The Panamera had a difficult birth. Although an unquestionably brilliant five-door grand tourer, it initially struggled with awkward looks. Moreover, it made use of a frontmounted engine, something anyone who recalls launch of the manufacturer’s transaxle family of products (924, 944, 968 and 928) will know hasn’t always sat well with Porsche enthusiasts.
As we outlined in last month’s issue of 911 & Porsche World, the 928 was originally seen as a potential replacement for the 911. With the headline act of more cabin space and a V8 engine at the nose, Porsche reasoned the 928 could win over a significant number of would-be customers by delivering the luxury and comfort of a saloon car without sacrificing performance. The legendary ‘land shark’ achieved some success over its lengthy time in production, with more than sixty thousand examples sold worldwide between 1978 and 1995. The 911, however, remained the Porsche sports car of choice.
In the present, the 928 has achieved classic status, its position in Porsche history well and truly cemented. Of course, after remaining on sale for seventeen years, the brand’s first V8-powered car was hardly likely to disappear into the fog of insignificance, yet tidy examples can be picked up without breaking the
