A look back at Porsche 928 modifications, specs and design changes

Porsche 928 is a luxurious, sports coupe and was produced from 1977 to 1995. It was designed in 1973 with the idea to replace Porsche 911. However, at that time the Arab-Israeli war broke out, causing an energy crisis. Cars with high fuel consumption were no longer in demand and the debut of Porsche 928 was postponed until 1977 when it appeared not as a replacement for 911, but as its luxury alternative.

1977 Porsche 928 – the beginning and 1980s modifications

Porsche 928 debuted at the 1977 Geneva motor show and was accepted with great enthusiasm for its comfort, power and futuristic design. In 1978 the car won the title “Best European Car” and it was for the first time that Porsche was awarded this title and the first time a sports car received such a high award. Due to its futuristic appearance 928 was called Shark or Land Shark, for the shark-like look. The body was made of galvanized steel, but in order to reduce the weight of the car, the doors, front wing, front fenders, and hood were made of aluminum. One of the unusual features of exterior design were the pop-up headlamps integrated into the front wings. 1978 Porsche 928 was a four seater with 2+2 seats. The seats were small and with very little leg room. This was the first ever vehicle in which the instrument cluster moved along with the adjustable steering wheel so that the driver has maximum visibility. 1978 928 Porsche was equipped with a 4.5 L V8, with a capacity of 219 hp and Torque of 268 ft-lb. The German V8 unit was cast from aluminum, but the 928th first series were clearly slower than 911. Acceleration 0-100 was in 7 seconds and maximum speed was 235 km/h.

In 1980 Porsche introduced a refreshed 928 S model with new front and rear spoilers and wider wheels and tires. 928S was more powerful. The engine was also revised and 928 S was equipped with a 4.7 L with 229 hp. With a five-speed box, this Porsche was accelerating 0-100 km/h in 6.5s, and its maximum speed was 245 km/h.

In 1984, the S2 version appeared. Thanks to the Bosch LH-Jetronic fuel injection system and purely electronic Bosch ignition the modification had 234 hp and top speed of 235 km/h. The engine was paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. For the first time Bosch ABS brakes were optional in a Porsche.

In 1987 Porsche 928 S4 appeared and finally, the model received the engine volume with which this car was supposed to be produced initially – a 5-liter V8. The five-liter V8 got a new cylinder head, with four, not two – as previously, valves for each cylinder, 316 hp that accelerates the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and reaching top speed of 274 km/h. Other updates included an updated LH-Jetronic injection and ignition, modified front brake calipers, redesigned front and rear bumpers and rear wing spoiler.

1990s – Porsche 928 GT and GTS

In the early 1990s the final GT and GTS versions of Porsche 928 were introduced. They were more powerful, with smoother front and rear bumpers which gave the car a modern styling in line with the times.

Porsche 928 GT with two doors and four seat had a sporty appearance and thanks to various modifications, its power unit generated up to 330 hp which accelerated 0-100 in 5.8 seconds and a maximum top speed of 275 km/h. The power is transmitted to the road by the rear wheel drive (RWD) with a 5 speed manual transmission. Exterior features pop-up head lights, front and rear aprons made of deformable plastic, rounded front apron with air intakes for brake cooling, Side skirts in exterior color, rear wing made of black polyurethane, twin tailpipe and optional side protection strips in exterior color. The model was sold as new from 1989 to 1991.

Porsche 928 GTS was manufactured from 1992 to 1995. With a 5.4-liter V8 engine, the GTS had 350 hp, acceleration 0-100 in 5.7 seconds and maximum speed of 275 km/h. It was equipped with rear wheel drive and a 5 speed manual transmission. The last Porsche 928 modification featured flared rear wings, a red light panel at the rear, a rear wing painted in exterior color, exterior mirrors in the Cup design plus 17″ Cup rims as standard.

Porsche 928 Pricing

When it comes to the cost of Porsche 928 numbers vary significantly depending on the modification and the condition of the car. For example, in 1990 only one car was produced per day which makes the car something exclusive.

Early models that need repairs may be found for about 7500 US Dollars (6700 Euro) and a car in a good condition may reach 55 000 US dollars (50 000 Euro). The high-performance GTS model is the one that is most valuable to connoisseurs and prices range between US Dollars 40 000-55 000. Some vehicles in perfect condition may reach a price tag of over 100 000 US dollars.

Porsche 928 is not surrounded in the same glory as the 911 model, but this is a very interesting car that showed the whole world that the company is capable of changing, adapting to the realities of modern times, and producing such fast and comfortable cars.