3000teeth

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...omparison-test

linderpat

nice read, thanks for posting.

MGW-Fla

Thanks for posting. To save having to read the 1st 4 pages about 3 other 32 year old cars that never have come close to comparing with the 928, here is the part of the article discussing the 928. Please note their collective endorsement of the RogerBox in the 3rd paragraph:


"The Porsche was a terrific reference in this endeavor because, in our collective opinion, it is nearer perfection than any other GT ever built. This is not to say that we’re scolding Detroit for denying car freaks the $40,000 made-in-America exotica they so richly deserve. To the contrary, Camaros, Firebirds, and Mustangs are already expensive enough, but they clearly have room for improvement. We see the 928 as the right kind of goal for future efforts.

Where Porsche has them all licked is under the hood. Yes, it’s powered by a very expensive, all-aluminum, overhead-cam V-8, but there’s far more spirit here than simple money can buy. That engines are for making power is a fact of life at Porsche, but one that seems to be lost on most engineers in Detroit. When you step on the gas pedal, the 928 rushes smartly for the 6000-rpm redline with no timeouts to remind you that this is a gas-mileage motor, or a prime mover tuned only for the EPA dyno and the first 30 feet away from a stoplight.

Five nicely spaced transmission ratios help keep the underhood spirit alive, but here you find the 928’s Achilles’ heel. The 928’s shift linkage generated widespread bad reviews to the extent that most of us are avowed 928-automatic fans.

Although the domestics are knocking on Porsche’s door in handling, the 928 has a very distinct edge you won’t find in the test results. It feels much better through the steering, because forces from the tire patches are delivered to your finger tips to tell you just what’s going on. The 928’s attitude approaching the limit is also far more sensitive to the driver’s commands than the other three cars in this test. No matter how hairy the maneuver, there always seems to be a little agility left in reserve. Adjustments to the throttle generate an amazingly adroit response: lifting ever so slightly causes the nose to tighten its cornering arc a notch at a time without the usual slewing and sliding at the back of the car.

If we were chief engineers for a day at any domestic division interested in the GT business, the very first $40,000 out of the budget would go for a 928. What this car has is too special to be the private reserve of the ultrarich forever.

Conclusion: The perfect GT is yet to be built. The Porsche 928 has just about everything necessary to qualify except an affordable price. We could be quite happy with the Mustang’s seating and acceleration, the Camaro’s handling, the Trans Am’s aerodynamics and ride comfort, if all these qualities could be neatly wrapped in one package. Such a car is clearly within the realm of possibility. And if it doesn’t come from Detroit soon, you can be sure one will head our way from across the water. Just watch for an ominous speck growing in the glare from the Land of the Rising Sun."

hacker-pschorr

That's an interesting comparison, surprised the Corvette wasn't invited along.

drwhosc

I am amazed how old the cars look, esp the Mustang. Also how the 928 is so unique compared to the others.

JEC_31

Ha ha, methinks someone at Car & Driver already sampled the brand new MKII Celica Supra.

Excellent article, thanks for posting.

uncre8tv

I was thinking Z31 turbo, but yeah.

(MkII Supra timeline fits better too)

hacker-pschorr

They must have sampled a Japanese or pre-production unit with more power since the 150ish HP version we got here wasn't anything to write home about.

uncre8tv

All the American cars in that article were ~160hp from the factory. So, yeah... Celica Supra was no slouch on those terms.

hacker-pschorr

Just saying anything they tested in Japan pre-production was probably a higher output than the US spec that hit our shores.

1993GTS

Cool article. Thanks. Wow 10.6s to 60 for the Pontiac. Depressing.

Who knew the Mustang came with Recaros from the factory.

hwyengr

Not only that, but those are metric TRX tires, too.

Captain_Slow

Occasionally I try to recall back in the early 80s seeing a 928 on the road, passing by. The revolutionary and completely unique design (organic rounded shape), superior engineering and build quality compared to anything built at the time was altogether stunning. The Space Shuttle was also new back then, and to me, as a middle-schooler....the 928 was a Space Shuttle on wheels. Both looked futuristic, but also appearing to be a case of practical and functional form. The 928 simply appeared to be the result of the same kind of intense and purposeful engineering and design effort as the space shuttle. Ferrari 308, not so much (though I loved those as a kid, too - but always noticed the lack of engineering refinement/advancement -- poor ergonomics vs the 928's still stellar ergonomics).

marks gt

As crude as the the old fox body Mustangs are, they sure are fun to drive. The abuse they could take.