1986 Porsche 928S Coupe

Description

Porsche's radical new flagship model 928 model was a complete break with tradition for the Zuffenhausen marque, combining futuristic styling with a front-engined layout and a water-cooled V8 with a rear transaxle for perfect weight distribution. Voted European Car of the Year for 1978, the 928's bodyshell was made from steel with alloy doors, front wings and bonnet to save weight and a luxurious cabin helped make the 928 a grand tourer par excellence. Designed for high speed autobahns cruising, the majority of 928s were specified with automatic gearboxes but the new car was also a very capable performer when the road got a little twisty - it should be noted that the majority of factory test drivers chose the 928 as their company car. In 1980, Porsche revised the model, the V8 enlarged to 4.7-litres and the camshafts re-profiled to lift power to 300 bhp. Top speed increased to over 250 km/h and the 0-100 km/h dash took a touch over six seconds, making the new 928S one of the quickest cars on the road at the time. The S also boasted front and rear spoilers and 16-inch wheels with a new design plus fatter tyres. Over the next six years, the 928S underwent gradual refinement, with the option of ABS added in 1984 (standardised in 1986) and Bosch's latest LH engine management system raising power to 310 bhp and more torque. Porsche also adopted Mercedes-Benz' latest four-speed automatic in 1984 and enlarged the capacity to 5-litres in 1986 for the US market (optional elsewhere). All this luxury and performance didn't come cheaply - even by Porsche standards the 928 was an expensive motorcar - but the model was always a strong seller, with in excess of 60,000 built between 1978 and 1995, when production finally came to a halt. For several years the 928 has been touted as a supercar bargain but values of the best cars - like the example on offer here - are sure to appreciate in years to come.