After deciding that the mid-engine layout did not allow enough room in the passenger compartment, a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout was chosen. Having the engine, transmission, catalytic converter(s) and exhaust all cramped into a small rear engine bay made emission and noise control difficult which were the problems Porsche had with the 911. Several drivetrain layouts were considered during early development, including rear- and mid-engine, but most were dismissed because of technical and legislative difficulties. ![]() Ordered by Ferdinand Porsche to design a production-feasible concept for the new model, Fuhrmann initiated a design study in 1971, eventually yielding the 928 which was the first clean sheet design by the company for its own model the 356 was a similar design to the Volkswagen Beetle, the 911 was an evolution of the 356, the 914 was a joint effort intended as a replacement for the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and 912, and the 924 was the result of abandoned project by Volkswagen and Audi. The targets were that the car had to compete on par with offerings from Mercedes-Benz and BMW while also being successful in the United States, Porsche's main market at the time. This would set it apart from the 911, with its relatively spartan interior and true sports car performance. Fuhrmann envisioned the new range-topping grand tourer model as being the best possible combination of a sports coupé and a luxury sedan. Slumping sales of the 911 in the mid-1970s seemed to confirm that the model was approaching the end of its economic life cycle. Fuhrmann believed that the future of the company relied upon grand touring cars with conventional engines rather than unconventional sports cars. Managing director Ernst Fuhrmann was pressuring Ferdinand to approve development of the new model due to concerns that the then-current flagship model, the 911, was reaching the limits of its potential. In the wake of the 1970s oil crisis, executives, including owner Ferdinand Porsche, were beginning to consider adding a more fuel-efficient luxury touring car to the line-up. Conception Early Porsche 928īy the late 1960s, Porsche had firmly established itself as a manufacturer of high-performance sports cars. It was described as a "super car" by the Autocar in 1980. ![]() On release in 1978, the 928's advanced design & construction won it the European Car of the Year. It was particularly notable for its record-setting high top speed. The 928 was the company's first production V8-powered model and its only coupé powered by a front-mounted V8 engine. Porsche executives believed the package would have wider appeal than the compact, somewhat antiquated and slow-selling air-cooled 911. The 928 combined the handling and performance aspects of a sports car with the ride, load space and comfort of a luxury car. Originally conceptualised to cater for an evolving automotive market, it was Porsche's first entirely in-house design for a production car and was ultimately intended to replace the Porsche 911 as Porsche's flagship model. The Porsche 928 is a grand touring car with a 2+2 seating layout produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 until 1995.
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