Try taking away the Cayenne's V8 and sales will plummet.

I recorded a television show on my DVR that mentioned a major change at Porsche in the early '70s that spawned the introduction of the front-engined water-cooled cars. They said the Porsche family realized it was time for them to step aside and let industry experts take the helm.

The 928 was clearly the epitome of the front-engined campaign. Some say the world just could not accept the paradigm shift, others say Porsche just couldn't compete with other supercars in that genre and returned to its proven image, but I say that it was just their marketing efforts that failed.

My brother drives a 2000 996, and it is just an overweight, diluted, and water-cooled version of my '77 911.

The bean counters at Porsche must love the fact that they can keep selling the same basic body design for 40+ years. The 4-doored Panamera introduces a new and "practical" 928 with a usable back seat. A 6 cylinder won't even be considered because you cannot make the stroke long enough to produce the low-end torque to weight ratio the Bimmer buyers will expect from a Porsche.

My crystal ball says that Panamera will spawn a new 2 door (GTS?) if sales go well for a few years.

 

Useless information: In the late 1950's, the first diesel trains were called "Sharks" due to their profile.

 

The new issue of motortrend has a Porsche update in it....they talk about the GT2...panamera & a 928!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course I doubt it will be called a 928...but you never know....they also mentioned a successor to the CGT..... They did say the Panmera will use the standard Cayenne engines-transmissions...so the 340-45-520hp V8's to start?

 

Only Alco PA and FA units were called sharks. The EMD E and F units which preceded the Alcos were not called sharks.

Alco PA 1946-1953


EMD FT 1939-1945



Did you know that most large 928 suspension nuts/bolts are M12x1.5 which is an odd size mostly used on German cars? M12x1.25 and M12x1.75 are the standard pitches.

 

Not quite -- The Pontiac Tempest had this in 1961(and IIRC it still wasn't the first)

 

This IS interesting! I took this from Porsche print!

Maybe I am interpreting this wrong...I quote:

"Porsche is the only sports car manufacturer in the world to offer a front engine/rear transaxle design."

Yea, my bad, I guess I am wrong.

 

Keith, that was probably true at the time.... if it was not printed between 1984-1987(or if you don't consider Alfa Romeo a "sports car manufacturer"). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_90

Marketing-ese is a very flexible language

 

Who knows, the key word may be "Sports" Car

 

Nope:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transaxle
Notable F[ront engined]R[earwheel drive] vehicles with a transaxle design include:

* 1914-1939 Stutz Bearcat
* 1950-1958 Lancia Aurelia
* 1961-1963 Pontiac Tempest
* 1964-1968 Ferrari 275
* 1968-1973 Ferrari Daytona
* 1976-1988 Porsche 924
* 1978-1995 Porsche 928
* 1982-1991 Porsche 944
* 1992-1995 Porsche 968
* 1972-1992 Alfa Romeo 116-series
* 1985-1991 Volvo 300 series
* 1992-2003 Ferrari 456
* 1996-2005 Ferrari 550/575M
* 1997-up Chevrolet Corvette
* 2004-2005 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
* 2004-up Cadillac XLR

 

Not there yet. The first one ever made was the "Flinstone Car" driven by Fred Flinstone, circa BC something...

In all fairness, it was a mid EngineTransaxle unit, the precurseur to the front/rear drive train

 

I can't believe this one has not come up yet.

Most right hand drive specific parts are Numbered 927 --- --- --

There are some parts only used in cars for specific markets that happened to be RHD like Japan and the UK but the parts are 928 --- --- --

 

Heh.. while googling around on the Tatras, i came across Tatra Motorsports Canada. Interestingly, there's a picture of a 928 right on the front page:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...PHEN/tatra.htm

(also, fixed wikipedia link in above quote)

 

Ah well, a bit of chest-beating is to be expected when selling performance cars...

Interesting note about the RHD P/Ns, Jon!

 

Dave

It's one of those interesting things for those of us who live in countries where they drive on correct side of the road.

It always amazes me how many 927 parts there are - stuff I wouldn't think would be different on a RHD car yet it is.

 

My '82 has "928" stamped into the window trim. No "S", no "4", no spoiler.