Porsche 928 Almost Replaced the 911

The Porsche 928 was the Future

The end was near for the 911. Porsche knew the sports car market was moving towards more refined, luxury grand touring cars and away from the raw, edgy cars that made your nerves dance. Planning a new flagship model, Porsche developed a 4.5-liter V8 engine. It would use a front-engine, rear transaxle layout like the 924, and be spacious, fast, and comfortable with the performance of a 911 Turbo. Porsche had its eye on the future and believed the future was the 928. 

Photo: Porsche AG

Derided as Porsche's Corvette

The Porsche faithful scoffed at the idea of a luxury GT car replacing the evergreen 911. Many derided it as Porsche's Corvette, a luxury boulevard cruiser that lacked the 911's performance. But in truth, the 928 proved every bit as capable as the 911. 0-60 took 5.7 seconds and with a top speed of 140 mph, it could more than hold its own against the 911. Car and Driver called it sensational, and David E. Davis said it was the standard all other sports cars would be judged by. 

Photo: Porsche AG

Lacking the Right Character

Porsche's faithful weren't convinced. For starters, the engine was in the wrong location. And, it lacked that signature raspy wail of the air-cooled flat-6 cylinder. It was also quiet, the thrum of the V8 muted. Unlike the 911, the 928 was a cross-country GT with many creature comforts. The seats were more comfortable. It had better air-conditioning, more usable rear seats, and cargo space. But no matter what you thought of the 928, you had to agree it looked distinctive. The 928 looked like a spaceship next to the classic 911. 

Photo: Porsche AG

A New Prestige Luxury Car for Hollywood

Hollywood immediately took notice of the 928. Throughout the 1980s it was used in a number of films and TV shows including Risky Business, Middle Age Crazy, The Hidden, and Looker. Rock bands included it in their MTV videos, and rumor has it, the 928 almost became the hero car in Magnum PI. A Porsche 911 was considered for Risky Business, but the director considered it "too mundane". To its credit, the Porsche 911 did have a number of roles in movies and TV shows, including a memorable chase against a Ferrari 308 in Against All Odds.   

Photo: Scarface

Continual Improvements

Like the 911 and the other cars in Porsche's lineup, the 928 saw continual improvements. Porsche updated the 928 S for 1985, replacing the 4.7 L SOHC engine with a new 5.0 L DOHC unit. It included four valves per cylinder and made 288 hp. The 928 S4 debuted as a 1987 model, with revised front and rear styling and a number of interior revisions. In 1991, Porsche launched the 928 GTS with additional minor changes. By its final year, the engine produced 350 hp and could reach a top speed of 171 mph. 

Photo: Porsche AG

The End Came in 1995

Ironically, the 911, the car Porsche intended to replace with the 928, outlived its successor. Changes for 1978 refined the 911 into the 911 SC. Those were followed by more improvements which continually pushed the 911's end of life date back every couple of years. Then the success of the 964 convinced Porsche's management that the 911 still had plenty of life. By 1995 the price of the 928 had risen to over $82,000 dollars, almost $20,000 more than a comparable 911. A recession and declining revenue led Porsche to look for a more affordable car to bolster sales. With the 944/968 getting long in the tooth and just as expensive as a 911, they decided on a mid-engine car - the 968 Boxster. 

Photo: Porsche AG

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