1984 Porsche 928 S

Description

It turns out that the Porsche 928 was not a replacement for the venerable 911, but instead one of the finest grand-tourers to ever exist. You can also think of it as Porsche's first muscle car, with a big, honkin' V8 up front and rear-wheel-drive, but that would be doing these great cars a grave disservice. No, this 1984 Porsche 928 deserves to be treated as something better.

Admittedly, the 928's look is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, but you can't argue that the design hasn't aged gracefully. This car still draws appreciative stares on the street and people who know these cars will always show it the proper respect. Wearing a single repaint in basic black, it certainly looks sinister, and with a few tasteful modifications, it takes on an exotic look that isn't altogether inappropriate. The NACA ducts and rocker panel extensions are the most notable upgrades, along with a rear spoiler from a later model 928S, and they all help this car look insanely potent. Porsche build quality is legendary, and the 928 was no exception, so the doors open and close with a reassuring thud and panel gaps are impressive all around. It's not perfect, but for the money, it's pretty darned nice.

The all black interior is pure 1980s tech, and thanks to fresh leather seat covers on the very supportive buckets, it looks years newer than it is. Porsche sometimes struggled with ergonomics in the 911, but the clean-sheet design of the 928 allowed them to remedy most of the flaws, so instrumentation is comprehensive and highly visible, with clear markings and bright orange pointers, and most of the secondary controls are at your fingertips. As a top-of-the-line model, just about everything was standard, and in the interest of keeping it updated, a newer AM/FM/CD stereo head unit was fitted into the center console. The parts that were not replaced are nevertheless in good shape, including the carpets and door panels, and the leather-wrapped wheel doesn't look like it's been baked in the sun. There are smallish back seats for part-time use and a very spacious trunk that's eminently usable for long-distance touring.

Thanks to a displacement bump to 4.7 liters, the overhead-cam V8 pumped out a very respectable 234 horsepower in 1984 S-trim. It has that muscle car-like low-end torque, yet shrieks to redline with a prod of the accelerator. The soundtrack is pure Wagner baritone, distinctive yet familiar, and you'll never get tired of it. The engine bay is sanitary, and these early models don't carry all the electronics of the later cars, so maintenance and serviceability is better than most exotics. Fortunately, these cars are also durable, so you can enjoy it without fears that you'll break something fragile. Rookies might scoff at the 4-speed automatic gearbox, but the truth is, it's the preferred transmission in the 928, the perfect complement to its grand-touring personality and always willing to snap your head back with a quick downshift. An all-independent suspension and powerful 4-wheel discs are confidence-building in the switchbacks, and ride quality is surprisingly good for a car that corners this well. Flashy 18-inch alloys are a worthy upgrade and wear 225/40/18 front and 265/35/18 rear performance radials.

Why these aren't more popular with collectors remains a mystery, but that also means that the Porsche mystique and performance is within reach for those of us with modest budgets. Call today!