Autoblog

Retro greatness in UK promo film for 1980 Porsche 928

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche invested remarkably in the 928, introduced in 1978, planning for it to supersede the by-then 15-year-old 911. It had a transaxle to keep weight balance 50/50, an instrument binnacle that tilted with the steering wheel, sun visors for rear passengers, polyurethane bumpers that, compared to the chromed monstrosities of the day, actually maintained the car's lines, and some of the coolest pop-up headlights ever. Its front-mounted V8 with 297 horsepower got 82 more ponies than the Ferrari 308 GTB. We also particularly like how much the 928 looks like a futuristic spacecraft mixing it up in period traffic, as it makes every other car shown look like it was drawn with an antique T-square.

To sell the car to UK customers in 1980, Porsche put together an eight-minute clip that spent as much time on the innovations as it did on women shopping, golfing and driving through a lot of castle driveways - lifestyle marketing clearly isn't new for the Stuttgart automaker.

If you're ready for "an impression of what motoring in its finest form is like" from the days when you could just "phone your local Porsche dealer, tell him you want a drive and he'll take care of the rest," there's a video for you after the jump.

Continue reading Retro greatness in UK promo film for 1980 Porsche 928

Retro greatness in UK promo film for 1980 Porsche 928 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorcyclists take revenge on hapless Porsche 928

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Porsche, Motorcycle

The roadways can be a dangerous place to be, no matter what type of vehicle is moving you and yours to and fro. Though cars and trucks are getting safer year after year, the same can't necessarily be said of motorcycles. While advances like anti-lock brakes, traction control and even airbags have made modern motorcycles easier to ride, it's no surprise which vehicle generally wins when a car and a motorcycle collide.

That's where the proper safety gear comes into play. In order to maximize safety when riding on two (or three) wheels, a rider needs to cover him or herself in the full spate of riding apparel, and companies like Icon Motorsports fill that need. Thing is, motorcyclists tend to be an interesting bunch, and appealing to their sense and sensibilities isn't easy.

Hence, the video you'll see after the break.* In it, a super cool dude with a ratty Porsche 928 has locked himself firmly in the '80s and doesn't give a single thought to anyone else, including a pair of Harley-Davidson Sportster-mounted bikers, ably played by Rob Carpenter and Chris Rayburn. Mayhem ensues. Oh, and as is often the case in the real world, the motorcyclist gets the girl.

If you like the production values, check out a couple more Icon videos that we've featured on Autoblog in the past.

*Professional riders, closed course, etc.

Continue reading Motorcyclists take revenge on hapless Porsche 928

Motorcyclists take revenge on hapless Porsche 928 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche 928 revival on Panamera platform rumored anew

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Rumormill, Luxury

Porsche 928S - Click above for high-res image gallery

Take a look at Porsche's lineup and you'll notice one great big gaping hole. There are sportscars of every flavor - hardtops and convertibles ranging from the Boxster to the Cayman and nearly every conceivable iteration of the iconic 911 the inventive minds in Stuttgart can think up - along with two differently sized crossovers and one high-performance sedan.

So, what's the problem? There isn't a single grand touring coupe in the mix.

As such, it's not surprising that rumors of a Porsche 928 revival have been spreading like wildfire across the dry plains of the internet over the last several years. The logical reasoning sees Porsche shortening its Panamera platform and ejecting the rear seat to make such a grand touring coupe, which would leave the manufacturer with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive machine in the tradition of its old 928.

According to the Brits at Autocar, such a beast could be christened, rather imaginatively, 929 and be ready for the market as early as 2014, coinciding with the launch of the second-generation Panamera. For those not keeping track, it's widely thought that same platform could spawn a new coupe to join the Bentley Continental, and if that's the case, development costs could be split between Bentley and Porsche, which both operate under the massive Volkswagen umbrella of influence.

Just as interestingly, rumor has it that, in addition to compacting it for a coupe, Porsche has ideas of lengthening the Panamera platform and is also considering a shooting brake.

Porsche 928 revival on Panamera platform rumored anew originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Porsche to collaborate with Bentley?

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 16:38:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Bentley, Porsche, Rumormill

Porsche and Bentley are related under the Volkswagen Group umbrella, and a new rumor suggests that the two might become kissing cousins. Autocar had a chance to speak with Porsche CEO Matthias Müller, and the head honcho of the German sports ~~car~~ vehicle brand says that a collaboration with Bentley could help push future Panamera variants foward. Per Müller,

"I think we have to discuss with Bentley whether we can put together our performance, our engineers. It should be possible."

He goes on to state that sticking to just a four-door sports car is boring. The Panamera should be revised into a handful of iterations, and Müller uses terms like "van", "combi" and "longer." If you are a Porsche loyalist, we'll give you a minute to restart your heart.

One variant we hope the Brits and the Germans can breathe life into? A Porsche 928. There have been rumors and speculation for years now, so perhaps this inter-brand teamwork is just what the doctor (would have) ordered.
[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Porsche to collaborate with Bentley? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: Porsche 928 successor

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Luxury

Click image above to enlarge

If all the rumors, wishes and Internet chatter about a new Porsche 928 can actually make the car happen, we are all for it - there are few automobiles we miss as lustily as the 1992-1995 928 GTS. We do know that Porsche has seven new models in the works and a 928 successor could be one of them, but until we have something more substantial to go on it looks like we're in for a slew of crowd-sourced renderings.

The above is from Teamspeed forum member Wildspeed, who's done a thorough job of melding Panamera and early 928 cues with a bit of flourish around the front wheel wells. If it comes in a manual version we'll consider it. You can have a better look at it in the high-res image and let us know what you think of Wildspeed's 928 and the GT's speculators in Comments.

[Source: Teamspeed via Carscoop]

Rendered Speculation: Porsche 928 successor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stuttgart meets SoCal at the PCA-GPX Queen Mary Concours

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Supercars, Porsche, Event Alert

Click above for massive high-res gallery of some of Stuttgart's finest

The Grand Prix region of the Porsche Club of America (PCA-GPX) is centered in the Long Beach area of Southern California. It takes its name from the Grand Prix held every year since 1975 on the streets of the coastal city south of Los Angeles. Besides getting together for the race every year, the PCA-GPX also hosts a number of driving and dining events throughout the year, including a spectacular concours d'elegance in the shadow of the Queen Mary.

We tagged along with the 356 Club this year to see what the show was like. Besides seeing some of the greatest Porsche models from the past 50 years, we also met some great people, had some terrific food, and learned a thing or two about the 356, 911, 912, 964, 993, 996, 997, and the rest of the offerings from Stuttgart and Weissach. We rekindled our love affair with the iconic Gruppe B-inspired 959, we made a new friend in the form of the 1977 SCCA Trans-Am Championship-winning 934.5 and we spotted an "Outlaw" 356 with a 3.3-liter 930 turbo motor that's probably as fast as either of those two.

Primarily we discovered that despite the state of the automotive industry, one thing remains true: people are still celebrating their cars. Join the celebration by checking out the massive gallery below.

Gallery: Stuttgart meets SoCal at the PCA-GPX Queen Mary Concours

Stuttgart meets SoCal at the PCA-GPX Queen Mary Concours originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 May 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Porsche reconsidering Panamera-based 928 successor?

Noah Joseph — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:27:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Porsche, Rumormill

Porsche 928 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Despite previous reports to the contrary, new reports suggest that Porsche is indeed planning a front-engine coupe to fill the void left in its line-up by the old 928. The original front-engined V8 GT was built by Porsche in various iterations between 1978 and 1995 before it was dropped. Since news of the four-door Panamera's development began circulating, so did rumors of a two-door variant to pick up the 928's mantle, but now that the Panamera has made its official public debut in Shanghai, new accounts suggest that Stuttgart is working on it already.

In this case, according to UK magazine Auto Express, any potential 928 successor would run in parallel, not as a replacement to the 911 (natch). Expect a fastback profile and the mechanicals to carry over largely from the Panamera, while reportedly reduced demand for lower-end Porsches like the Boxster and Caymen would dictate that the new GT would be positioned significantly higher, taking aim at the likes of the Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9. Is there any truth to the reports? Only time will tell, but in the meantime we've assembled a new gallery with high-resolution images of the original Porsche 928 for your nostalgic reminiscence...just click the thumbnails below.

Gallery: Porsche 928 (1978-1995)

[Source: Auto Express]

Rumormill: Porsche reconsidering Panamera-based 928 successor? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Porsche GT caught under wraps?

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:33:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Porsche

Autogespot procured a couple of shots showing a mystery vehicle cloaked under a car cover at the Porsche factory in Stuttgart, and just judging by the lines, the rear overhand and the long hood, it certainly doesn't look like typical 911 fare.

The rear bumper is what confuses us the most, and seemed to give Autogespot the idea that this is a prototype for the Porsche GT/928-revival, supposedly based on the upcoming Panamera. We think that's a stretch, but we'll let you speculate below.

Thanks for the tip, Bjorn!

[Source: Autogespot]

Spy Shots: Porsche GT caught under wraps? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche exec says "No" to baby Cayenne, again

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 10:53:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Porsche

According to our friends over at Motor Authority, Porsche exec Wendelin Wiedeking has officially denied the development of a cute 'ute designed to slot in below the Cayenne. This news is contrary to last month's report from Autobild that Porsche intended to share a platform with the upcoming Audi A5 and Volkswagen Tiguan, dubbing the stillborn model the "Roxster." This most recent news confirms another story reported back in May.

Wiedeking used his opportunity at the podium today to dispel the rumor and to hype the upcoming sports sedan, the Panamera. However, no word from Wiedeking about a successor to the 928 that could conceivably share a platform with the front-engine, four-door sports car.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Porsche exec says "No" to baby Cayenne, again originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jun 2007 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More on the Porsche 928 successor

Chris Shunk — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Performance, Porsche

While Porsche is trying to take over the European automotive arena by gobbling up more and more shares of VW, it also has to keep its eye on the competition and continue to come up with killer products. The concept that seems closest to production right now is the four-door Panamera, which should arrive by 2009. The issue with a front-engine Porsche sedan is that it has nothing else with which to share its platform, unless the hot as hell 928 comes back to life.

We told you last year that the 928 would share about 60% of its parts with the Panamera, and production would begin around 2011. Since both vehicles will be more GT than sports car, the Bentley Continental GT seems like a natural corporate part donor, though powertrains are likely to be exclusive between the two brands. The GT coupe market has been ablaze of late, with entries like the V8 Vantage, Continental GT, and M6 winning praise and buyers, so we can't see Porsche sitting on the sidelines for long. Besides, heavily disguised Porsche mules have been seen testing, so it seems as though the 928 is close to a done deal.

[Source: Auto Zeitung via Motor Authority]

More on the Porsche 928 successor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Jun 2007 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche Panamera update: New renderings, production issues

Damon Lavrinc — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 09:48:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Sedan, Porsche

The April 16th issue of AutoWeek is hitting mailboxes across the country, but for those of you without a subscription or who are too lazy to make it to the mailbox, they've produced a new rendering of the Porsche Panamera.

Stuttgart's latest deviation from its core products is said to debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, likely sporting a turbocharged 4.8-liter V8, producing 400 to 520 HP and clocking the trek from 0 to 60 in around four and half seconds. The engine, lifted from the recently updated Cayenne, should allow the Porsche sedan to reach a top speed of 180 MPH when making unencumbered runs on the Autobahn.

The article goes on to state that a 300 HP 3.6-liter V6 is also planned, supposedly utilizing a gas-electric hybrid setup that can make up to 400 HP while running on pure electricity -- albeit for brief periods of time.

As for AutoWeek's renderings, there's not too much to differentiate these newest images from ones we've seen in the past. The only marked difference is the C-pillar that looks particularly bloated and malformed when matched to the rest of the Panamera's sleek lines.

You can check out the renderings and read AutoWeek's article here (registration required).

[Source: Autoweek]

Porsche Panamera update: New renderings, production issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Apr 2007 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Porsche 928: Images and speculation

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 08:34:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Porsche

At the 1977 Geneva Auto Show, Porsche introduced the world to the 928, a - gasp - front-engine GT car that would compete with some of the great touring cars of its day. The portly Porsche achieved limited popularity over its 17-year run, but served as a sign of things to come when the Cayenne was introduced seven years later. Porschophiles the world over decried this latest offering as another bastard product that would water down the heritage of the automaker. No matter how much profit may have been generated by the Cayenne, or the Boxster for that matter, respect from Porsche's die-hard fanatics waned.

Fast-forward to 2006 and the controversy of Porsche's ever-expanding line-up comes to the fore again, this time in the form of the four-door Panamera. The new FR platform will allow Porsche to compete with other German manufacturers in the burgeoning $100k+ sedan market and also allows the automaker to resurrect the 928 moniker by shortening the wheelbase and lopping off its rear doors. Porsche wants a dog in the most prestigious of fights and in the realm of the high-price GT, stiff competition from BMW's M6, Merc's CL (now with AMG muscle), Aston Martin's DB9 and Jag's XKR proves that the market exists.

Car and Driver has put together what limited information is available about Porsche's new GT to come up with the above rendering and some technical speculation. As mentioned previously, both the Panamera and the 928 will share a platform, with the GT expected to share approximately 60 percent of the sedan's parts. A shorter wheelbase, coupled with a stiffer, multi-link suspension setup and the loss of a few pounds should lend a great deal to the 928's sporting pretenses. Motivation will come from a NA V8, producing upwards of 350 HP, with the option of cannibalizing the Cayenne's twin-turbo V8, making well over 500 HP and placing M.B.'s and BMW's high-po offerings directly in its sights. Gear selection will be similar to what's offered in the Panamera, with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox channeling power.

Pricing is expected to begin just above the 911's $90k, then head due north towards the mid-$100,000 market. If all goes according to plan, Porsche will debut the 928 sometime in 2011, with sales beginning the following year.

[Source: Car and Driver]

2012 Porsche 928: Images and speculation originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Oct 2006 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche plans 10 new models by 2010

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Supercars, Porsche

Motor Trend put together a list of future vehicles to come out of Stuttgart over the next few years and although most of the vehicles listed have either already debuted (Targa, GT3 RS) or are common knowledge among devout readers of Autoblog (GT2, Panamera, 928), the article contained a few minor revelations, in the form of new models and technological hurdles.

Naturally, the first order of business is the new variant of the 911, predictably dubbed the 998, which has hit the displacement equivalent of a brick wall. Porsche's engineers have found that the flat-six engine is ill equipped to manage more than 4-liters of displacement and in an effort to achieve the expected increases in performance, the 998 will focus more on weight-saving materials, such as aluminum and will come equipped with a DSG transmission to shave those valuable tenths.

Motor Trend also reports on the development of a small SUV to slot in underneath the Cayenne, which will be based off of Audi's new Q5. The new 'ute will have more performance potential than its Germanic sibling and is expected to come in a three-door body style. The comparisons to Porsche's foray into the Dakar Rally are inevitable, so this new vehicle will have massive shoes to fill if it ever sees the light of day.

Other models worthy of note include a Cayman RS, which will serve as a stripped down model of Porsche's mid-engine masterpiece, although power upgrades from the factory will be minimal as to avoid competition with the Cayman's rear-engine big brother. The new Carrera GT is also on the drawing board, but Motor Trend cites insiders as saying that the new mid-engine, V10 super car won't make it to production until after this decade.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Porsche plans 10 new models by 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche pondering going seven-up, adding off-road coupe to lineup

Chris Paukert — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 13:04:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Coupe, Performance, SUV, Crossover, Porsche, Volkswagen

It would appear that it will be that much easier for consumers to 'Accept no substitute' in the near future, as Porsche's burgeoning lineup is showing signs of even greater expansion. In addition to today's 911, Boxster, Cayenne and Cayman, the automaker is expected to bring its Panamera four-door coupe to market-- a platform that could well spawn a 928-style two-door luxury GT.

But even before that, Edmunds Inside Line is reporting that a teardrop-shaped body like that of the 911 could be grafted onto a high-riding AWD rally-style platform. The rumored project is said to be a result of the company's affiliation with Volkswagen, and ride on a new chassis being readied for Audi's upcoming Q5 SUV. The genre-bending coupe could be in showrooms as early as 2008.

The question begs: Will Porsche's exponentially-increasing lineup decrease its brand cachet, or add to the Stuttgart magic? Have your say in 'comments'

[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]

Porsche pondering going seven-up, adding off-road coupe to lineup originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Mar 2006 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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