The Porsche 928 is still widely regarded as one of the greatest grand-touring sports cars of all time because of its remarkable performance and futuristic design.

When Porsche rolled out the 928 in 1978, it created an instant buzz because of its flying-saucer design and pop-up headlights. Before the car launched, masses were unaware of integrated bumpers and absent spoilers that gave the 928 a sleeker look. It was so futuristic in its design that through its entire production timeline from 1978 to 1995, the body design remained largely unchanged. This car by Porsche was also distinct because it was the company's first vehicle that paced a V8 engine and was also the company's only coupe that was rear-wheel drive with a front-mounted engine.

The Porsche 928 was designed, putting emphasis on the factor that it should be a lightweight luxury touring car that uses less fuel, becoming handier to use in the 70's oil crisis. Through the process of designing it, a series of changes were introduced to bring out a perfect balance between power, performance, and comfortability.

Here are some of the distinct and remarkable factors that made the Porsche 928 a head-turner.

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The Futuristic Body Design

An Image Of A Black Porsche 928
Via Supercars.net

The idea behind its body design was to minimize the weight and increase the fuel efficiency. So, the engineers at Porsche tried plastic and aluminum as body materials. The conventional sheet steel was replaced with aluminum while making doors, front wings, and the bonnet, whereas the rest of the body was made of galvanized steel, which made the car more lightweight and robust.

Conventional extra-body metallic bumpers and spoilers were shunted, and to reduce the weight even further, polyurethane elastic bumpers were introduced. These bumpers were integrated into the front and rear lower covers with body-color plastic. With no extended bumpers sneaking out from the front or back of the car, the vehicle's aerodynamic drag was reduced, which aided the fuel efficiency as well.

Another fascinating feature of its design was the electrically operated round pop-up headlights, which were integrated into the wings.

The 928 was based on the Weissach Axle to complement its rear-wheel drive train. This feature allowed the driver passive steering of the rear wheel and also provided better stability while braking on turns. The Weissach Axle was one of the precursors of the future active rear-wheel steering and all-wheel steering systems.

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Variants Of The Porsche 928

Three trim variants of the car were introduced from 1980 to 1995, and all these versions had minor body upgrades. The 928 S (1980-86) had front and rear spoilers, colored side protection strips, and side direction indicators. A rounded front apron with air intakes and an outward projected rear wing were featured in the 928 S4 (1987-91).

During 1993-95, Porsche launched the GTS version that came with a 17-inch cup design wheel, the largest of all 928s. It also had broadened rear wheel arches to accommodate these large wheels. This model also had color-matched front and rear spoilers, a twin-pipe exhaust exit, and the signature, full wraparound red light bar.

The Company's Maiden V8 Engine

Undeniably, 928 stands out from other sports coupes of its time primarily because of its design. However, what made it a stylish performer was the powerful V8 engine that it packed. The initial 928 came with a 4.5-liter water-cooled V8 engine with a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection that was capable of thrusting 237 hp with a 363 Nm torque. In the following years, and up to its last trim, GTS, Porsche kept upgrading the engine. So every new trim version bled more power than its predecessor.

The power was significantly increased in the 1980s with the launch of the Porsche 928S model. The engine went through a slight upgrade and was a 4.7-liter, 16-valve V8 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection. This engine oozed power up to 300 hp, which was further expandable with a catalytic converter.

The 928 S4 models of 1987 received a fully upgraded engine and thrust 316 horsepower with a flick on the gas pedal. The configuration was still a V8 but with four valves per cylinder and a 5-liter engine displacement. An advanced LH-Jetronic fuel injection system replaced the earlier Bosch K-Jetronic injection system. Also, the ignition system had changed to EZK. The engine sported new pistons, new cylinder heads, and a more aggressive camshafts design.

The last trim GTS was launched with a 5.4-liter increased crankshaft V8 engine that was capable of producing an enormous horsepower of 350. Except for the GTS version, most of the 928s were equipped with automatic transmission.

The Porsche 928 was full of surprises. Apart from its innovative design and powerful engine configuration, the vehicle was the first to be equipped with an instrument cluster that moved along with an adjustable steering wheel. Its incredible design and impeccable performance won it the title of 'European Car of the Year' in 1978. There was yet another record in its cap when in 1986, the famous American IMSA racer Al Holbert drove a 928S4 on an electrifying speed of 171.110 mph on Bonneville Salt Flats. This sprint made the 928 S4 the fastest naturally-aspirated production car in the world at the time.

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