It would actually be very nice for Porsche to develop a nice true 2+2 GT ala 456 with trunk space for those of us who do not like Luxo Barges and still want something usefull to carry family and some luggage.
My wife loved my old 968 due to the luggage space and the fact that we could go on a weekend trip and have actual luggage with us. With the 911 it is very difficult to do that.
A new "928" as long as it can accomodate 4 adults I think it will be a resonable success and it will complete the line up. Another 2 seater with 2 mickey mouse rear seats is doomed to fail again but a 4 seater it will open a whole other market for Porsche. As a matter of fact i wish they had done this instead of the Cayenne but alas, at least with a V8 ready along with interior bits it would not be a huge financial risk to produce such a car along side the SUV...
I for one would put my money down for one trading in the "family" car...

 

I think that Porsche should bring back it's flagship car, the 928. Porsche needs a car to compete against the Ferrari 550 and Aston Martin Vanquish. As long as they don't water down the desing(ala 996), it's okay by me.

 

It really would be easy for porsche to come out with a 928 like car. They already have the engines developed and operatiing in the Cayenne. They have repeatedly said the Cayenne engine will not be used in the 911 so why not develop a 928 like car, it could share engines making the project relatively inexpensive. Seem like a no brainer to me. Although Porsche has repeatedly stated they will not make a 928 like car again.

-Lou

 

Now this thread is a change..huh?

Who could ever have imagined 911 drivers that would like to see the 928 or a front engined water cooled V8 sports car from Porsche COME BACK!

This is indeed the way Porsche owners should support each other!

 

Yea, how about that I mean we, myself obviously included, have spats over different variations of the same 996 platform.

-Lou

 

 

Obviously, all Porsches are fine cars. They are just starting to look a bit in-bred.

Bring back the best looking Porsche ever, with HP capabilities far in excess of anything but the new Super Car.

 

curious, so how does a 928 compare to a 911 or 996 on the track? if it were a superior car, i imagine you'd see it on the professional race ciruit, like GT3 or something.

Horsepower is something any car can have. The whole idea behind Porsche from the beginning was not in going fast, but going fast well. I learned how to drive at 14 in a 1960 356...my brother-in-law had a 350 SS Camaro at the same time...which had more HP....no body really cared because it was nothing but HP. Front engine porsches, what's the point? I never understood Porsche trying to make a car that followed the traditions of other automakers and not their own.

 

Let me say this- The 996 is is a great car and I love its handling on the track and off. However, the 996 has parts of its suspenion that were created from 928 technology (starting with the 993 years) which make it a much more forgiving driving experience- let's forget for a moment that the braking on the 911 and Boxster was first introduced on the 928 and big reds (today always refered to as "Twin Turbo Brakes") on the 928 GTS. The 928 is a different driving experience as a front engine car but considering the age of this car by comparison to todays 996, the 928 as an S4 and up will ride the tail pipe of a 996 very closely through twisites and it is not as much work to stay in the rear view mirror of a 996 as it is to drive a 996 at its limits to stay ahead of a 928. In fact, for a 996 to really step it out in from of a 928 it will need to be a GT3, TwinTurbo or better yet a GT2. However, a bored and stroked 928 or a supercharged one would be a handful- See these recent Oregon SCCA results and the times posted by the Don Hanson bored and stroked 90GT winning car in Group A and in the Group G Class where GT3 Cup car's were racing his 928 yielded these results (click here).

Theres alot of torque and HP under the hood of a 928 but it has very good handling as well. After all it is a Porsche.


The May 2000 issue of 911&Porsche World did a comparision of the 996 and 928 and pretty much found an 11 year old 928 to be on perfomance par with a 996 of 2000. (Click here to read)

 

What, a new 944 turbo?

 

I don't think it's fair to compare the 928 to the 911. The 911 has always apealed to the "boy racer" types. Not a bad thing, it's just a bit different. Where the 928 really shines is when compared to the Ferrari 456 or 550. High speed comfort with no drama. The 928 was always faster than the 911(or turbo) and the 911 was quicker. Hek, the 928 had a top end of 171 mph way back in 1987(only the new 996 can match that).

For Porsche to come out with a new 928 today...would be hard. It would cost more than than 170K and have to outperform the current 996 turbo. That does not make economical sense. Their stratagy is going down market(can anyone say Cayenne V6, Boxster), not upmarket. I think that they feel they have a pretty good compromise with the current 996. It's a good combination between the 911 and the 928. Now, if they could just do something about that generic styling and sub-par build quality.....

 

If Porsche does come out with a true 2+2, I hope the rear seats are just a little bigger!

 

 

Regarding the comment about PAG struggling - it does not appear that the corporation is hurting financially, although they are taking a hit on sales as a percentage of overall production capacity, just like almost every other manufacturer. There is absolutely a limit as to how many different base models that a company the size of Porsche can produce well and at a profit, while enabling the dealer network to offer a high level of quality sales and service (and that isn't perfect now). Addition of a sedan or real 2+2 may make market sense, but PAG shouldn't allow the brand to become too diluted. Since the PAG business model reflects relatively low-production, high end cars, and PAG does enjoy a very loyal cadre of devotees, they are likely to bounce back very quickly once the global economic picture improves, as long as the marque is maintained in its deserved stature.

Having said that, I do agree if you meant that PAG is struggling in terms of lack of direction. Are they leading or following? To revisit the past and rehash old (albeit successful in their own time and way) designs rings of what GM and Daimler-Chrysler are all about these days for North American brands. PAG needs to look forward, challenge, innovate, and most of all, take the sports car lovers' collective breath away. That doesn't necessarily mean more hp, tarted-up aesthetics, or disproportionately higher cost, but it certainly means fresh and exciting, evolved styling and performance.

And before I say this, I really don't want to start up a sh!tstorm here. It's just my opinion. So, ..... When I was a teen, a neighbor had a 928, pewter-colored as I recall. I didn't know much about it then, and certainly confess to being selectively unknowing about the model now. I am sure that the 928 has many wonderful qualities that are cherished by those that own them. But am I the only person on the planet that thinks that the 928 body styling looks like a hybrid of an AMC Pacer rear and the front end of a Hot Wheels die cast toy? I felt that way then, and even though I am now a Porsche lover, I still feel that the body styling is very unattractive. So it goes without saying in my book that producing a new car that even somewhat resembles the old 928 body style would be a mistake with fundamentally negative implications. No disrespect intended, but everyone gets to have their opinion.

fwiw,

Jeff

 

Ok so lets compare apples to apples that is 928 to the 911 of the same year. My 1985 928s2 vs. the 911 3.2. The 911 is some 80-100 hp down, top speed down (for what its worth), overall quality down. The 928 was the flagship i.e. the better car easily. I drove 911's of that time brand new and they were as they still are fun, awesome cars but really no comparison to the 928. The 928's technology was advanced in materials, construction, design. The ergonomics of the driving experience compare favorably to anything. The seat is the most comfortable, best positioned drivers seat that i know of, visibility is great, and in contrast to the 911 the cabin is quiet unless you want to hear engine, etc. by opening windows. And as far as handling, well any 928 driver will tell you how well it corners.
If production had continued (say no economic downturns since 1990), then the current 928 would have 475 hp, paddle shifters, active suspension, wider rubber, etc.
And this is just my opinion but no car looks better from the front.
Tom