Porsche 928 and Pop Culture
The Porsche 928 represented a notable departure for German automaker Porsche when it first went on sale in 1977 as both in terms of design and engineering. Furthermore, it was one of the most expensive cars on sale that year and proved difficult for sales due to alluring alternatives from competitors. Although not an enormous seller in terms of numbers sold, this vehicle still enjoyed some recognition within pop culture by making appearances in films, music videos, television series and more.
As soon as it was first introduced, the 928 was an impressive sports car offering; garnering rave reviews from automotive press. But over time its high price became its downfall; customers found less expensive options with comparable performance and handling more appealing.
In terms of styling, the 928 was virtually unchanged until 1980 (it finally reached America in 1983). That year saw the introduction of the 4.7-liter 928 S, adding even more power due to its larger displacement engine and upgraded transmission. The S also featured front and rear spoilers, an aggressive exterior design, wider tires, and front and rear spoilers – features which had not been present on its predecessor models.
Porsche began tinkering with their engines to increase fuel economy during the early ’80s. Engineers proposed creating a smaller, lower displacement motor but decided against it due to cost and availability concerns at that time. Instead, a 3.3 L 180 horsepower powerplant was developed and included as an option on some models; however, Porsche ultimately decided against this and stuck with their larger 4.7 L engine as their standard offering.
In 1984, Porsche gave their 928S to Brumos Racing team for use at 24 Hours of Daytona race. Richard Attwood, Vic Elford and Howard Meister received specific instructions not to modify it in any way despite which it performed admirably and finished fourth overall.
In “Risky Business,” Lewis Johnsen used a 1979 Porsche 928 with a 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V-8 and telephone dial wheels as part of the car used on set and later purchased it from Maaco in Colorado. Johnsen then restored it himself, taking it to a painter for platinum metallic paint work and adding new tires – showing it at Petersen Automotive Museum and Barrett-Jackson events.
Movies
When it comes to Porsches in movies, nothing tops the 1979 Porsche 928 featured in Risky Business as an iconic example. This car played an essential part in Joel (Tom Cruise) being pursued by Guido (a killer pimp). Joel rolls downhill onto a rickety dock before it finally crashes into the water; according to auction house officials this was done intentionally for dramatic effect – especially as high school senior climbs onto its top and breathes a sigh of relief as his car slides into its watery grave!
The 928 featured in the movie wasn’t the only 928 to appear, but it certainly stood out. In fact, similar cars used in other scenes and later restored were featured at Porsche Cars North America Show this April where it received much attention. The car from the movie features a white exterior refinished in gold for filming with 16″ five-spoke Club Sport wheels; additionally it includes autographs from several cast members such as Bronson Pinchot and Joe Pantoliano!
Another lesser-known car used in the film but nevertheless utilized for driving scenes was this example, used frequently throughout. Equipped with leather interior and powered by its trademark 4.5-liter V8, coupled to five-speed manual gearbox, it featured in short documentary The Quest for RB928 by filmmaker Lewis Johnsen; Risky Business producer Jon Avnet taught Tom Cruise how to drive stick shift in this particular Porsche.
The Porsche 928 was an immensely popular model during the 80s, so it should come as no surprise that it would make an impactful statement about pop culture. With its sleek lines and sporty performance, this vehicle made an ideal subject for films starring it; no doubt this helped boost sales when featured on screen! The model remained popular through 1990s; today its enthusiast base still makes an impressionful statement through their presence.
Music
Porsche 928 sports car has long been revered as an icon of restomods. Modders take great pleasure in customizing it back to its former glory by outfitting it with modern appointments and technology. As part of an innovative collaboration project, Porsche and artist/social media personality Daniel Arsham collaborated on creating a millennium-inspired 928 that looks straight out of early 2000s, complete with rear wing designs that featured prominent shapes at that time and front bumper designs featuring these shapes as part of this vehicle.
The Porsche 928 made its first debut in 1977 as an answer to BMW and Mercedes models of similar style, such as the 911. As its successor model, it proved popular with customers but never achieved the status of its predecessor car; traditionalists continued their loyalty for its rear engine design while it struggled against competitors such as BMW.
Although it never attained the status of its predecessor, the 911, the 928 was nonetheless an innovative vehicle that set trends for years to come. Boasting an expansive interior and powerful V8 engine, the 928 was an attractive fast grand tourer which could rival those from BMW and Mercedes.
The Porsche 928 was also the first production car to introduce computerized stability control as standard on subsequent models, which would become standard across their lineup. This system activates when speed or traction sensors detect loss of grip in the vehicle; then adjusts throttle, brakes and steering accordingly to help drivers maintain control.
In 1983, Tom Cruise played Joel Goodson who used his father’s Porsche 928 to escape Guido (portrayed by an unsympathetic Christopher Walken ). One scene shows Joel using it on an unstable dock while trying to stop its roll into Lake Pepin. Unfortunately he fails and it eventually rolls into it instead.
The Porsche 928 has long been revered as an icon in popular culture due to its distinctive look and powerful performance. Throughout time, this vehicle has stood the test of time while inspiring future generations of automotive enthusiasts.
Television
The Porsche 928 was so unique, as well as so shocking at its time, that its presence would undoubtedly appear in several television shows and films. One such appearance can be found in 1983 movie Risky Business where Tom Cruise plays Joel Goodson driving an unspecified 928 through small town streets trying to escape his killer pimp – it makes an unforgettable scene where Joel ends up abandoning chase and ending up driving it directly into a lake that he was trying to avoid!
In the ’80s, Porsche 928’s iconic design made waves: it featured pop-up headlights that could be concealed during daylight hours but emerged at night to enable better vision. This revolutionary vehicle quickly become an instant classic.
There was much talk of the Porsche 928 at its debut and journalists quickly recognized it as one of the most exciting new cars ever built. Equipped with four-valve technology and variable valve timing to boost power output, it made driving this beauty enjoyable with smooth acceleration.
Some journalists were taken with the 928 and one wrote an excellent book on it called Driving the Dream: Behind the Scenes of Porsche’s Supercar which became an instant best seller and marked journalist’s first autobiography ever written!
In its later years of production, the 928 received updates to keep it competitive against other models. Of particular note was its introduction of a digital trip computer as an option in Europe but not North America; another modification included adding a rear spoiler similar to that seen on European 928 S models; these modifications made the North American model slightly more cost-efficient but its 4.7-liter engine was still low powered compared with European counterparts.
