Porsche 928 on the way back?

Is Porsche working on a Panamera based replacement for the 928?

It’s been a rumour for a long time. Porsche are going to bring back a 928 for the 21st century. Could they? Would they?

Well, with the launch of the Panamera at Shanghai the rumours have grown once again after Auto Express reported a conversation with Porsche’s head of sales and marketing, Klaus Berning.

Although Klaus refused to confirm categorically that Porsche was about to revive the 928, he did say Porsche was working on a successor to the 911, which may be a stand-alone model. Now that was exactly Porsche’s position when the original 928 was considered in the ’60s.

At the time, the sales of 911s were slowing and Porsche believed it had been developed as far as was possible, given its outdated engine-out-back configuration (how wrong that now seems!), So Ferry Porsche commissioned the development of a GT car with the engine in the right place – up front – and, by 1977, the Porsche 928 was born.

The 928 was a range-topping car for Porsche, and signalled its intentions to push its products further up-market. But the 928 was a slow seller, and the sales of 911s continued to be strong (and the previously anticipated regulations on rear-engined cars never materialised) so Porsche continued to produce the 911 alongside the new 928.

We already know that Porsche is likely to make a version of the VW BlueSport concept to give a range-opener. It now seems clear that they also intend to have a range-topper by utilising the chassis of the new Panamera to produce a big, 2-door GT to rival offerings from Bentley.

Could be a very interesting car. As long as the economy improves before it arrives!