fabric

If they truly love their Saab, they are already intimately acquainted with it's sordid history, so quit worrying.

Do you own a Volvo?

heinrich

I own 5 Porsches, a fullsize Bronco and an F100

fabric

Speaking of sordid pasts. I've still always liked those.

Reece

Well said and with insight Nicole, but I feel the marketing people played a huge role in the way the 928 was presented. They determined the car's position in the Porsche line up and the "Luxury" approach to appeal to their "beginning to age" and largest market, America. The engineers would have left out all the gee whiz stuff that was problematic. It shouldn't have been introduced to the public as "The Top of The Line" and be as different as it was. It was doomed from the start to be rejected by the "purists." It should have been more affordable and been able to find it's own niche in the marketplace as defined by the consumer, just as the 911 was able to do (and that made it a success). If they had offered it without the spin and on the strengths of its own merits, it would have been the perfect way to unveil a radical design and not alienate their customers or polarize opinion. With such stunning design, it was enough of a sensation and an automatic conversation starter. The marketing people compromised a nearly flawless design and tried to second guess the fickle auto buying public. They made it a love or hate upstart in an environment where the customer was accustomed to subtle and slow change. Almost like a slap in the face, it made Porsche appear to not only exclude their loyal customers from the process of creating the layoout of the next generation of cars, but they ignored the Holy Grail of Porshedom and demanded the buyers to accept an entirely (traditional in many ways) and opposite concept as the new "Best." It is amazing this blunder didn't turn the 928 into the Edsel of its time. Once done, they could not turn back.

And when have you been able to see where a 911 ends in front or rear when parking?

Reece

Hey Paul! How about a follow up!

mpesik

That is an Excellent point zaner.
When I first found out about the Tranny, I was a little dissapointed-Hey this things Tainted!

Nicole

How disappointed would you be, if you found out that pretty much all Porsche transmissions nowadays come from Aisin in Japan??? It is totally normal that manufactureres buy certain components from manufacturers who can make them better for less cost. Specialization benefits us all, and few consumers ask who made the transmission...

TAREK

Actually that is great to know. Now if only they would outsource the seat and window switches to Japan I could spend more time driving and less time repairing....well that was an exageration (because the darn Thermostats and fuel pumps are also made in Germany)....just wanted to illustrate that I agree with that point

T_MaX

Now-a-days the big three's tier 1 suppliers are into CHEAP PARTS from China!

I have seen first hand the automotive junk (parts) they send over.

If you want quality in your new cars, we all need to take a stand! If not, that 60K car you drive will fall apart like a cheap walmart no name bargain shirt!

<stepping off soap box>

Shark_gts

I glanced thru a hardback book on sports cars on weekend @ Chapters. Little blurb on the 928 "Shortly after the intro of the 924, Porsche introduced the new 928. For the first time it was a car that was purely Porsche".

It's true something new and that different can become a victim of its own hype, just as what happened with say the Audi V8, another car I own. Audi stuck with the program though, changed the name, a bit of marketing and now we have the A8. In general the more complex cars with big engines tend to depreciate like lumps, due to service costs.....unless they carry enough "prestige" and perceived ownership value, exclusivity, "investor" interest to keep prices bouyant - like a Ferrari perhaps (speaking from observation).

Of course we all know that in the press the 928 has not been given proper respect, when it should be right up there with the greatest designs of all time. Doesn't even get a mention in most of the top 100 lists. That's outrageous.

Nicole

You are touching on an important subject here - the depreciation. In Europe, there was just no market for used cars in the price range of a young 928, and the maintenance, license tax and gas cost were extreme also. So, in order to sell a 928, owners had to take a big loss.

For as long as I can remember, a 928 was seen as an extremely expensive mode of transportation, and therefore lots of potential buyers would not even take a look at it.

DFWX

The 928 project was an incredible gamble for Porsche and one that truly paid off. The profit was not in sales, but in reputation. Before the 928, Porsche was a little known company that made sporty little rear engined cars. With the 928, Porsche became known worldwide as a manufacturer of super exotic performance cars. It was the 928 that put Porsche on the map, not the 911.