Work on Porsche's original 928 coupe began as far back as the late 1960s, as the firm tried to come up with a package to replace the 911.
Back then, many in Porsche felt that the 911 could fall foul of US legislation on safety and emissions.
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It was thought that a conventional front-engined, rear-drive sports car powered by a water-cooled Vee engine would be a 'future-proof' format that Porsche could build on.
The 928 was eventually revealed in 1977 and was widely lauded for its technical excellence and styling. It even won European Car of The Year.
By then, however, it was clear that the 911 was not going to die. Aside from the continuing popularity of the rear-engined model, the 928 had developed into a very different car, and it was more of a range-topping GT than a lithe sports car.
The 928 survived until 1995, when it and the 944 (another 911 ‘replacement’) were finally axed. It’s arguable that the 928 was ahead of its time, though; high-end GT cars have become more of a 21st-century delicacy.
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