1984 Porsche 928S Coupe

Description

It's easy to forget the impact Porsche's 928 had at the time of its launch in 1978. Porsche traditionalists may have been dismayed at the radical departure from the 911, but the new 928 quickly earned the respect of the motoring press and public alike, winning the European Car of the Year award and selling in impressive numbers. With its front-engined layout and controversially futuristic styling, the heart of the 928 was an all-new 90-degree V8 engine with a rear transaxle to ensure perfect weight distribution and excellent handling. A grand tourer par excellence, the 928 had a beautifully appointed 2+2 cabin with an array of features found in only the finest luxury cars of the day. Although the majority of 928s were specified with automatic gearboxes for cruising the autobahn, thanks to its sophisticated independent suspension the latest Porsche proved very capable performer when the road got a little twisty - indeed the majority of factory test drivers, when given a choice of which Porsche model they could have as a company car, chose the 928. In 1980, Porsche revamped the model into the 928S, with a larger 4.7-litre V8 and re-profiled camshafts to lift power to 300 bhp. Top speed increased to in excess of 250 km/h and the 0-100 km/h dash took a touch over six seconds, making the 928 one of the quickest cars on the road at the time. The S also boasted front and rear spoilers and 16-inch wheels with a new design plus fatter tyres and an even longer list of standard equipment. All this luxury and performance didn't come cheaply - even by Porsche standards the 928 was an expensive motorcar - but the model was always a strong seller, with more than 60,000 built in the period 1978 to 1995. For several years the 928 has been touted as a supercar bargain but values are sure to appreciate in years to come.