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At the Autohaus Social event on the last day of Rendezvous 928, I struck up a convo with a local guy who came to see all of the cars. He was a general car nut like the rest of us and asked me if I saw the likeness between the interior of the first generation Acura NSX to all generations of the 928. It hadn’t occurred to me prior to chatting with him but I think he was spot on.
Not to mention of course how much influence the AMC Pacer design had on the 928 design team.
On the other hand, I have heard that the 928 was the first car design to hide the bumpers under a body colored and shaped plastic like panel. All the cars now have that. Too, I recently noticed that the North Star engine in my Cadillacs is almost a direct copy of the 928 engines. Too, I think that the corvette adapted the transaxel configuration from the 928 design.
Not only the first gen NSX, but the R230 Mercedes SL had a similar interior layout...
Also, the 300ZX. The current 370Z has a similarly adjustable instrument cluster.
Excellent article Bob. I am glad to see Mark McCourt still writing for Hemmings. I met him when he came to town to do the shoot for my car a few years ago, for Sports & Exotic Cars, which was Hemming's best magazine (sad to see it fold as it did).
Also, Jerry, the '73 vette had the front PU cover, so I think that came first. I realize the 928 design began in 73, but for the Corvette to have that design out to market in 73 means they did it prior to that (71 or 72?).
I recently noticed that the North Star engine in my Cadillacs is almost a direct copy of the 928 engines.
I had my GT Outlaw at a show in Michigan a few years ago and talked to a GM Executive that stated that GM bought a 928 as soon as they hit the market. After driving the hell out of it and testing, they disassembled it to try to figure out how Porsche had built it, and bench tested the engine mercilessly until it finally failed. Then they bought another engine which they never installed and the car languished for years (he did not know where it was).
He stated that the 928 was the high water mark for all cars at the time and that it was one of his favorite all time cars to drive.
08-14-2019, 09:49 AM
928 design...timeless
