FredR

https://www.carscoops.com/2021/12/da...orsche-928-s4/

Article says it is a manual 1989 S4 but was there such a thing with manual transmission in 1989?

To be fair it has S4 wheels.

928cs

Is it this car?
https://www.gallery-aaldering.com/porsche-928-s4-1986/

It's a 1987 S4, not a 1989, even if there was a manual S4 avaible until the end of the 1989 Model-Year.
You can spot this is a 1987 from three clues:
- Analogic dashboard (numeric was a novelty of the 1989 MY)
- No roof radio antena, new equipment of the 1989 MY.
- No cruise control, which was standard equipment from the 1988 MY.
Rear AC is unusual for a european car.

FredR

No idea what it is or what it is not- the article came up on my mobile phone. A 1989 manual tranny S4 sounded a bit suspicious to me- no such thing for MY1990 that I do know.

Regardless seems like a nice vehicle at first glance and the article refers the seller with a name that sounds like that in your link.

hacker-pschorr

I don't know about ROW but 89 5-speed S4's were absolutely a thing in the US market.

Local friend bought this one years ago:
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...last-week.html

They have the G28/12 transmission with a 2.64 final drive

Adamant1971

There were 89s4 5spds in Europe as well. IIRC in total 244 world wide.

belgiumbarry

i know that place at least.... i bought from them ,years ago , my second '70 BMW 2800CS which i recently sold. It was my "spare" car for the "rally" CS , now i'm rebuilding that one to street legal again.
For rally i have now the 928.... if i ever do it again

Gary Knox

I owned a '89 5 speed 928 S4. for quite a few years, and it was primarily my track car. The first approximately half of the production year (VIN's ending below 1000) manual transmissions were S4's.. All post 1000 VIN's with manual were GT's, At least that's the story for North American production as far as I'm aware.

belgiumbarry

in the end , what was so "special" on a GT ? Wasn't it a Porsche merchandise program , now sales were down ? What was it more then a manual S4 ?

Gary Knox

Barry,

Different cams, comes on strong at about 4K rpm. 10 more horsepower as I recall, and I think the diff was a 2.73. Otherwise essentially the same.

Yes, Porsche was in financial trouble for the late '80's, early 90's. The SUV program, combined with Toyota manufacturing procedures probably saved them (also, maybe some of the major financial stuff going on within the family and VW).

928 GT R

GT's also had rolled fenders and quarter panels, short shifter, wider Club Sport or D90 wheels with spacers a different fuel map to go with the aggressive cams and a lightweight exhaust.

Drive a GT back to back with an S4 5-speed and it will take about two seconds to know that it is a dramatically improved beast.

belgiumbarry

strange, with 10 HP more ? i assume most average drivers wouldn't even feel it.

Gary Knox

Barry,

It is the mid range torque when the cams 'come on' that is very noticeabe with the GT, Also, the differential of 2.73 give slightly enhanced acceleration than the 2.64 that was in the '89 S4 manual. Having driven both - yes there is a difference. Personally, I liked the '89 better, but that's just me, most people like the higher revving (both red line and rpm per road speed) GT. I actually like the 2.54 diff best of all the 928's ('87+ only) that I've owned.

928cs

The Euro Manual S4s always had the same G28/12 gearbox as the US Manual 1989 S4.
In short, a GT is manual S4 with CS engine/gearbox/exhaust/wheels. And yes, you can feel the difference. The S4 could be easier as a DD, as you don't have to push as much for the same torque. But a GT driven in anger is really funny.
I prefer a GT rather than a manual GTS.

belgiumbarry

Gary , 2.73 versus 2.64 is 3%...... rear tires of one grade lower profile would already give more result then that.

the flyin' scotsman

local buddy here in Canada has an ex Japanese '89 928 5 speed with a 2:64 diff, so different to my S4 auto 2:20 diff and so so different to the GTS 5 speed 2:73 diff