Saturday, April 30, 2011

1979 Porsche 928



The Porsche 928 was a sports-GT (gran turismo or grand tourer) car produced from 1978 to 1995. Strictly speaking, the 928 was more GT than sports car. Designed in 1971 as the eventual replacement for the 911, production of the 928 was delayed until late 1977 as a 1978 model. As such, it lays claim to being the first front-engine, water-cooled Porsche despite the 924's introduction two years before that of the 928. The 928 attempted to combine the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury sedan to create what some Porsche executives thought would be a vehicle with wider appeal than the compact, quirky and sometimes difficult 911. The 928 was often referred to as a "shark" due to its shape, pop up headlights and the ability to "eat up miles".

As prices inflated in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, sales of the big Porsche fell off leading to its eventual abandonment in 1995. Not many were sold in North America. Over its entire production span, the 928 went through one significant body change. In 1987, the fourth generation S4 shape was smoothed out for better aerodynamics, given flush tail lights, and a new wing. Only the nose and tailcap changed. The mechanicals were periodically upgraded, but the layout and all features remained basically the same.

Since its inception in 1949, Porsche has manufactured only six front-engined models, four of which were coupes, including the 928. The car has the distinction of being the company's only coupe powered by a front-mounted V8 engine, and the company's first mass-produced V8 powered model.

Engine displacement: 4.5 litre (approx. 275 cubic inch)
Valves: 16
Bosch K-Jetronic injection
Power: 240 hp (177 kW) (219 hp or 163 kW in North America)
Torque: 363 N·m (268 ft·lbf)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice subtle beaver shot there I must say.

transpress nz said...

not as subtle as the Alfa Romeo grille (see new post). maybe Porsche need to be more direct.