Porsche had certainly been trying to rock their own boat when the 928 debuted. The car itself had been nearly the antithesis of the types of models previously associated with the Stuttgart-based marque. While the 911 had obviously been the halo car of Porsche, the company had been seeking to replace it with something they'd deemed more conventional.

This idea had actually been conceived first in the early 1970s. By then, with sales slumping, Porsche knew that they'd have to diversify their market even further to stay alive in the new world of high-end, premium sports cars. The 928 was to become a serious break in the tradition that Porsche held sacred for years, and continues to do so today.

Notably, their overall ideology proved that breaking the mold can definitely merit success, at least when executed properly. Although it was often overlooked in favor of its rear-engined brethren, the 928 is becoming increasingly more popular as the years churn onward, and for good reason.

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Why The 928 Was Unusual For Porsche

Porsche 928 S4 Club Sport
Via: Porsche Forum

Ever since Porsche AG started building production cars, it's no secret that the brand favored the rear-engined layout. However, even in the early days, there were certain exceptions to this rule. The 550 Spyder and 718 RSK of the 1950s had featured a midship layout, although the drivetrain was still mounted behind the driver.

Also in the 1950s, Porsche had even been contracted by Studebaker to develop a front-engined car for the American market; the Type 542. This never breached beyond the prototype stage, and the company would retain their attention towards their traditional RR layout. As they continued shuffling out 911s throughout the 1960s, as well as several models built strictly for motorsport, Porsche had aimed to expand even further. Managing director Ernst Fuhrmann had been campaigning to replace the 911 as early as the late 1960s.

By 1971, plans had been set in motion to produce another flagship model for the end of the decade. Unlike the 928, these early notions had called for wedge-shaped car with a rear-engined platform, but aimed to utilize a V8 between 5 and 6 liters. Initially dubbed the 911 H, the project would swiftly be coded as the 928 by 1972. At one point, engineer Ferdinand Piëch had even suggested using a 90-degree V10, which was to be grafted together from two Audi 5-cylinder engines. Practicality set in, and the decision had been made to feature a V8, mounted, ahead of the driver. In 1973, full-sized mockups had already been created that looked strikingly close to what would become the production version of the 928.

Unfortunately, the OPEC situation had put the 928 on a brief hiatus, although by 1974, Porsche opted to continue onward with the project. The car itself would finally debut at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show, and would be sold publicly that same year as a 1978 model. By this point, the ideal of a front-engined Porsche hadn't exactly been terribly new, as the 924 had just been put onto the market in 1976. Still, that had been a relatively cheap and underpowered model, whereas the 928 was destined to become a high-end GT. The 928 would consequently usher in a new era for Porsche, showing the world that it was more than capable of expanding their horizons.

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The Porsche 928's Long Production Run Yielded A Multitude Of Variety

1994 Porsche 928 GTS 2 Cropped
Via mecum.com

The early 928 models yielded sluggish sales during the car's initial run. Its overall price had been much steeper than the top-range 911s of years prior. Furthermore, the engine layout and higher curb weight had deterred several Porsche enthusiasts. Still, Porsche had utilized a rear-mounted transaxle in these cars to achieve better balance and a sense of handling. Even with the heftier weight, the 928 offered much more predictable handling than its rear-engined counterpart. On top of which, the overall comfort level of this grand tourer was a stark contrast to the stripped-down, raw appeal that made the early 911s legendary.

Even though the 928 had initially sought to replace the 911, this obviously didn't happen. For 18 years, these two models would co-exist in the same lineup, showing the diversity of the brand and offering two entirely different incarnations of sports cars to consumers. The 928's production run spanned across three decades, from 1977 until its inevitable demise in 1994. During this period, the model would undergo a series of changes and special editions. The 928 Club Sport was first offered in 1988, shaving 220lbs off the standard version's curb weight. Also during this time, the 928 GT was offered, and later the GTS. The latter of which featured a vast array of options and was fetching over $100,000 in the mid-1990s.

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The Porsche 928: What To Expect On The Market

Porsche 928 Engine Cropped
Via mecum.com

With the car market in general experiencing a cataclysmic rollercoaster of vexing mockery, things are changing rather frequently. As of now, some high-end 928 GTS models are selling for well above 6 figures, depending on options and condition. Fret not, as a lot of older variants can still be picked up for less than $20k in fair condition. Sometimes even less, if appearance isn't an issue. Most US-spec 928s were sold as automatics, so the 5-speed versions are considerably harder to find and tend to garnish a heftier price, which is understood by both the overall rarity and the offer of more control to the driver.

In general, the Porsche 928 is an honest piece of history. This car represented an entirely new leap for Porsche, showing the world that their abilities far exceeded those of the rear-engined counterparts for which the brand was, and still is, renowned for. Even more so, the fact that the brand took a huge gamble upon building a V8-powered grand tourer, in the midst of a global oil crisis, and actually won that gamble, is a fact that's just as respectable as the car itself.