SHARK ATTACK

With the evergreen 911 fast approaching its sixtieth birthday, it’s hard to imagine Porsche without the model, but in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was distinct possibility. A layout seen by many as increasingly dated encouraged those inhabiting the corridors at Zuffenhausen to think about a new flagship Porsche product. Indeed, company chairman, Ernst Fuhrmann, envisaged a ‘proper’ 2+2 in the form of a grand tourer capable of massive mile munching. This was no reimagining of the 911 – the resulting ‘land shark’ was Porsche’s first clean-sheet design, and one which set the company’s technological beacon shining all over again.

Work began in earnest as soon as the project was given the green light. In fact, as early as 1971, factory engineers and draughtsmen began to conceptualise the all-new Porsche. The resulting 928 was intended to pack the luxury of a high-end sedan with the style and performance of a sports coupe. Powerplant and transmission packaging issues ruled out a repeat of the rear-engine format, which promised to play havoc with emissions (a complaint Porsche was trying to address with the 911) in the face of ever-stricter safety legislation in the United States. Discussions regarding a mid-engine configuration were also dismissed – largely due to the 928’s cabin space being severely compromised – leaving a front-engined, rear-wheel drive setup as the preferred solution.

From the get-go, a big engine was planned for the 928. Prototypes were built using a five-litre V8, although Ferdinand Piëch argued the case for a 4.6-litre V10 envisaged as a product of modifying Audi inline-fives. He was, however, outvoted by many