Porsche 928 Production Numbers

As 911 sales declined and rumours swirled of potential laws outlawing rear engined cars, Porsche CEO Ernst Fuhrmann began developing a front engine model – eventually producing the 928.

Although they had less power than S, US and RoW models, Competition Group cars remained fast due to their lowered ride height, spoilers, 16″ flat disc wheels and sport seats.

The earliest VINs

The first generation 928 was produced for 18 years and developed from an initial rear-engined design study to an acclaimed grand tourer with its powerful V8 engine and balanced transaxle drive system. Porsche produced several chassis numbers (VINs) to help identify each car from this generation based on production sequence and other details.

Porsche did not adopt an international format for their VIN system; therefore they adapted it specifically for their cars, evolving it over time. Early years used sequential numbering but by 1981 this became standardized with each VIN starting with “Y”, followed by six digits that identify region and year of production.

Early VINs included the letters Y and followed by seven-digit country code number and three-digit model code, plus body color, transmission type and security system information (0 for seat belts; 2 for airbags).

Initial sales were restricted solely to Germany; however, as demand quickly expanded it was decided to introduce the 928 outside of Europe as well. This resulted in a new model name and VIN sequence starting with “WP0”, the producer code for Porsche. Two digits identified its body style – 8 in this case – while three more specified whether RoW or US markets would be served.

Porsche recognized in the early 1980s that their 911 would reach the end of its development life cycle and sought to produce a larger, more conventional Gran Turismo to replace it. Ernst Fuhrmann proposed a front engined layout with rear-wheel drive and a large displacement water-cooled engine.

Should the new car prove successful, it would gradually replace the 911 in Porsche’s range and eventually become their flagship model. V8 engines were upgraded to 5.0 liters by 1983; gradually increasing production until finally ceasing production in 1995.

The RoW VINs

Porsche executives had grand ambitions for the 928 in the early 1970s. CEO Ernst Fuhrmann wanted to shift away from its legacy rear-engined 911 and create a whole new line of sports cars; one would include front-engined 928 as their flagship model with its front-mounted V8 powerplant and all-new balanced transaxle; it would even boast a more efficient luggage compartment than its rear-engined counterpart, the 911.

Original prototype units featured a 5.0 L V8 that produced approximately 300 horsepower. As fuel prices spiked during the oil crisis of that era, some managers began pushing for smaller engines for economy purposes. Ferdinand Piech proposed creating a 3.3 L 180hp engine designed by company engineers but this proposal was disapproved of by the board as they believed that doing so could jeopardize its reputation and draw unwanted attention from Volkswagen group.

At the conclusion of its first generation, production had begun and many of the same problems that hindered 911 sales were now becoming evident in its success. A major factor was its high price point; although Fuhrmann anticipated selling more units of his car than actually happened.

To combat these problems, the company developed the GTS. This car represented what the 928 should have been from its launch; an expensive GT with great performance capabilities and extensive standard equipment. Unfortunately, however, its price pushed away many potential buyers, which significantly hindered its sales.

As soon as production began in 1980 (and 1983 in North America), the GTS became available with a “Competition Group”, comprising front and rear spoilers, 16-inch flat disc brakes, sport seats and springs – the “Competition Group”. For 1981 and 1982 model years it also offered an optional 240hp Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection engine, sporting an 8.5:1 compression ratio and producing peak outputs of both 230bhp for manual gearboxes and 254lb-ft respectively.

The US VINs

The 928 was an ultra-luxurious car featuring an exceptional level of standard equipment, available both with manual and automatic transmissions. It featured Porsche-designed transaxles that integrated gearbox, rear axle and differential into a single unit for optimised weight distribution; passive rear-wheel steering was included to minimise understeer while its superior Weissach multi-link rear suspension far outpaced its time. Although numerous awards were won, most car buyers preferred Porsche 911s instead.

By the early 1980s, Porsche realized its 911 would soon reach the end of its development life and began seeking a suitable successor vehicle. Ernst Fuhrmann had proposed creating a larger Gran Turismo with front-mounted engine and balanced transaxle layout to replace it.

To meet this goal, the 928 was designed with a two-plus-two seating layout and large displacement V8 powered by water cooling for reduced weight. Prototypes featured a 4.7 L, 306 PS (228 kW; 306 horsepower) engine equipped with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection as well as twin distributors equipped with EZK ignition systems.

Porsche initially struggled to sell their 928 GTS models due to their cost – fully loaded models could quickly approach US$100,000. This caused sales volumes to plummet. Porsche 928’s 18 year production run was cut short due to the introduction of their more cost effective ‘993’ 911 model, featuring updated bodywork design and more powerful engines of 5.4 L, 350 PS (445 kW; 357 horsepower). Unfortunately it was too little too late. By 1995, just over 61,000 928s had been produced when production ended; nonetheless, it remains an iconic classic today and is the only two-door sportscar ever to win European Car of the Year – beating mainstream hatchbacks such as BMW 7 Series and Ford Granada by one vote in 1978!

The final VINs

At Porsche’s last production run of their front-engine rear-wheel drive GT model, only 27 units of the 928 S4 Clubsport were created as an edition special edition model.

Porsche intended the 928 to serve as an interim successor to their iconic 911 sports car; instead it became a much sought-after classic car. Under CEO Ernst Fuhrmann’s guidance, Porsche wanted to position themselves for success during the 80s by using balanced transaxle concept found within the 928.

When the first models hit the market in 1977 they were revolutionary in many respects. Doors, wings, bonnet and other components were constructed from aluminium for weight savings while being crash resistant and designed to withstand crashes as much as possible. Furthermore, its engine used hydraulic tappets for fuel injection that allowed for lower-octane petrol to run through it while still producing 240bhp.

Suspension tuning initially focused more on handling than ultimate ride quality; with further development however, this sportscar became an impressive mile-eater. While initially its V8 engine operated quietly and wind and tire noise was minimally audible, its performance soon reached impressive heights with further improvements.

Through production, the Porsche 928 received various upgrades to ensure it remained competitive and desirable. In the US, a Competition Package was offered that featured Bilstein dampers, three-spoke steering wheel and spoilers as standard features. For its final year of production, reverse gear lock was added to manual transmissions while vibration dampers were fitted onto torque tubes; additionally 141 special “50th Jubilee” models featuring meteor metallic paint finishes were produced globally to commemorate Porsche’s 50th anniversary.

Finding an immaculate Porsche 928 Club Sport model can be hard, as these collectable vehicles command high prices at auctions and private sales. This particular example has been cared for with great consideration and should provide years of enjoyment to its next owner.