1978 Porsche 928
I purchased this 1978 Porsche 928 from its original owner in 2021 after admiring it from afar for nearly eight years. It is a first-year car finished in Petrol Blue over Pasha with a five-speed manual transmission, limited slip differential, sunroof delete and passenger door mirror delete—the exact specification I would've ordered in 1978.
I grew up in a Porsche family. My father owned a 356 and early 911s long before they became mainstream, and he introduced me to the marque at an early age. Ironically, he unknowingly introduced me to the 928 as well. One afternoon he called me into the living room to watch the famous U-Boat scene in Risky Business. I remember seeing the car for the first time and being truly captivated. I had never seen a Porsche that looked like it.
Telling my father that I liked 928s was almost like a coming out moment. To him, the 928 never quite fit the definition of a "proper Porsche." For years we debated its place and significance in Porsche history. It was literally a daily topic of discussion. I was obsessed.
As my interest grew, so did my appreciation for the earliest cars. Before spoilers, protective moldings, and the gradual visual changes of later production, the original 928 possesses a remarkable clarity of design. Its flowing surfaces, exposed front fenders, and restrained detailing feel less like automotive styling and more like industrial sculpture. Nearly fifty years later, it still looks optimistic—an artifact of a future that never quite arrived. To me, it remains one of Porsche's purest and most daring design statements.
I first encountered this particular car in 2013 through a Rennlist post after someone met its original owner at a Cars and Coffee gathering in Louisville, Kentucky. The pictures stopped me in my tracks. Unlike restored cars, this one had simply been preserved. It carried the quiet authenticity that only an untouched automobile can possess. Though rare, you can find 928s of many varieties in preserved condition, but I had never seen a first year car in such a preserved state. It looked new.
That evening I reached out to the owner, and what began as a simple inquiry developed into years of conversations. He was every bit as thoughtful and meticulous as I had imagined. Although he had owned many Porsches throughout his life, this—his first 928—had always remained his favorite.
At the time I was a college student and had no realistic prospect of buying such a car. Still, we stayed in touch, and my admiration for it never faded. In 2021, while attending Amelia Island, I unexpectedly saw another early Petrol Blue 928. It was a reminder that I had never stopped thinking about this one. I contacted the owner once again, and after more than four decades of stewardship, he entrusted the car to me.
Today the car remains remarkably original, showing approximately 17,500 miles. It was ordered without a passenger-side mirror because the original owner believed the cleaner profile offered a slight aerodynamic advantage. Combined with the absence of spoilers, side moldings, and a sunroof, it represents one of the purest North American expressions of the original 928 design.
Lately, I've noticed my 928s getting more and more attention when I drive them around. Usually it's not older car enthusiasts who remember these when they were new, but often people younger than I am, which is surprising, because the appeal has to be more than just nostalgia.
At cars and coffee gatherings or local events, they're drawn to it almost instinctively. They ask about the pop-up headlights, stare at the Pasha interior, and circle the car with the same curiosity I remember feeling when I first encountered a 928 as a child. They have no context for the debates that surrounded the model or the expectations it carried. They simply recognize that it looks unlike anything else on the road.
I've come to believe that's part of the 928's enduring appeal. Great design doesn't require nostalgia or explanation. It speaks for itself, regardless of generation. Arguably, the best designs are ahead of their time and take years, even decades, to be fully appreciated.