Porsche 928: technical knockout

By Graeme Hurst

| 5 Nov 2025

Classic & Sports Car – Porsche 928: technical knockout

Some cars will always defy their designers’ intentions, no matter how well they perform or how brilliantly they were engineered.

Take Porsche’s 928. With a state-of-the-art, all-alloy, 240bhp V8 engine, a clever rear-mounted transaxle and captivating styling, this late-’70s GT had all of the key attributes to be a truly great car.

And plenty of people thought so at the time.

It was even voted Car of the Year in 1978, the first time a ‘sports car’ had clinched the coveted award.

Comparing early (left) and GTS versions of Porsche’s classy super-GT

But the Porsche 928 seemed jinxed from day one – by nothing more than human irrationality. That lack of logic stemmed from three digits: 911.

Serious Porsche fans never got over Stuttgart’s decision to switch to front-engined power.

Both the company’s bacon-saving 924 and the avant-garde 928 might have made more technical sense than the (by then) ageing air-cooled 911, yet that still wasn’t enough to sway marque enthusiasts who continued to yearn for the idiosyncrasies of the 928’s older, rear-engined sibling.

‘Inside, the 928 boasted an ergonomic layout with clever features such as a combined adjustable steering wheel and instrument binnacle to optimise the driving position’

Ask anyone who was lucky enough to own a Porsche 928 when they were new, however, and they will tell you just how sensational it was.

Perfect poise, tenacious grip and stonking performance are just some of the qualities that helped the model to stay in production for 18 years.

With eight variants – including rare Club Sport and SE – plus the option of manual or auto (except for the GT), the 928 caters for many tastes.

The early Porsche 928 has a 240bhp V8 which makes do with 100bhp less than the more powerful GTS, but it’s still lots of fun

To find out just how much of a (relative) bargain it really is, we brought together an early example – a 1980 4.4-litre manual – with one of the last 5.4-litre GTSs.

Although it was launched in ’77, the seeds of the 928 story were sown nearly a decade earlier.

Porsche’s management became concerned over the 911’s inability to meet strict safety and emissions regulations, particularly in the all-important US market.

Water cooling gave better control over emissions, while placing the engine in the front was one way of improving crash protection. But that meant a serious rethink in Stuttgart.

Porsche left its comfort zone to create the 928, a front-engined two-plus-two with a hatchback

In 1971, Porsche’s then newly appointed CEO, Dr Ernst Fuhrmann, kicked off a project to design an all-new front-engined two-plus-two.

Its styling was led in-house by Anatole Lapine and this clean-shaped hatchback was the result.

Underneath those revolutionary lines lay equally new mechanicals: an all-alloy, single-overhead-cam-per-bank, fuel-injected V8 mated via a torque tube to a rear-mounted transaxle.

This was radical stuff for a firm that had built its reputation on an air-cooled rear-engined layout.

The Porsche 928 remained in production for 18 years; the GTS (right) was the last variant

To banish Porsche’s reputation for tail-happy handling, the 928 featured clever multi-link rear suspension developed at its Weissach proving ground.

Few of its contemporaries enjoyed the luxury of such a clean-sheet approach – not even Jaguar’s XJ-S V12 or Aston Martin’s V8, both powered by engines seen in their predecessors.

Those aspects led to the 928 scooping that prestigious Car of the Year gong when 51 motoring journalists unanimously voted for it.

The award was a big boost to sales, albeit controversial at the time, and Porsche shifted more than 5000 cars in the first year alone.

The Porsche 928 was a clean-sheet design by Anatole Lapine

Looking at the 928’s shape today, it’s easy to see how sensational it was all those years ago.

Integrated, body-coloured bumpers and a flush rear hatch were exciting and futuristic, as were the exposed, pop-up lights. These disguised the width needed to house the 90° V8.

Inside, the 928 boasted an ergonomic layout with clever features such as a combined adjustable steering wheel and instrument binnacle to optimise the driving position.

There was plenty of space for 6ft-plus drivers, who could stretch out in comfort yet still reach of all the controls easily.

This Porsche 928’s funky Pasha trim is in keeping with the car’s character

The Porsche 928 felt impressive on the road, too, with near-50/50 weight distribution and a top speed of 140mph, while it could hit 60mph from rest in 7 secs.

It was no sluggard, as Motor magazine pointed out in 1978, but not quite in the Jaguar, Aston Martin or Ferrari league.

Despite that criticism, those figures still sound and feel good when you get behind the wheel of a 928 today.

From the moment the V8 fires up with its trademark muted burble, you’re aware that the car packs serious grunt.

Early Porsche 928s have the purest lines

It pulls away urgently and the low driving position amplifies the GT feel – as does the dog-leg first gear.

It isn’t the short, snappy change you expect, but it has a long, precise throw.

The tall gearing means that you don’t need to shift too often, given the V8’s spread of torque.

Press on and it gathers pace surprisingly rapidly, the car’s wide track and comfort masking speed to a degree.

The Porsche 928’s exposed pop-up lights helped to obscure its width

Porsche was keen to improve the 928’s performance, and the 928S, added just two years later, was the start of an evolution to keep the model at the top of its game.

The ‘S’ signalled an increase to 4.7 litres, giving 300bhp, with the 1983-on S2 boasting 310bhp and anti-lock brakes as standard.

Three years later came the S4, which packed a 5-litre quad-cam V8 with four valves per cylinder and was good for 330bhp and 317lb ft of torque.

The Porsche 928’s cleverly integrated plastic bumpers conceal robust aluminium beams and could take 5mph impacts without deforming

That development didn’t come cheap: the S4 cost £48,935 – nearly £30k up on the launch price.

It rose another £15,500 when the GT was added in 1989. That was replaced three years later with the GTS we have here, the final variant.

With engine capacity up to 5.4 litres and a 5.4 secs 0-60mph time, the 928 had evolved into a serious supercar.

Only the Ferrari Testarossa went faster around Millbrook’s bowl, said Motor, and the 512TR cost twice as much.

‘The colossal torque of the Porsche 928 GTS means that you can pootle about at low revs, but press the throttle sharply and any sense of lethargy is replaced with an urgent growl’

It was an impressive run for a single model that looked largely unchanged, apart from a revised front end plus wraparound tail-lights and a downforce-inducing rear spoiler.

The quality of the fittings is even more impressive. Joel Hopwood’s early Porsche 928 hasn’t been that pampered over its 110,000-mile life, yet the interior remains intact down to the soft Pasha fabric inlays, while the multitude of switches all still operate with a pleasing teutonic ‘click’.

Step into the GTS and those controls haven’t moved.

The acres of soft, light-grey leather and expanses of wood – often specified on the GTS – make for a heavier, more opulent feel, as does the chunkier steering wheel, which packs an airbag.

The reflective panel of the Porsche 928 GTS gives its rear end a different look to the early car

The refinement spreads to the eight-way electrically adjustable heated seats and the enhanced instrumentation that includes a trip computer.

There’s also full climate control as well as tinted windows to keep you cool, and extra sound deadening intended to cocoon you from road noise.

Throw in the electronics for the automatic tyre-pressure monitor, ABS and the variable-ratio PSD limited-slip diff and it’s easy to see how the GTS piled on a further 379lb.

The sense of cosseted refinement and extra weight is evident as you turn the key: the Porsche’s V8 has a subdued, understated rumble and there’s a heft to the steering on your first turn.

The ultra-quick Porsche 928 GTS packs a quad-cam, 5.4-litre V8

On the road, the combination of the automatic ‘box (a popular option) and the engine’s multi-valve tractability – not to mention a stonking 350bhp – gives it an enchanting character.

The V8’s colossal torque means you can pootle about at low revs without any inkling of its top-end ability.

Even just limiting your right foot to 2500rpm will have you smartly up to the legal maximum. But press the throttle sharply and the 928 takes on a very different character.

Any sense of lethargy is replaced by an urgent growl as the needle darts up.

The big rear spoiler on the Porsche 928 GTS was introduced on the S4 of 1987

From 4000rpm, a change in the induction flow results in a proper V8 bellow as the Porsche 928 surges forward like a scalded cheetah across the Serengeti.

This is when you get a taste of the 928’s autobahn-devouring reputation. Floor the throttle pedal and you’d engage the electronic kickdown before hitting 120mph in third.

And even then you’ll still be more than 2000rpm shy of its lofty 6250rpm redline. It’s a truly potent performer that feels ever stronger the more you press on.

The trouble is, the chassis seems so capable and sure-footed, the feedback so insulated, that you need three-figure speeds to feel as if you’re having fun.

The Porsche 928 GTS has a luxurious, leather-trimmed cabin

Fortunately, the Porsche 928 GTS is equally impressive if you need to rein in the horses thanks to its massive 12.7in (323mm) ventilated front discs and four-pot calipers that came straight out of the 993 turbo’s parts bin.

And if you do lift off at speed in a corner, that nifty rear axle keeps the back end in check.

Ah, yes, the Weissach axle. Its sophisticated variable geometry is governed by a control link that’s designed to force the outer wheel in a corner to ‘toe out’ if you lift off.

So it wards off the wheel’s tendency to tuck in and cause a spin.

The wheels on Porsche’s 928 GTS are 2in wider than the early car’s 16in ‘telephone dial’ rims

Get back behind the wheel of the early Porsche 928 and you discover that it’s a lot more linear in the way it dishes up its power.

The smaller engine’s response isn’t quite as fierce, but it’s a lot more predictable and still plenty of fun.

The 16-valve V8 has a healthy dose of mid-range torque, too, so you can revel in the surges between gearshifts.

In the GTS those bursts are notably shorter, mainly because of the 32-valve engine’s ability to rev and deliver massive urge.

The GTS was the final evolution of the Porsche 928

In terms of performance, obviously the GTS has the edge, despite its weight, but when it comes to character, for me the original is best.

The early Porsche 928 has a poise and an agility that’s masked by the mass and sheer speed of the GTS and the buckets of grip from its 255/40ZR16 rear tyres.

The manual gearbox also makes you feel more connected with its soul. You can sense the high-frequency activity of the transaxle pulsing like a heartbeat through the gearlever while the engine sounds more rooted with a deeper, more primal note to the V8 in place of the quad-cam version’s sophisticated cacophony of valve gear and ancillary whine.

Its performance is also more usable in a sense, because it feels faster than it is, whereas the GTS is so superbly refined that it disguises its true pace.

The early Porsche 928 (left) can’t keep up with the GTS, but it’s still our choice

Such differences are to be expected given the 18 years of development that separate these two models.

Yet the age gap merely highlights just how superb the original was back in 1977.

The 928 might not have followed Porsche’s intended 911-replacement role in the company script, but the ‘all-new’ design philosophy behind the car laid the groundwork for an accomplished GT that evolved in ability, with a range of models to broaden its appeal and accessibility.

And, if anything, the Porsche 911’s continued success has tempered 928 prices, making ownership today just as tempting as it will be rewarding.

Images: Tony Baker

This was first in our February 2009 magazine; all information was correct at the date of original publication

Porsche 928 memories

What’s it like to own a Porsche 928?

“For more than a decade my everyday car was a Porsche 928,” remembers Classic & Sports Car’s Simon Taylor.

“I owned three: an S4 [above], a GT and a GTS, all secondhand, all manuals, all wonderfully long-legged tourers.

“A 928 is a versatile car, equally happy cruising at 160mph on the autobahn, hustling cross-country on B-roads or pottering unruffled through heavy traffic.

“I liked the rounded, chunky styling, which still looks quirky and timeless. I liked the hewn-from-solid feel, from the sharp steering and the sure-footedness in wet weather to the heavy precision of the switchgear and the firm, hip-hugging, tall-backed seats. And I liked the torquey grunt – even today these are still quick cars.

“They were amazing value for money, and they still are. These cars are beautifully built and should be good for 250,000 miles.”

Factfiles

Porsche 928

Sold/number built 1978-’82/17,669
Construction galvanised steel monocoque, with aluminium doors, front wings and bonnet
Engine all-alloy, sohc-per bank 4474cc V8, two valves per cylinder, with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection
Max power 240bhp @ 5000rpm
Max torque 257lb ft @ 3600rpm
Transmission five-speed manual transaxle, RWD
Suspension independent, at front by double wishbones, coaxial coil springs, telescopic dampers rear lower wishbones, upper transverse links, coil springs, double-acting telescopic dampers; anti-roll bar f/r
Steering power-assisted rack and pinion
Brakes ventilated discs, with servo
Length 14ft 7in (4442mm)
Width 6ft ¼in (1835mm)
Height 4ft 3¾in (1315mm)
Wheelbase 8ft 2½in (2500mm)
Weight 1468kg (3229lb)
0-60mph 7 secs
Top speed 140mph
Mpg 15.8
Price new £19,499

Porsche 928 GTS

Sold/number built 1992-’95/2831
Construction galvanised steel monocoque, with aluminium doors, front wings and bonnet
Engine all-alloy, dohc-per-bank 5397cc V8, four valves per cylinder, Bosch LH-Jetronic injection
Max power 350bhp @ 5700rpm
Max torque 362lb ft @ 4250rpm
Transmission five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transaxle, RWD, with lock-up overdrive, Porsche active Slip Differential (PSD)
Suspension independent, at front by double wishbones, coaxial coil springs, telescopic dampers rear lower wishbones, upper transverse links, coil springs, double-acting telescopic dampers; anti-roll bar f/r
Steering power-assisted rack and pinion
Brakes ventilated discs, with servo and anti-lock
Length 14ft 8in (4520mm)
Width 6ft ¾in (1848mm)
Height 4ft 2½in (1282mm)
Wheelbase 8ft 2½in (2500mm)
Weight 3608lb (1636kg)
0-60mph 5.4 secs
Top speed 168mph
Mpg 15
Price new £72,950