywhere.

History

The Porsche 928 stands as a reminder of Porsche’s attempt at something different forty years ago. Although their plan never saw fruition, the 928 did give birth to the V8 engine and an innovative multi-link rear axle arrangement which has since become standard among 911s.

Motoring journalists were quick to recognize its revolutionary design upon its debut in 1978, awarding it European Car of the Year honours almost immediately. The early OB model boasted a 16-valve, 4.5-litre V8 producing 219bhp; its front suspension featured double wishbones with anti-roll bars; while its innovative rear set-up featured semi-trailing arm arrangement that reduced unwanted toe changes during cornering for greater control and reduced oversteer.

Over the following 18 years Porsche continued to improve and refine the 928. In 1979 a 2mm overbore increased power from 295hp to 315hp; subsequent updates featured electronic fuel injection and single plate clutch on manual cars.

Design

The 928 was developed during the early 1970s in an attempt to replace Porsche’s flagship 911 car. Unfortunately, production began during a time of great turmoil within Porsche with significant internal disputes among family members as new CEO Ernst Fuhrmann assumed control.

This car featured an all aluminium body, including front wings, bonnet and doors capable of withstanding collisions at up to 80 km/h (54.7 mph). Furthermore, its 2-seat layout allowed two additional small seats in its back for passenger seating.

Porsche invented and installed on this large GT car the Weissach axle rear suspension system to compensate for toe-out caused by braking forces, providing much more predictable handling feel compared to conventional semi-trailing arms and allowing drivers to apply more power without fear of losing control of the car.

This 1993 928 was finished in stunning red with white striping and featured a full wraparound light bar. Equipped with 17″ five-spoke cup design wheels and featuring wider rear track and flared wheel arches. Furthermore, it featured front and rear spoilers – one of the most eye-catching restomods I’ve come across recently.

Engine

The 928 engine underwent frequent revisions and upgrades during its 18 year production run, first featuring a four-barrel carburetor before switching over to Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system.

Porsche engineers designed their early prototypes around large displacement motors such as 5.0 L V8s producing close to 300 horsepower. As fuel costs and supply concerns increased during the oil crisis of the 1970s, demand grew for development of smaller 180hp powerplants; however, company engineers objected strongly.

Over its development period, the 928’s engine underwent numerous enhancements. New camshafts and cylinder heads were introduced, along with aluminium crankcases featuring Nikasil cylinder treatments to reduce friction and save weight compared to cast-iron liners. Combustion chambers had 95mm bores with 78.9mm strokes to facilitate good torque distribution.

The clutch was upgraded from twin-plate to single-plate on the S4, brakes upgraded and suspension with its “Weissach Axle” arrangement minimised understeer. Wheel offset was unique to each car while alloy wheel sizes and styles varied frequently; owners also often fitted supercharger kits or turbo chargers as stock engines allowed significant power increases with little part failure; many also installed air ride systems which further decreased center of gravity and enhanced ride quality.

Performance

As one of the early large displacement front-wheel drive Porsches, the 928 has always been known for its lightning fast acceleration. Not only that; this car’s chassis, suspension and brakes have been constantly refined over the years for optimal straight line stability while still offering instant responsiveness.

The front-mounted, water-cooled V8 initially displaces 4.5 L and featured a single four-barrel carburetor; in 1980 this was upgraded with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection to increase output even further – up to 319 horsepower on US cars!

Take care to make sure all electrical systems, including the vacuum system that runs multiple mechanisms like door locks, are operating optimally. Inspect for signs of bodywork damage including uneven panel fits or paint depth. Minor rust issues should be expected with an older car, but body damage is the true danger here; any inconsistent body lines and seams could indicate previous accidents or misuse. Finally, search for well-kept interior with clean carpets, upholstery and dashboard.

Steering

As one of the first front-engine/rear-drive Porsches designed specifically to offer luxury GT car experience, the 928 was intended to herald a new era for Porsche after replacing its flagship 911 model. Though it never quite achieved this lofty goal, the 928 remains an engaging and versatile car capable of covering long journeys comfortably.

Not like modern cars with variable-ratio power steering systems, the 928 uses conventional hydraulics instead, making it feel solid at high speed but less responsive at lower speeds. Some owners have modified their cars with short shifter kits or red brake calipers in order to bring out its full potential.

One of the hallmarks of the 928 was its rear-mounted transmission, which provided for superior weight distribution and allowed it to handle corners with incredible grace. Thanks to one of its signature features – a double wishbone axle known as Weissach axle tailored specifically for it which helped avoid toe-out during mid-corner throttle lifts – one of its signature characteristics of this car was its rear-mounted transmission which gave better weight distribution while simultaneously improving handling characteristics and handling dynamics.

Interior

In 1977 Porsche fans were shocked by a revolutionary new model: the Porsche 928 was an eye-opener; an unexpected front-engine sports car with V8 power and spacious interior that defied expectations compared to its rear-drive counterpart, the 911. Both had limited seating capacity with no provision for children in their rear seats compared to each other.

The new Porsche 928 featured an innovative transmission, known as the Weissach axle. This system compensated for any toe-out caused by braking forces and made the car much simpler to drive at high speeds while providing enhanced all-round handling stability – especially thanks to double wishbone front suspensions and Pirelli P7 low profile tires which further added support to its stability.

Interior of the 928 was elegant and luxurious by today’s standards, featuring a sweeping center console and glovebox area which seamlessly blended into its cabin. Early cloth seats were replaced by attractive leather bucket seats while its backrest could fold for easier loading purposes.

Porsche introduced a special “Competition Group” option for North American 928 buyers that featured front and rear spoilers, 16″ flat disc wheels, sport seats, and Bilstein shock absorbers – only available from late 1980 to 1983 and not to be confused with later “S” models featuring more powerful 5.4 L 32 valve engines.