Porsche 928: Catch it while you can

Looking for an affordable Porsche that's a dead cert to appreciate? The 928 is finding plenty of love at the moment

In the increasingly febrile climate of ever-escalating classic car values, I hear one question more than any other. What cars are still affordable that are destined to go up in value soon?I've heard some surprising nominations for this about-to-go-ballistic award recently, but one car seems to unite everyone: the Porsche 928.

As ever the early ones are the purest aesthetically

For years neglected as a money-pit boulevard cruiser, the 928 is finally being recognised as the lovely thing it is, in its own right. It certainly seems to garner plenty of love here on PH.

The car that was supposed to replace the 911 is often viewed as an abject failure because it never did replace the 911. But hey - we have the Panamera today, a car that arguably very much follows the 928's template. And look what you get with a 928. A comfortable cabin with excellent ergonomics, a torquey V8 that's gloriously happy at high revs, genuine pace and a chunky steering feel that turns sweeping A-roads into rivers of joy.

Values are definitely on the move. One year ago we ran a story on the 928 in which we reckoned £15K was steep, and at the time you could still buy a manual 928 for just £6KThose days have gone. The general updraft in the value of pretty much all things Porsche has elevated the 928 to the point where, if you don't move fast, you may well lose your chance.

Manuals carry a premium but still sub-£20K

Which one to buy?
Most 928s for sale are post-1986 S4s, and most are autos. That shouldn't trouble you - the S4 has the advantage of a larger V8 (5.0 or 5.4 litres) with between 320hp and 350hp, while the Mercedes-Benz sourced auto 'box is bulletproof and certainly not the worst slushbox of its era.

The cheapest 928 in the classifieds today is £10,950 for a 5.0-litre S4 auto with 99,000 miles. In its favour, it's standard, has plenty of history and looks in decent fettle. Against it, though, it's a Japanese import. Still, £10K...

My personal pick of the classifieds is a 1991 S4 with a louche lounge-bar Amethyst Metallic paint scheme, a particularly retina-rubbing shade of purple - check out the gloriously lurid interior. Yours for £23,995. Early 928s are harder to find, but definitely worth seeking. They're arguably the pure 928 experience and do look timelessly cool. Take this ex-Roger Clark 928 from 1979, which looks gorgeous and is in stunning condition.

£60K for S4 shows way things are headed

Set to manual
Manual cars have rarity (only one in six 928s built was manual) and stick-shift kudos in their favour, but they definitely carry a premium. It's still possible to find sub-£20K manuals, such as this 136,000-mile GT that was sold new in the UK in 1989 but emigrated eight years ago to Ireland. Seems a steal at £17,500.

Especially when you consider what dealers are now asking for the best manuals at the top end of the market. Just how much? A 56,000-mile S4 GT in Guards Red with black leather is up for - wait for it - £60K. Told you you needed to move fast.

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Barchettaman

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